The award winners were announced at an awards ceremony at the House of Lords on Thursday 9 May, hosted by Alasdair Douglas, Chair of LawWorks, and with the Attorney General Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP presenting the awards to the winners. The awards are sponsored by LexisNexis.
John Peake, Director of the Law Clinic, said:
"To win this award is a great honour and is recognition of the valuable work carried out by the students and staff within the law clinic and law school."
The LawWorks press release stated:
A total of 390 law students are involved with one of more activities provided by the University of Bristol Law Clinic. This year the clinic has taken on approximately 300 enquiries, with students representing people at benefit appeals (in one case securing a back payment of £17,000), employment tribunal hearings and as lay representatives in the county court.
The clinic has a strong relationship with Inquest and students represent families at preliminary hearings and inquests themselves, as well as attending to advise and support the family. They assisted a community group to successfully apply for a local cinema to be granted community asset status and are now advising on its possible purchase. After being contacted by Bristol City Council, four of our students are now available to help on school exclusion hearings.
The clinic co-hosts a project with the Avon and Somerset Constabulary in connection with child abuse cases. Students review recorded interviews with young people, to ensure that officers are complying with best practice, and then cross-examine the officers on how they conducted the interview.
Other activities include projects to promote the public legal education, working with care leavers, giving general advice to Swindon Advocacy, and a newly launched project to take on Windrush cases.