Manchester City Council

This is thanks to collaboration between The School of Law at the University of Manchester, The Manchester Settlement and New East Manchester in association with the charity, LawWorks.

The service is made possible thanks to a donation from the Clifford Chance Foundation.

The pro bono centre is offering three clinics a week at The New Roundhouse, Ashton Old Road, Openshaw and can advise on all types of legal issues. Sessions of up to an hour are by appointment only.

Students from the University's School of Law together with qualified solicitors and barristers will provide the advice to people living in east Manchester.

This service is an addition to the School of Law's existing free Legal Advice Centre based at The University of Manchester Precinct Centre on Oxford, which has been giving free legal advice to the public since its opening in November 2000.

The centre will also hold a series of free 45 minute talks on a range of legal topics.  The first of these will take place on 24 February at 5pm and will focus on debt and others on housing, stop and search and employment law will take place in March.

Carol Bartram, Head of Economic Development at New East Manchester said: "We feel very fortunate to be able to bring this free legal advice service to local people through our partnership with Manchester University.  These clinics will be invaluable to east Manchester residents who need to discuss legal problems without the worry of expensive legal bills."

Dinah Crystal OBE, from The University of Manchester is Director and Solicitor at the Legal Advice Centre.
 
She said: "It's great that we've been able to bring our free legal advice service to the people of east Manchester.  Our clinics have been very successful on the University campus and we hope many more people will benefit by holding sessions right on the doorstep of those that need it most."

Michael Smyth CBE, partner at global law firm Clifford Chance, said: "Access to justice is I hope a preoccupation of any lawyer and it is it is only right that, following on from our long-standing support of the University's Legal Advice Centre, we should help to get this new free advice clinic started."

Steven Zdolyny, Director of Legal and Estates at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said: "The NWDA is delighted to be supporting the provision of free legal advice to east Manchester residents through this important initiative. This is part of a wider NWDA support for programmes which reduce unemployment, tackle social exclusion and promote financial inclusion for all across the North West."

To book an appointment at a legal advice clinic call 0161 275 0349.

For more information on New East Manchester visit www.neweastmanchester.com  or visit www.manchestersettlement.org.uk