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’.

When Law Centres opened, many people were worried about going to a solicitor. There were many reasons for this, including a fear about how much the solicitor might charge for his/her services. Law Centres do not charge people when they visit and they aim to create a friendly and supportive service.

Law Centres try to make their services as open as they can to everyone in the local area. If people are unable to come to the Law Centre, staff will try to organise a visit. Often they have advice surgeries in other venues and provide back up to other local advice agencies. An example, is the Schools Project that was set up by Islington Law Centre. See Community Projects in Law Centres for more information about the kinds of work Law Centres do.

Law Centres often employ staff who use the same languages as those used in the local area. They often provide leaflets and publications in different languages.

Law Centres open at different times and it is always best to call them or look at their details on our website. A few Law Centres only take up cases that have been referred to them by another agency. Law Centres are not able to take on everybody’s case as they are limited by the contracts they hold with the Legal Services Commission and by other funding restrictions.

If someone has a complaint against a Law Centre, they should ask to see the Law Centre’s complaints procedure and use this to follow through the complaint. The LCF is not able to take up complaints from clients. However, if someone has exhausted all available options, then the LCF Director can be contacted to try to resolve the issue.

In the Law Centres section:

Find your local Law Centre

Solicitors’ Code of Practice 2007

13.09 Law Centres, charities and other non-commercial advice services

(1) If you are employed by a Law Centre or advice service operated by a charitable or similar non-commercial organisation you may give advice to and otherwise act for members of the public, provided:

(a) no funding agent has majority representation on the body responsible for the management of the service, and that body remains independent of central and local government;

(b) no fees are charged save:

(i) where the client is publicly funded; or

(ii) where the organisation indemnifies the client in relation to your costs insofar as they are not recoverable from any other source;

(c) all fees you earn and costs you recover are paid to the organisation for furthering the provision of the organisation’s services;

(d) the organisation is not described as a Law Centre unless it is a member of the Law Centres Federation; and

(e) the organisation effects indemnity cover reasonably equivalent to that required under the Solicitors’ Indemnity Insurance Rules.

(2) (1) above does not apply to an association formed for the benefit of its members.

Visit Solicitors Regulation Authority to view the Code.