The Law Centres Federation

The LCF is the national body for a network of community based Law Centres. Law Centres provide help in solving everyday problems, such as getting decent housing, dealing with discrimination, or obtaining the correct benefits.

The LCF believes that every community should have a Law Centre and calls for a national network of independent Law Centres to stand up for people’s fundamental and human rights.

Law Centres are members of the LCF and provide an independent specialist legal advice, assistance and representation service.

Law Centre news

• London Legal Support Trust Walk
  More than 3,500 lawyers turned out at the Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ) yesterday for the fourth annual London Legal Support Trust sponsored walk. 20th May 2008. Raising a record £310,000, the event saw 196 legal teams from across the UK set off on a 10km route from the RCJ over the Millennium Bridge, through Westminster and St James’s Park before finishing at The Law Society’s headquarters at Chancery Lane. London_Legal_Support_Trust_May_Walk_2008.doc
• Rights of Fixed-Term Workers
  Law Centre (Northern Ireland) recently won an important Industrial Tribunal case establishing the rights of fixed-term workers who are affected by the Review of Public Administration. The Tribunal decided that the Western Health and Social Care Trust had discriminated against one of its employees because he worked on a fixed-term contract. Law_Centre_(NI)_May_2008.doc
• Record £5,000 awarded for disability discrimination
  At a hearing on 26th March, District Judge Weston awarded damages of £5,000. The case taken up by Disability Rights Worker at Sheffield Law Centre represents the highest level of compensation to date for a case brought under Part 3 (non-employment cases) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Sheffield_Law_Centre_Disability_Discrimination_April_2008.doc
• South West London Law Centres - Legal Aid reforms forces closure
  Changes to the way that Legal Aid is funded is having a devastating impact on the viability of Law Centres, Citizens Advice Bureaux and other independent advice agencies. These organisations operate in the charity and voluntary sector provide representation for vulnerable people. They are a small but dedicated band of professionals and volunteers who challenge the State on behalf of the vulnerable, using the law to hold the powerful to account and to protect people’s rights from abuse. They work long hours, for little or no financial reward. They work for you. And they are being destroyed before our eyes. South_West_London_Law_Centres_Press_Release_260208.doc