“From Disparity to Fairness –

Legal Access in Newham”

Fieldfisher, in collaboration with the Public Law Project, the Rt Hon Stephen Timms, and the Newham Social Justice Collaborative, led a research project to identify how best to address the significant issues of access to justice in Newham UK. With 54% of residents in Newham born outside of the UK, and those living in temporary housing twelve times the national average, there are clear reasons why there might be a high demand for public legal advice. The question many local decision makers have been asking is, how do we evidence it and solve some of these issues.

Aware that local advice agencies did not have the capacity to undertake research themselves, Fieldfisher produced a report that substantiates the evident unmet legal needs across the borough. From October to December 2023, Fieldfisher’s fee-earners volunteered at Stephen Timms’ constituency surgeries to collect data on local issues.

Their observations highlighted a high demand for legal advice. From a four-year-old with asthma caused by damp and mould living conditions to a mother unable to work due to delays in her visa, our observations highlighted how, with some early legal advice, most issues could have been avoided or resolved quickly and more easily.

These observations, alongside other field research, has resulted in a report:

“From Disparity to Fairness – Legal Access in Newham”. This report was shared widely and translated into ten locally prominent languages to raise awareness about the severe lack of legal service provisions in Newham.

The parliamentary launch of the report at the House of Commons in September 2024 was a key milestone.

As the steering group seeks to establish a law centre in Newham, we will be keen to continue to assist (from project co-ordination to trialling our internally developed legal tech) and work collaboratively to continue bridging the access to justice gap.

Pro Bono impact in action ‘spotlight’

“From Disparity to Fairness –

Legal Access in Newham”

Fieldfisher, in collaboration with the Public Law Project, the Rt Hon Stephen Timms, and the Newham Social Justice Collaborative, led a research project to identify how best to address the significant issues of access to justice in Newham UK. With 54% of residents in Newham born outside of the UK, and those living in temporary housing twelve times the national average, there are clear reasons why there might be a high demand for public legal advice. The question many local decision makers have been asking is, how do we evidence it and solve some of these issues.

Aware that local advice agencies did not have the capacity to undertake research themselves, Fieldfisher produced a report that substantiates the evident unmet legal needs across the borough. From October to December 2023, Fieldfisher’s fee-earners volunteered at Stephen Timms’ constituency surgeries to collect data on local issues.

Their observations highlighted a high demand for legal advice. From a four-year-old with asthma caused by damp and mould living conditions to a mother unable to work due to delays in her visa, our observations highlighted how, with some early legal advice, most issues could have been avoided or resolved quickly and more easily.

These observations, alongside other field research, has resulted in a report: “From Disparity to Fairness – Legal Access in Newham”. This report was shared widely and translated into ten locally prominent languages to raise awareness about the severe lack of legal service provisions in Newham.

The parliamentary launch of the report at the
House of Commons in September 2024 was a
key milestone.

As the steering group seeks to establish a law centre in Newham, we will be keen to continue to assist (from project co-ordination to trialling our internally developed legal tech) and work collaboratively to continue bridging the access to justice gap.

“From Disparity to Fairness –

Legal Access in Newham”

Fieldfisher, in collaboration with the Public Law Project, the Rt Hon Stephen Timms, and the Newham Social Justice Collaborative, led a research project to identify how best to address the significant issues of access to justice in Newham UK. With 54% of residents in Newham born outside of the UK, and those living in temporary housing twelve times the national average, there are clear reasons why there might be a high demand for public legal advice. The question many local decision makers have been asking is, how do we evidence it and solve some of these issues.

Aware that local advice agencies did not have the capacity to undertake research themselves, Fieldfisher produced a report that substantiates the evident unmet legal needs across the borough. From October to December 2023, Fieldfisher’s fee-earners volunteered at Stephen Timms’ constituency surgeries to collect data on local issues.

Their observations highlighted a high demand for legal advice. From a four-year-old with asthma caused by damp and mould living conditions to a mother unable to work due to delays in her visa, our observations highlighted how, with some early legal advice, most issues could have been avoided or resolved quickly and more easily.

These observations, alongside other field research, has resulted in a report: “From Disparity to Fairness – Legal Access in Newham”. This report was shared widely and translated
into ten locally prominent languages to raise awareness about the severe lack of legal service provisions in Newham.

The parliamentary launch of the report at the House of Commons in September 2024 was a key milestone.

As the steering group seeks to establish a law centre in Newham, we will be keen to continue to assist (from project co-ordination to trialling our internally developed legal tech) and work collaboratively to continue bridging the access
to justice gap.