Law Clinic students shortlisted for national pro bono award
The Liverpool Law Clinic’s Special Educational Needs Judicial Review project has been shortlisted for Best New Pro Bono Activity at the 2024 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards. The awards celebrate the best pro bono activities undertaken by law students and law schools from across the UK.
The project, run by a dedicated team of ten University of Liverpool Law School students working under the supervision of solicitor and lecturer James Betts, aims to provide access to justice to families of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) who would otherwise have no means to enforce their legal rights. The majority of cases involve disabled children out of school and/or without suitable education.
Since March 2023, the project has helped families across Merseyside enforce their legal rights. Not only has the project achieved successful outcomes for individual families, but it has also led to transport policy change that has benefited the Merseyside area as a whole.
James Betts, Solicitor and Lecturer in the Liverpool Law School, said: “We are really proud that the work our students do to promote access to justice in the local area has been recognised. The work they do helps ensure children with special educational needs receive the support they are legally entitled to. Being recognised alongside such other great projects that also do really important work is a real achievement.”
The winners of the 2024 LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards will be announced at an awards ceremony at the House of Lords on Thursday 9th May with the Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Victoria Prentis KC MP.