The University’s law school continues to offer free legal advice to anyone in the city on all areas of the law, except criminal and immigration matters.
The Legal Advice Clinic has been running since 2013, and is run by student legal advisers and supervised practising solicitors. Every year the team helps over 250 local people, staff and students with legal issues.
Typically, you’ll receive advice on the day, but the team may follow up by email, or write a letter where the matter is more complex.
The pandemic is highlighting a range of legal issues including with tenants such as university students and their rental properties, employees who are being made redundant, and more.
Common enquiries the team help with include:
- Tenant issues - problems with the condition of your rental property, return of your deposit, and whether you can leave before the tenancy finishes
- Family - breakdown of relationship/contact with children
- Employment - issues with colleagues at work, an employer not paying wages, or unfair dismissal
- Small claims - returning a defective product, paid for work to your property that was not completed, or received court proceedings due to a disagreement over payment of an item or service
- Private client - how to make a lasting power of attorney, issues over a will, do you need to obtain probate and how to apply for it?
Gemma Hargrave, Senior Teaching Fellow from the University’s Legal Advice Clinic, said: “It's wonderful to have been involved in the clinic since its creation eight years ago. Each year we see a huge cross section of clients from the community and are proud to advise anyone who comes to see us, without judgment, and provide them with a professional service.
“Many of our students tell us that they chose to study at the University in order to be part of the clinic. It offers a great opportunity for them to build up their legal skills and knowledge in a very safe environment. They also feel the benefit of being able to give back to the community in Portsmouth, while accumulating important experience for their future careers.”
Appointments are available over phone and email, every Monday and Wednesday, for University students, staff and the public.
To book an appointment, call 07711 389 522 or email advice@port.ac.uk. These lines are staffed Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4pm.
