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Law Society Commends Keele Legal Companion Initiative
As cuts to Legal Aid come into force on 1 April, Richard Miller, Head of Legal Aid at the Law Society of England, has visited a pioneering scheme in North Staffordshire to see how legal assistance for self-represented litigants can be delivered in new ways, and affordable legal advice may be accessed through the companions' referral to collaborating law firms.
Launched by Keele's School of Law, the Community Legal Companion is an innovative new role which trains law students from the University, under the supervision of partner organisations, to provide unrepresented litigants practical assistance throughout the legal process, and to support access to law firms' specialist services.
Richard Miller comments:
“The Legal Companion scheme is vital in the wake of the cuts to Legal Aid. Thanks to the work of students at Keele University and the partnering organisations, self-represented litigants in Staffordshire will have access to some essential resources to support and help them through the legal process. The community legal companion model is a really positive initiative and could provide a model for similar programmes across the country.”
For more information about the Law Society Head of Legal Aid's visit, see here.
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