Legal Advice Centre

The University of Wolverhampton’s Legal Advice Centre provides free legal advice for the local community. Especially for those unable to obtain legal assistance through other charitable organisations, for example the Citizens Advice.  

Free legal advice is provided by the University’s law students, supervised by the Legal Advice Centre Manager, their lecturers or practising lawyers from local law firms. 

The University's Legal Advice Centre builds upon a long tradition of student law clinics, where it is recognised that both the community and students would benefit from experiential legal education. The clinic work prioritises the community’s needs for legal services and clients’ interest, which complements legal education in developing students’ legal skills, experiencing law in operation and reflecting on ethics and conduct of legal practice. 

The service of the University's Legal Advice Centre includes providing preliminary legal advice on whether you have any legal rights or claim and identifying:

  • the law that would be applicable
  • the recourse or remedy that may be available to you
  • the next steps or action you would be able to take.

This is to enable you to consider whether you have a legal case or claim and what you can do to resolve it.

The Legal Advice Centre does not provide a client representation service but you will be given information, where possible, about further steps or actions that can be taken.

We advise on a variety of areas of law, including:

  • contractual disputes (such as sale of goods and/or consumer related matters)
  • negligence claims (such as claims arising out of an accident, including personal injury)
  • housing law (such as tenancy contract disputes)
  • business start-up and general business law advice
  • employment law related matters.

We do not provide advice on:

  • criminal investigations and prosecutions
  • debt
  • divorce law (including: family disputes / children custody / domestic violence)
  • finance (including: financial investment, tax-related issues).

We reserve the right not to give advice in any particular case.

Please note, we do not offer appointments ‘on the spot’ and can only facilitate pre-arranged appointments. We cannot provide immediate legal advice, so if your matter is urgent, you need to contact a solicitor.  

We will not tolerate any form of abuse directed towards our students or staff at the Legal Advice Centre and University. Any service users of the Legal Advice Centre who are rude or aggressive towards students or staff will be asked to leave the premises and we reserve the right to cease assisting in such cases.  

The University of Wolverhampton Legal Advice Centre is situated in The George on the corner of Wulfruna Street. This is a shared space with the University’s ‘Gateway’ service.  

At present, services have resumed with face-to-face appointments. We will try and accommodate virtual appointments via Microsoft Teams if you are unable to attend the Legal Advice Centre in person. Should you have a query, please contact us via the online enquiry form, which can be accessed here.

We do not give legal advice over the phone or by email.

The Legal Advice Centre will re-open from week commencing Monday 14th October until Friday 29th November 2024.

 

Our opening hours will be: 

Mondays 10am – 4pm

Thursdays 10.30am – 4.30pm

 

Meetings are by appointment only.

We are able to accommodate appointments either face-to-face or via Microsoft Teams meetings. 

Please note:  

Please remember that this is a student led service, reliant on volunteers. If you require urgent legal advice, you may need to consult with a solicitor, or seek alternative advice.

 

 

Students studying in the University’s Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences can volunteer at the Legal Advice Centre alongside their studies. Student legal volunteers gain experience through experiential learning.

Students are expected to deal with enquiries from the general public who have legal issues, and in some cases signpost to other local services which may be available to them. Students also gain experience in taking client interviews, researching the law and applying legal principles to real legal problems, providing general advice on issues concerning employment, probate, property and civil law. Volunteers will also benefit from being able to practise legal drafting and writing skills.

To volunteer at the Legal Advice Centre, you must be a student enrolled at the University of Wolverhampton, ideally studying towards a degree in Law (this can include combined degrees such as Business and Law, for example), or a degree in another social science, whether undergraduate or postgraduate.

You should declare your interest in volunteering to the Legal Advice Centre Manager, submitting a CV and a short covering letter detailing why you wish to volunteer at the Centre. Send to beverley.rizzotto@wlv.ac.uk

Legal Advice Centre- Covid-19 Information, Rules and Guidance: Notice for service users 

Please adhere to the following guidance:

  • You can wear a face mask or shield whilst you are in the LAC and Mander Centre, however there is no requirement for you to do so.
  • You must not attend if you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19. You should alert the LAC Manager at the earliest opportunity if this is the case, and unfortunately you will not be able to attend for your appointment or to raise your query. Please visit wlv.ac.uk/legaladvice to complete an online enquiry form. It may be possible in some circumstances to offer remote appointments via Microsoft Teams, please indicate this to the student volunteers or LAC Manager if this is preferable.
  • You must not enter if there is another service user in the LAC. Please wait for a student volunteer to grant you entry.
  • Please ensure that prior to entering the LAC, you use the hand sanitiser.
  • Please note that there will be no exchange of documents, therefore should you need to provide us with any paperwork prior to your appointment, this will need to be sent via email either prior to, or after your appointment, to legaladvice@wlv.ac.uk
  • Information and documents which we need to provide to you will also be sent via email.

Employment Law Clinic

The Legal Advice Centre will be holding pop-up clinics on the dates below in collaboration with Martin Kaye Solicitors. If you have an employment law query (for example contractual issues, discrimination or making a claim to the Employment Tribunal) and require some advice, please visit our clinic which will be held at The George, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LZ.  General advice will be given by a qualified solicitor, who will be shadowed by a student at the University as part of their studies. All information will be kept strictly confidential. 

To book your appointment or register your interest, please contact the Legal Advice Centre Manager via email on legaladvice@wlv.ac.uk. 

Family Law Clinics

The Legal Advice Centre will be holding pop-up clinics on the dates below in collaboration with Martin Kaye Solicitors. If you have a family law query (for example separation, divorce, child contact) and require some advice, please visit our clinic which will be held at The George, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LZ.  General advice will be given by a qualified solicitor, who will be shadowed by a student at the University as part of their studies. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

To book your appointment or register your interest, please contact the Legal Advice Centre Manager via email on legaladvice@wlv.ac.uk.

Windrush Legal Advice Clinic  

The University of Wolverhampton’s Legal Advice Centre is teaming up with the Wolverhampton Windrush Legal Advice Clinic to help members of the community make applications to the Home Office for compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.   

No appointments are necessary. The purpose of the appointment will be for our students to take your details and information, in order to assess whether you are eligible to make a claim. We can then refer you to the Wolverhampton Legal Advice Clinic, who may be able to assist you in making a claim to the Home Office, and who may be able to offer you representative.  

Please be advised that this is a free service, and all information will be kept confidential. We are independent and we do not work in collaboration with any government agencies.    

If you have an enquiry relating to the Windrush Compensation Scheme, please contact the Legal Advice Centre Manager, by email: legaladvice@wlv.ac.uk 

Employment Law Clinic 

The Legal Advice Centre will be holding pop-up clinics on the dates below, in collaboration with Martin Kaye Solicitors. If you have an employment law query (for example contractual issues, discrimination or making a claim to the Employment Tribunal) and require some advice, please visit our clinic which will be held at The George, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LZ.  General advice will be given by a qualified solicitor, who will be shadowed by a student at the University as part of their studies. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

To book your appointment or register your interest, please contact the Legal Advice Centre Manager via email on legaladvice@wlv.ac.uk.

The Employment Law Clinics will be held on: 

Wednesday 30th October 2024

Thursday 21st November 2024

 

Family Law Clinic

Thursday 31st October 2024

Wednesday 27th November 2024