One of the first of its kind in the country, it has now become one of the biggest and has been the inspiration for other universities to set up similar programmes. Last year it was awarded the ‘Best Contribution by a Law School Award’ in the prestigious LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards.
Over the years students from Bristol’s Law School have worked with qualified solicitors to help hundreds/thousands of clients with a range of legal issues including housing, employment and welfare benefits – providing them with invaluable experience into how the practice of law can change people’s lives.
Chloe Wilson graduated with a Law degree in 2023 and is now heading into pupillage at St John’s Chambers in Bristol. In July 2023, as a graduate advisor through the Law Clinic, she represented a grieving family at a jury inquest, making legal submissions and advocating against seasoned counsel.
She said: “His family believed the system had failed him. That no one helped him or kept them informed about his treatment. At the inquest, I was their voice. I asked the hard questions. I challenged the evidence. I made legal arguments that would normally be handled by barristers with years of experience. At the end of the week, the jury returned a conclusion in the family’s favour. New policies have since been introduced to better support people in mental health crises.
“This was the biggest case I’d ever taken on. It’s not the kind of work law students usually get to do. But through the Law Clinic, student volunteers are proving that pro bono legal work isn’t just necessary - it’s powerful.”
Lisa Smith said her father’s inquest would have been far more traumatic for her family had it not been for all of the Law Clinic’s support and guidance.
She said: “The Law School students were fantastic throughout the whole process of assisting us in preparing for the inquest, and I cannot state enough how truly grateful we are that they were able to support us in person throughout the five days of the inquest. They were fantastic, and I have no doubt they will continue to make a positive difference to other families as they progress in their careers.
“We are so very grateful and thankful for the existence of the University of Bristol’s Law Clinic, and the support afforded to families such as us going through complex circumstances. They are doing a brilliant job and providing a truly needed and fantastic service. Thank you again to the whole team for making this possible.”
John Peake, Director of the Law Clinic, said: “It is incredibly rewarding to know that because of our input, our students are gaining an awareness and experience that they would not otherwise be getting. Likewise, the work they do is so important in helping people who otherwise would not have anyone to turn to. It is one of those happy situations where the practical education of the students can significantly benefit members of the local community.”
The idea came from Law Lecturer Professor David Nicholson (now at the University of Essex), who before coming to work at the University of Bristol set up a student run law clinic in apartheid South Africa, working in the townships and offering help where there was none.
He said: “It was a challenging time, and the experience stayed with me. Years later, I was walking through Bristol and had a chance encounter with a homeless man. I ended up helping him find a legal aid lawyer. It felt good to be able to make a difference so shortly after, I arranged a public meeting to gauge if students might be interested in our own law clinic at Bristol.”
In the early years, the clinic ran out of Professor Nicholson’s office using his answerphone and filing cabinets and the team met clients in empty classrooms. The response was overwhelming. After a while, they got sponsorship from a number of local law firms, including Osborne Clarke and Burges and Salmon, which helped to further expand the support student volunteers could offer.
He added: “It was basic, but it was enough to be able to meet clients, offer legal assistance and provide successful representation in a number of inspiring cases. I’m proud to see that the University of Bristol Law Clinic is still thriving. The simple formula - staff guiding students to help people in real need while gaining invaluable real-world experience - is a kind of quiet genius. It’s gone on to inspire a whole network of successful clinics.”
Juliet Williams, who is now enjoying a successful career as a barrister, was a student at Bristol in the mid-1990s and quickly became the engine behind the operation, gathering support from local law firms, arranging publicity and recruiting students.
She said: “By the time I left to pursue my career, the Law Clinic had become what we’d always hoped it would be: a team of steady, committed students dedicated to providing invaluable support to our local community. I’ve always been enormously proud of it, both having set the Law Clinic up with Donald and the concept being later adopted by universities across the country, helping thousands of people resolve their legal problems.”
Student volunteer Lydia Jones, who is now studying for a postgraduate degree in International Law and International Relations, said: “It was the Law Clinic that drew me to Bristol. You work on real cases, with real people, facing real problems. That’s what makes it so powerful.”
One of the most meaningful cases she says she worked on was the Save Redfield Cinema campaign, liaising with the Chambers who offered pro bono support, and writing the representation together, the building is now protected for five years.
Lydia added: “The landowner had a big legal team. I was just a student. But we made it happen. When I started studying law, I had imposter syndrome. I didn’t feel clever enough. But the Clinic gave me confidence. It made me think – maybe I am good at this.”
Sumayyah Malna is a supervising solicitor at the Law Clinic and also works as a senior lecturer at the University. She moved here from a career in medical law in private practice. She said: “Moving to the Law Clinic was one of the best decisions I ever made. Now I work across many more areas, including housing, family, and civil disputes. By the time clients come to us they have often been turned away from every other organisation where they have sought help.
“I see the gaps in access to justice every day. And I get to play a small part in addressing them - through casework supervision, but also by teaching students about the cracks in the justice system, and encouraging them, as the next generation of leaders, to build something better. I’ve worked with amazing legal minds in private practice, but no one has inspired me more than my students. We don’t just advise. We listen, we advocate, we empower. Every day brings a chance to make a difference.”