City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC)

I’m so pleased to announce that we WON the prestigious “most effective pro bono partnership” award in the LawWorks bi-annual awards tonight! The competition was stiff! I’m so proud of my team at City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) Tejal-Roma Williams Ian Shaw Irumi Gamage John Mahoney Marcus Soanes Alexia Zimbler Adaora Echedolu Jasmine Ashley Lynette Calder and of course all our partners and our wonderful law students ! OUR LAW FIRM PARTNERS: 😍 Baker McKenzie (congrats by the way) Fieldfisher Taylor Wessing UK CMS UK Irwin Mitchell Lewis Silkin and Travers Smith 😍 Our wonderful referral partners Help On Your Doorstep One Westminster the NHS MH services Citizens Advice and many more… Pro bono matters. We are part of the rule of law and let’s not forget there’s no point in having rule of law without access to justice. Reading the finalists nominations tonight was heartwarming. Access to justice is so important (even more so in this time of austerity). I am determined to continue to be part of the solution. As our nomination said: “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Ryunosuke Satoro WRITER, POET The City Law School City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) LawIRL @ The City Law School

Calling aspiring social welfare solicitors! 🌟 A new application round for the Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund has just opened. You are eligible if: 👩🏼🎓You are an aspiring solicitor working in social welfare law for organisations serving disadvantaged communities 👨🏿🎓The clear majority of your work is within social welfare law ⚖️ You intend to stay within the field for at least two years after qualification 💼 You have the full support of your current employer Apply by 1pm on 23 December 2024! 🎁 https://lnkd.in/eP3PYwES

⭐️ City St George’s Student Union are providing a great opportunity and here’s how you can apply! -Application deadline: 14th January 2025 LawIRL @ The City Law School City, University of London City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) #ProBono #Law

Attended Residents Without Borders Community Voices Event on the Cost of Living Support at St. Mary’s Church, Upper Street, today. The event was aimed at residents living in Islington, Camden, City of London, Hackney, and Haringey. The aim was to have an open-door policy to all clients in need. Shamim Noronha, CEO/ founder introduced Residents Without Borders an amazing organisation. John Warby Connect Team Manager talked on HOYD services and various events they host in the community. Help on Your Doorstep (HOYD) aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Islington, especially those who are vulnerable and isolated. We work closely with HOYD and love everything they do! I talked about CITYCLAC services. At City Community Legal Advice Centre (CITYCLAC), students, staff, and external lawyers, volunteer to provide advice and assistance to clients on a variety of legal issues including social housing disrepair service, general immigration advice, DWP PIP form filling support, etc. Geoff Taylor Meade, Partnership Manager, London Borough of Islington/Department for Work and Pensions gave a talk on Pension Credit Awareness - What is Pension Credit, Why it is important and How to get support to claim it. I met the lovely Dr Debbie Humphry who is running a research study with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with the Universities of Liverpool, Lancaster, Bristol, and Greenwich. They want to understand tenants’ experiences of living in private rented housing in the Finsbury Park, Tollington, and Hillrise wards of Islington. Any tenant who is happy to be interviewed will receive a £20 shopping voucher. The Mayor of Islington Anjna Khurana graced us with her presence and seemed so approachable and caring. I love these community events it allows us to share what we do at The City Law School with the local Islington community. The clients cheered up a cold winter day and filled me with a renewed sense of purpose. 😍

