Student Legal Advice Centre

Aims

• To provide students with a real-world opportunity to learn and develop knowledge and practical skills by providing advice and assistance to the public
• To provide the community of Derby with free advice and assistance in a number of areas of law, providing a wider access to justice

The University of Derby's Student Legal Advice Centre has been shortlisted for Best Contribution by a Law School at the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards 2024.

Our clinics

The Student Legal Advice Centre is currently confirming the clinics we will offer for this academic year. More information will be available shortly, if you have any questions in the meantime please contact studentlegaladvicecentre@derby.ac.uk.

Our Research-Based Clinics

The Centre also has research-based clinics that allow students an opportunity to increase their research, writing and presentation skills on relevant and current issues.

The Justice Project is available to first-year students in the first year of undergraduate legal studies. During the project, students work on a current issue together in a group, which for the 2022/23 academic year has been focused on carbon literacy and environmental issues. Later in the year, our justice project students will present their findings at an event that includes local professionals, judges, and policymakers as well as staff and students from all over the University.

The Policy Clinic is available to second and third-year undergraduate and postgraduate law students and aims to provide a policy report or other written outcomes to an external client, frequently a non-governmental organisation. From 2021-2023, the Policy Clinic has been focused on a policy project focused on the criminalisation of youth poverty in India under a brief provided by the International Bridges for Justice entitled 'Exploring the Nexus between Poverty and the Criminal Justice System in India.' With the support of the International Bridges for Justice, it is expected that the clinic will produce a policy paper by the end of the 2022/23 academic year.

The Centre has recently launched an International Human Rights Law Clinic for Non-Governmental Organisations and lawyers. The Clinic is available to both undergraduate and postgraduate law students and provides research briefings to external clients in international human rights. The clinic is open on Thursdays from 3 pm to 5 pm and is supervised by Dr Muin Boase.

Student involvement

As a student of Derby Law School, you will have the opportunity to become involved with the Centre from the outset of your degree. Depending on the clinic with which you volunteer within the Centre, you will have the opportunity to meet with clients, take instructions, carry out research and advise accordingly in writing.

First-year students are currently involved in a Justice Project. This promotes the teaching of law to all members of the community, including school children, by informing them of their legal rights and responsibilities.

Second-year students have the opportunity to become involved in the Immigration Family Reunion Clinic. The Centre partners with the British Red Cross and Paragon Law in the delivery of this service. Second-year students will also have the opportunity to become involved in the Legal Triage Clinic.

Third-year students are involved in the Family Law Clinic and Support at Court for Litigants in Person. Third-year students will also have the opportunity to become involved in the Business Clinic. 

Both undergraduate and postgraduate students have the opportunity to volunteer in the Centre’s Policy Clinic and International Human Rights Clinic, which carry out research for non-government organisations.