Law Centres

Law Centres provide an independent legal advice and representation service. They employ solicitors and specialists in areas of ‘social welfare’ law to help individuals and communities.

Law Centres focus on providing legal services to people who may be marginalised in society or who are experiencing discrimination. Most of their clients are disadvantaged. Their aim is to discover the underlying causes of problems and take a holistic approach to solving those problems for both the client and the community. All Law Centres employ solicitors and many are specialists in equality and discrimination law. Law Centres are funded by the Legal Services Commission and Local Councils. Community Projects are often funded by Trusts and Charities such as the Big Lottery Fund.

A recent study by nef Consulting (New Economics Foundation) found that for every pound spent on providing a case work service, the Law Centre generates in excess of £10 in benefits including savings to government. You can read the research in About Law Centres.

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Read Law Centres Providing Equal Access for All here.pdf

In Scotland, there is a separate organisation, the Scottish Association of Law Centres which has information about Law Centres in Scotland.  Visit: Scottish Association of Law Centres.

  • A Law Centre - What we do
    Law Centres provide their local communities with a comprehensive legal service that puts the legal and human rights of individuals first. Law Centres help to overcome the obstacles faced by people who need access to the legal system.
  • About Law Centres

    Law Centres have existed since the early 1970s. Law Centres should be available to everyone, especially those living in less affluent areas with poor public services. However, the distribution of Law Centres is still sparse.

  • Find your local Law Centre
    Find a Law Centre near you
  • History and Funding of Law Centres
    “The impact of Law Centres has been out of all proportion to their size, the number of lawyers who work in them and to the amount of work it is possible for them to undertake. The volume of work they have attracted has shown how deep is the need they are attempting to meet.”
  • How are Law Centres different?
    While Law Centres are similar to other legal and advice agencies, and share many of the features of private practice solicitors who offer services in social welfare law, Law Centres remain distinctive.
  • How do Law Centres operate?
    Law Centres operate in the same way as any lawyer’s firm in the high street, in that they employ solicitors to provide a high quality professional legal service. However, Law Centres’ expertise lies with solving everyday problems, which come under the general heading of ‘social welfare law’.
  • Legal Aid
    What is it for, who can get it, and who provides it.