Legal advice does not have to cost the Earth

HOW does it feel to know that you need legal advice - but also know that you can't afford it?

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Personally speaking, I have been in that position. Several years ago, I spent a month's salary on receiving advice from a specialist lawyer. It told me I was probably morally in the right, but it would cost me tens of thousands of pounds to prove that in a court. So, on top of spending all that money, it wasn’t even good news.

My experience is one of the reasons that I’m involved in the Keele University School of Law Legal Advice Clinic. I, together with my solicitor colleague Sarah Askey, am one of the solicitors that supervises the students. We encourage our students’ commitment to volunteering their time.

We help our students to understand our clients’ feelings and worries. We train them to be able to advise people without cost. It’s important to remember though that this is not without cost to the students. They give up time to volunteer. This is often at the expense of other university clubs and activities.