Students to help family court litigants

Unrepresented family court litigants will be offered support by law students in a new scheme.

Teesside University is opening a clinic at the family court in Middlesbrough on 12 March, offering emotional support and procedural advice to those representing themselves in private law family cases.

The final year students will be supported by staff who are trained legal professionals, the university said.

For many years the university has run a general law clinic offering free advice to members of the community.

Law student Rob Hodgson said: "Everybody's very excited about doing it.

"We have absolutely no idea how it's going to go, but we're all raring to go already, and willing to help."

Speaking about the litigants, he added: "They might feel like they've got nobody in their corner.

"If we can be there to support them emotionally, and signpost them in the right ways, I think it'll make a lot of difference."

Family court judge Harvey Murray said: "This will hopefully give members of our community more confidence when attending what could be an emotionally demanding hearing."

The clinic has been given special permission by the court to attend and work with unrepresented people, known as litigants in person, Teesside University said.

It added those who do not have access to lawyers will be signposted to the law clinic students if they wish to use its services.

Emma Harbron, senior lecturer in legal practice at Teesside University, who pioneered the scheme, said: “This initiative will be invaluable for our students, offering them an opportunity to gain real-world experience of court proceedings, interact with other legal professionals and deal with clients.

“All of these will be vital skills in their future careers.”

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