Northumbria Law School screens campaign video against Legal Aid cuts

13th March 2015

Northumbria Law School will host a special screening of a Justice Alliance video this month, campaigning against Legal Aid cuts.

Together with Newcastle and North East Junior Lawyers Division (JLD), Northumbria University will host the event with the aim of raising awareness of the Legal Aid cuts. The Justice Alliance video is a short and condensed campaign following people who have benefited from Legal Aid and includes comments from public figures voicing their personal opposition to the cuts.

The event is a forum to discuss the impact of the cuts to Legal Aid and whether money is now a barrier to legal advice. Elaine Campbell, Solicitor Tutor at Northumbria Law School, recently commented how more law students are providing pro bono work due to Legal Aid cuts. Although this is a valuable learning experience for students to practice in a real-life context, Elaine argued that schemes like Northumbria’s Student Law Office shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for Legal Aid.

As well as the screening, attendees will be able to take part in a Q&A session with guest speakers Cris McCurley – a Legal Aid solicitor at Ben Hoare Bell LLP specialising in family issues across jurisdictions, Jayne Edwards – Director of Newcastle Law Centre and Marian Cleghorn – a Barrister at Trinity Chambers specialising in immigration and public law.

Rachel Barnes, a Northumbria law student and JLD student representative, who is helping Ben Hoare Bell lawyers Ronagh Craddock and Emily Humble organise the event, said: “Attendees will have the opportunity to put their questions to a panel of guest speakers who all work within the Legal Aid system. We hope that the event will attract students and individuals from a range of professions, whether or not their current or intended future work concerns Legal Aid and whether or not they agree with the cuts.”

The event will be held on Thursday 26th March from 18.00-19.30 at Northumbria Law School. To register to attend please email ask@jldnortheast.org.uk