Who We Are

Pro bono publico

Latin: For the public good

For as long as there have been lawyers there have been pro bono cases. Issues where legal representatives have acted without payment, either because of the inherent rightness of a claim or out of a sense of charity or compassion, sparked by the plight of an individual or group.

In Scotland, our adversarial system can often mean that Justice belongs not necessarily to the individual with the strongest case, but with the best legal representation.

As society developed in the 20^th Century it became increasingly clear that there was a need to balance the system to help provide access to justice for those who needed it most but were unable to afford representation.

Tentative steps were made in England with the Poor Prisoners Defence Act of 1930, but it took the great reforming Attlee government to introduce the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 which underpins many of the current approaches to Legal provision, yet remains susceptible to undermining by governments in London and Edinburgh.

Scotland, having a separate Legal System from England and Wales developed an analogous system overseen by the Law Society of Scotland until the creation of the Scottish Legal Aid Board in 1987.

In the USA, in the early-mid 20^th Century the first neighbourhood law offices began to open, with an ethos of empowering the powerless and marginalised and to provide justice.

This concept eventually made its way across the Atlantic where, despite the achievements of the legal aid system there remained deeply troubling gaps, both in geographical provision, but also in fields of law where expertise was required including Welfare Law and Immigration.

This led to the opening of the first Law Centre in the UK: Kensington Law Centre which opened in 1970. Soon there were Law Centre’s open and serving clients across the UK.

By the late 1980’s the BAME community in Scotland had grown significantly, coupled with this, the law relating to immigration had become increasingly more complex. Further, awareness had developed regarding the level of Discrimination and Racism prevalent in Scotland.

Activists from community groups, Mosques, Gurdwaras and Churches across Glasgow began campaigning for access to justice for their members and congregants.

A joined up approach to this pressing need was required. Thankfully, Strathclyde Regional Council had the capacity and the vision to help address this need and provide desperately needed funding. With the assistance of the academic community and representation from the BAME community in 1991 a small legal practice, the Ethnic Minorities Law Centre was established.

Initially the Law Centre had just one solicitor, a development officer and a committed team of volunteers.

It was then and remains today the only Law Centre offering services dedicated to black and minority ethnic communities. In the Britain of the hostile environment it is, arguably, needed now more than ever.