Projects include a Windrush app, sexual violence legal advice and a law-themed classroom outreach
Law students and law schools across the UK have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to access to justice at this year’s LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards.
This year’s ceremony, held in the House of Lords, saw prizes handed to students from Liverpool John Moores University, the universities of Glasgow, Southampton and Warwick Law School.
Liverpool John Moores University took home the award for ‘Best New Pro Bono Activity’ for its Windrush Community Law Clinic. Launched in July 2024 in collaboration with Liverpool Advocates for Windrush, the clinic helps individuals in the Merseyside area apply to the Windrush Compensation Scheme and access wider immigration advice.
Run by a team of 15 student volunteers, the clinic also developed a user-friendly web-app to help individuals check their eligibility for compensation. So far, the team has supported 32 individuals and begun piloting the app with community groups, with wider public outreach through media appearances and events.
The University of Southampton’s Maddy Nicholl scooped the award for ‘Best Contribution by an Individual’. A second-year law student and co-vice president of the university’s Law Clinic Student Committee, Nicholl has been a driving force behind several new initiatives. These include launching a McKenzie Friend service and a court form-filling scheme for litigants in person, as well as recruiting 150 new clinic volunteers in a single year.
Nicholl also finds time to volunteer with Lawyers Against Poverty, the Environmental Law Foundation and women’s rights charities, while sitting on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Pro Bono Committee and supporting local businesses with CSR planning.
The University of Glasgow’s School of Law bagged the award for ‘Best Contribution by a Law School’ thanks to its Glasgow Open Justice Centre. Since launching in 2023, the Centre has brought 140 students into 14 different pro bono projects, from community legal education for homeless service users to legal representation in sexual violence cases through its Emma Ritch Law Clinic — the first of its kind in the UK.
One standout project, the Lawyering for Social Change Clinic, focuses on racial injustice and provides students with opportunities to work on live cases under staff supervision. All learners involved in the centre’s projects said they felt more knowledgeable about the law as a result of their participation.
Meanwhile, Warwick Law School’s School Tasking Team secured the prize for ‘Best Contribution by a Team of Students’. This creative outreach programme sees law students introduce nine- and ten-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to the legal system through fun, interactive tasks. The project aims to demystify the law for young learners and encourage early interest in legal careers.
The Attorney General, the Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, said:
“I am a proud champion of pro bono work which provides an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the wider community and engage with clients from diverse backgrounds. Congratulations to all the nominees who have made a significant contribution, and I would encourage all of you to continue being ambassadors for pro bono work as you embark on your legal careers.”
LawWorks Chair Alasdair Douglas added:
“All those nominated or shortlisted deserve recognition and appreciation for their work — not just by our annual awards, but by society at large.”
