Advocates provide training for pro bono immigration and housing cases

 

The Faculty’s Free Legal Services Unit is helping to train pro bono solicitors and other volunteers in two important areas of advice work.

Through the Unit, Stephen Winter, Advocate, an expert in asylum and immigration law, gave an overview of the UN Refugee Convention and the procedure for an asylum claim in the UK.

The event was held in the offices of Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP in Edinburgh, and was in conjunction with LawWorks Scotland, a charity which co-ordinates and encourages the provision of pro bono services by solicitors.

A second presentation, on Tuesday, 15 November at the same venue, features Mark Lazarowicz, Advocate, who has a special interest in housing law. He will discuss the practical issues which can arise in typical housing cases, and which are commonly raised with solicitors, law centres and advice agencies.

The seminars are aimed at legal and other volunteers providing pro bono advice at LawWorks Scotland clinics, and staff and volunteers at Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Mungo Bovey, QC, convenor of the Free Legal Services Unit, said: “The Faculty attaches importance to its pro bono role and providing training to front-line service-providers is an effective way of extending the expertise that we offer to the widest range of client.”