Law students partner with Citizens Advice to launch free legal clinic at Oxford Brookes University

Law students at Oxford Brookes University have partnered with Citizens Advice Oxfordshire to launch a new clinic offering free support to people across the county.

The clinic will provide supervised, real-world experience for law students working directly with clients, while helping to meet growing demand for free, accessible legal advice in the local community.

“Students already volunteer at our clinic in Oxford’s Westgate Library,” said Leslie Topp, an Oxford Brookes graduate who works for Citizens Advice as the Pro Bono Clinic Coordinator.  “Now they will be running a brand new clinic on the Oxford Brookes campus in Headington, making our services even more accessible. This will make an enormous difference to people across Oxfordshire, particularly those who find that paying for legal advice is beyond their means.”

The clinic will run every other Wednesday and will be staffed by qualified solicitors and legal advisers who are volunteering their time to advise clients on a wide range of issues, including, immigration, family, and employment matters. Law students will work alongside the solicitors, supporting clients by accompanying them to appointments, assisting with form filling, and signposting them to other relevant services and agencies.

Dr Charlotte Houghteling, Senior Lecturer in Law at Oxford Brookes, welcomed the initiative: “We are excited to be opening this new clinic. Over the autumn, our students completed comprehensive training and will now gain invaluable experience by working directly with solicitors and members of the public.”

Silas Bastow, a final-year law student acting as Student Coordinator for the clinic, said: “For students, it’s a fantastic opportunity not only to work alongside local legal professionals , but also to experience first-hand how lawyers support individuals in need. This fosters a crucial link between the legal profession and our academic studies: one that is increasingly difficult to obtain in a competitive job market.”

To access the service visit the Citizens Advice Oxfordshire website.