Lancaster University’s Law Clinic students are participating in an exciting project in conjunction with the Lancaster Guardian.Each month, our students write a 250-word newspaper article focusing on a variety of contemporary legal issues.

Students select the area of law that they wish to write about. So far, articles have covered a wide range of subjects. Examples include: family law issues (such as child contact, divorce and the increase of domestic violence during the first lockdown), boundary disputes in relation to properties, school admission appeals, consumer rights, the furlough scheme, cuts to legal aid and the importance of access to justice. The newspaper articles aim to support the local community by raising awareness of legal rights and responsibilities, and to provide an overview of topical legal issues. This work also assists our students by enhancing their legal research and drafting skills.

The Law School has been supported in this project by the Lancaster Guardian who have been extremely generous in providing space in their newspaper for a monthly column. In addition, support has been offered by the Press Team at Lancaster University, who have provided guidance throughout. All of the articles are supervised and reviewed by a qualified solicitor before publication.

Sol Pearson, a third-year law student who recently wrote an article about Alternative Dispute Resolution said; ‘Initiatives such as Lancaster Law Clinic and their project with the Lancaster Guardian, are crucial in forging links between the local community and the University. I am proud to have been able to contribute, giving me an opportunity to draft a newspaper article that not only benefits the community, but offers me my first chance to have an article published.’

Sam Rae, a second-year law student explains; "Writing a newspaper article for the Lancaster Guardian on Consumer Rights was a great opportunity and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. This opportunity allowed me to use and develop my legal research skills, to create an easily digestible and accessible piece of legal advice for the local community."

Annabel Stainer, a third- year law student, also shared her thoughts; ‘Writing an article for the Lancaster Guardian enabled me to develop my research in an area of law that I am passionate about. It allowed me to share my knowledge and reach out to those in need of legal advice."

Lancaster University’s Law Clinic column is published in the Lancaster Guardian on the last Thursday in each month.

If you have a legal problem and would like free legal advice, please contact the Law Clinic by emailing lawclinic@lancaster.ac.uk, and a member of our team will get in touch.