{"id":403,"date":"2024-05-29T11:36:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T11:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jovial-goldwasser.51-11-181-233.plesk.page\/?page_id=403"},"modified":"2025-07-18T12:43:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T12:43:59","slug":"giving-back","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/disputeresolutionyearbook.traverssmith.com\/yearbook-2025\/giving-back\/","title":{"rendered":"The value of giving back: Travers Smith’s advice clinic work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For over two decades<\/strong>, Travers Smith lawyers, trainees and paralegals have been advising at legal advice clinics across London where members of the public who would otherwise not have the financial means to access legal advice can receive free high quality advice and support on a wide range of legal issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This work, which goes on quietly week-in-week-out in Dispute Resolution and other departments across the firm throughout the year, provides immeasurable benefits both to the clients attending the clinics, and to our volunteer lawyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a close and longstanding relationship with University House Legal Advice Centre in east London, one of the oldest community agencies in the city, founded in 1886. Our volunteer lawyers advise weekly at the centre’s general advice clinic covering matters such as debt, consumer issues and housing, and fortnightly at their family law clinic, covering matters such as divorce, child custody, domestic abuse and cohabitation issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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University House has had some notable regular volunteers over the years including Sir John Mortimer CBE QC (of Rumpole fame), Cherie Booth CBE KC and Sir Robin Knowles CBE.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We have over 200 lawyers from across the firm on the clinic rotas, and all of our trainees are automatically added to the rota for the University House general clinic. As a general rule, for each clinic we provide a team of one qualified lawyer and one trainee to advise two clients at a meeting following an initial review of any paperwork that the clients have provided. Following the advice meeting, we will often undertake follow-up work for the client, such as drafting a letter or court documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Value of the clinics to clients<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The value of our clinic work to the clients who attend tends to be extremely significant and often far greater than the amount of time spent by our volunteers (approximately 3-4 hours per client) would suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our volunteers frequently report that they have been able to provide life-changing assistance to clients, particularly at the family law clinic. By way of example, we were able to help one client who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer make arrangements for his daughter, of whom he had sole custody, to live with his sister following his death.<\/p>\n\n\n

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200<\/div>\n \n
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lawyers from across the firm on the clinic rotas<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\t\t