As I approach the end of my second term as a Student Adviser and Senior Student Adviser at the City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) this December, I feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a meaningful initiative. During my time thus far at CityCLAC, I’ve had the privilege of working directly with clients on a range of legal issues, including civil litigation, consumer law, housing, family, and employment law. My responsibilities have included conducting client interviews, triaging cases, drafting case summaries and advice letters, and collaborating with a fantastic team of fellow Student Advisers. This term, I also took on the Senior Student Adviser role, supporting and mentoring new student volunteers while continuing to develop my own skills in leadership, teamwork, and professional conduct. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Sally Gill, the Director of CityCLAC, for her leadership and vision; my supervisor Tejal-Roma Williams, whose guidance has been instrumental in my development; and Ian Shaw and Irumi Gamage in office management, who have ensured everything runs smoothly and have been a constant source of support. I’m also incredibly thankful for my colleagues—working alongside such dedicated and talented peers has been a highlight of this experience. I am grateful to the School of Law at City, University of London, for offering this program on campus and making it accessible to students like me. This opportunity has provided a unique blend of practical experience, professional development, and meaningful work with real clients. Finally, this experience has reinforced my belief in the value of diverse perspectives in the legal profession. As the field continues to evolve, I believe individuals who think differently and approach challenges creatively—often shaped by their neurodivergence—are well-suited to lead the way toward innovation and progress. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. I look forward to building on these lessons as I continue my path in law. Maybe to a third term, and beyond #LegalExperience #LawStudent #CityCLAC #CityUniversityLondon #ProBonoWork #LegalProfession #StudentLawyers #NeurodiversityInLaw #LeadershipDevelopment #Gratitude #ProfessionalGrowth #FutureOfLaw

Did you meet GT Stewart Solicitors at the #SocialJusticeLawFair last week? Check it out, they’ve got a housing paralegal vacancy! Perfect role for those passionate about social justice. (LLB or GDL graduates only - ideally post LPC but not required) https://lnkd.in/eXFfKT5e

CityCLAC are incredible proud to be a finalist for the 'Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership' award.

Thank you Karen Doyle for your vision in creating the Social Justice fair. The City Law School, LawIRL @ City, University of London, City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC), Sally Gill and The City Law School Innocence Project were delighted to host it this year. Incredible organisations came together to talk to students from around London. I managed to speak to and learn from the following: Maru, Bettina, Pamilerin Thompson from BLAM Charity ( Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health), founded by Ife Thompson, BLAM actively diversifies the school curriculum and uses education to improve the well-being of young black Britons in the UK. Maria Cristina Mundin from the International Lawyers Project, the ILP connect communities, journalists and governments with pro bono legal expertise to bring about economic justice. Deborah Acquaah and Anna Béar from The Legal Education Foundation, an independent foundation supporting communities across the UK to use the law to improve their lives and the lives of others. Please go to their page to see all of incredible programmes that they offer. Anya Hutin and Lauren Hanson from Leaders Unlocked an organisation that enables young people to have a stronger voice and influence over the issues that affect their lives. In education, policing, health, justice, they help organisations to involve the people who matter and shape decision-making for the better. Cindy Quynh Anh Le from Amicus ALJ, a legal not-for-profit organisation which helps to secure equal access to justice for those facing the death penalty in the USA. We can’t wait to see you all tomorrow! Muka and Jody Audley from Catch22, they work with local authorities and other commissioners to deliver public services that meet local needs and support individuals within our communities. They cover criminal justice, Education, Children’s Social Care and Health & Wellbeing. Nikki (Adenike) Onasanya and Stephanie Cohen from Liberty, an organisation that challenges injustice, defend freedom and campaign to make sure everyone in the UK is treated fairly. They are campaigners, lawyers and policy experts who work together to protect rights and hold the powerful to account. Finally, I met Leah Charles who is doing incredible work at MTC Solicitors. It was so comforting to see so many City, University of London and The City Law School students in attendance. Well done to City, University of London Pro Bono Society for organising a cake sale and raising a lot of money for a worthy cause! A big thanks to Ian Shaw and Irumi Gamage for all of your hard work in helping to organise this incredible event! *descriptions of each organisation taken from their respective websites

We're so proud to support the City, University of London Law School Community Legal Advice Clinic and work with the amazing team there led by Sally Gill. Grab some popcorn and watch this short video on the importance of #probono work at universities: #ProBonoWeek

The City Law School So pleased to announce that we are finalists in the LawWorks awards again (for the 8th time in 2 years!) for City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) in the best law firm partnership category ! Especially pleased 😌 because it’s #probonoweek and #wedoprobono ❤️😍❤️