26 June 2012
Student Law Clinic opens in city centre
The University of Dundee's Student Law Clinic is opening its doors this week in new premises in Commercial Street made available to them by Boyles Solicitors.
The Clinic is run by Law students from Dundee University and offers free, confidential advice and assistance to eligible members of the public. All advice and assistance offered by students is carried out under the supervision of qualified lawyers.
The move to premises in the City Centre is a major development for the clinic and will enable it to reach as many members of the public as possible.
"This is a significant development as for the past 18 months the clinic has operated from premises provided on a temporary basis by Dundee University Students Association," said Eamon Keane, Student Director of the Clinic. "These sessions at DUSA will continue, but the students have wanted from the outset to find a base in town from which they could reach as many members of the public as possible."
The clinic will now be open weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 4pm, from the 26th of June onwards. No appointment is necessary. It can be accessed via Boyles Solicitors chambers in Commercial Street, ask for the Law Clinic at reception.
The Law Clinic is an initiative embarked upon by an enthusiastic and energetic group of students in September 2010.
Eamon explained, "This project arose from the energy and determination amongst some members of the staff and student body at the School of Law in Dundee to increase access to justice and tackle social inequality in our locality. Through hard-work, perseverance and unremitting commitment we have quickly progressed towards achieving our goals.
"The benefits to both the community and the law students involved have been plentiful. I am confident the project's expansion into new city centre premises will allow us to grow and continue to battle towards addressing the significant unmet legal need throughout Dundee and Tayside."
Professor Fiona Raitt, Staff Co-ordinator, said, "Our main aim has been to establish an advice and representation clinic to provide a free service to members of the public who are not eligible for legal aid or who cannot otherwise access legal services.
"The workload of the clinic covers a wide range of legal queries including landlord & tenant, debt, consumer, small claims, employment, and welfare problems. We have had support from the Council and other advice workers, our student advisors undergo regular training and are supervised by members of staff at the Law School. We have always wanted to take the Clinic into the city to be easier for the public to access. We are very grateful to Boyles for giving us this opportunity. We hope we can make a significant contribution to the community."
If you would like to know more about the Clinic please contact the Student Director, Eamon Keane at e.keane@dundee.ac.uk.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
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