Anyone in Salford who has tried to access free legal advice or representation will know that the city is a legal aid desert. Greater Manchester used to have nine law centres. It now has just two, in Bury and Rochdale, but the inner areas of Manchester, Old Trafford and Salford have nothing.
Indeed, cuts to legal aid have prompted lawyers in pin striped suits to march through Manchester waving placards (see here) and campaigners to block roads to draw attention to the issue which they explained would "block all but the rich from access to justice" (see here).
To fly in the face of such injustice, lawyers and solicitors themselves initiated a campaign to create a Greater Manchester Law Centre, and this month it opens its doors on Princess Road in Moss Side.
"We want to ensure that everyone in need of legal advice and representation has got a chance of that that's our aim" says GM Law Centre Chair John Nicholson "We don't just want to provide any old legal advice, we want to provide high quality legal advice."
Over three hundred people, with various skills from admin to law, have volunteered for the project, which strives to specialise in everything from welfare benefits, to employment, housing, discrimination, debt, community care, immigration and asylum, and public law.
The centre is currently being run on an appointment basis for face-to-face advice, and can help people who phone in or re-direct them if necessary to other services. It's also hoping to have walk-in facilities available soon and case workers going out into the community at pop up legal venues.
During this year the Centre worked in partnership with the University of Salford to develop a scheme similar to Bristol and Avon, where law students from the University of West of England have volunteered time within the law centre to help those challenging benefit sanctions and ability to work assessments.
"They win 96% of tribunal appeals, which is a fantastic success rate but also a damning indictment of how many are refused at the first point, that you have to go to a tribunal to challenge them" John Nicholson explains "That's how vital it is to have access to justice. Salford is taking it into the university mainstream, so it's going to be well resourced and, on the back of that, there could be similar deals with Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester University, who are interested."
The Greater Manchester Law Centre is backed by a host of legal superstars, including Michael Mansfield QC, Lord Willy Bach, John Hendy QC and top local human rights lawyer, Robert Lizar. Patrons also include Maxine Peake, while the newly crowned Labour Party GM Mayor candidate, Andy Burnham MP is an enthusiastic exponent...
"I fully support the idea of the Greater Manchester Law Centre and congratulate all those involved in getting it off the ground" he says "I am very worried that my constituents are finding it harder and harder to get access to justice and are more and more vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. This initiative is of crucial importance and has my complete backing."
While the Law Centre is starting small it is hoping to build capacity and expand, with fundraising initiatives being launched, from schemes where lawyers donate 0.5% of their salary, to crowd funding appeals*. For John Nicholson, and others involved in getting the Centre off the ground, it is a vital service...
"There is a massive level of destruction of advice and representation for people in need in an area that is disproportionately poor and in need of that advice and representation" he says, listing the areas of justice that have been decimated, from employment tribunals, to housing, welfare, immigration and asylum...
"Critically" he adds "is the destruction of the organisations that can provide legal aid representation, and the disincentive to any young people going through law courses from becoming lawyers because of fees and loans. It means you are not creating people to provide the walk-in opportunity of face to face advice and subsequent representation."
Part of the Law Centre's remit is to try and create a new generation of `conscientious lawyers' and to `campaign for the restoration of legal aid to become part of the welfare state'.
In the meantime, the Greater Manchester Law Centre is a crucial addition to justice in Salford and beyond...
Contact Greater Manchester Law Centre on 0161 769 5060
Email info@gmlaw.org.uk
For more information see the website: www.gmlaw.org.uk
See also the Facebook page GMLawCentre
*Anyone wishing to donate towards the crowdfunding campaign to kit out the new community Law Centre click here
*Any lawyers wishing to take part in the Lawyer Fund Generation Scheme please email tanzil@gmlaw.org.uk
The Greater Manchester Law Centre is situated at 159 Princess Road, Manchester M14 4RE please note that it is appointment only at the moment.
*GM Law centre also has its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 27th September 6:30pm at the Mechanics Institute, 103 Princess Street Manchester M1 6DD to which everyone is welcome to attend (more details at the GM Law Centre website)
For more news on the Centre follow the project on Twitter @gmlawcentre
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