Swansea Law Clinic has had a busy and successful academic year, which has built on existing work and seen the introduction of several new volunteering opportunities for students in the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law. This third annual report assesses the Clinic’s activities from July 2019 until June 2020. One of the year’s highlights was moving into our new premises in the Mall Building on Singleton Park campus, which has enabled us to significantly increase our client numbers and network partners, particularly amongst the local profession. However, the challenges caused by the Covid 19 pandemic and the lockdown introduced by the UK government on 23 March 2020 meant we could only access the premises for part of the review period.

The Clinic is responsible for the delivery of two modules as part of the LL.B undergraduate law degree – LAA366/7 Clinical Legal Education and LAA364/5 Miscarriage of Justice. Both modules are worth twenty credits and run in Semesters One and Two. In 2019/20 seventy-seven students were enrolled on these modules. The Miscarriage of Justice module works in partnership with the charity, Inside Justice, which refers cases to the Project.

The student activity during 2019/20 encompasses the following: Drop-in Advice Sessions (Student Advisers meeting with clients

either on campus or remotely); Litigant Helpdesk (Student Advisers assisting unrepresented

litigants, mainly on family law issues, at Swansea Civil Justice Centre);

Outreach work (Student Advisers liaising with other support agencies at Eastside Foodbank);

Student Fundraising Group (a group of Clinic students participated in the LawWorks and Advocate Law School Challenge 2019/20, is a fundraising initiative designed to raise money for both charities as well as awareness of their work. All their activities took place on campus);

Miscarriage of Justice (on campus); Amicus ALJ (a charity that helps provide representation for those

facing the death penalty in the United States. Student Advisers were providing assistance to lawyers in Florida remotely from campus)

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Swansea Law Clinic

Annual Report

Summer Clinic (volunteer Student Advisers make sure our service continues to run during the long summer vacation through the provision of virtual clinics)

Covid-19 pandemicThe lockdown caused by the global Covid -19 pandemic meant from March 2020 until the end of this review period, we were no longer able to offer face-to-face services to clients. However, this time was used as an opportunity for the Clinic to look at its use of legal technologies and alternative methods to support access to justice and student experience which include:

Remote advice clinics, led by a legal advisor with a Student Adviser assisting;

Information and advice sheets; Remote student-led appointments followed by written advice letter

StaffingDuring 2019/20 the Clinic’s supervisory staff have consisted of the following:

Hannah Bussicott, Swansea University Legal Centre Manager Simon Crabtree, Swansea Law Clinic Supervisor Cerys Davies, Swansea Law Clinic Supervisor Eve Haynes, Swansea University Legal Centre Administrator Richard Owen, Swansea Law Clinic Director Billy Seagrim, Swansea Law Clinic Supervisor

In addition, we were lucky to have a number of sessions led by local solicitors with Student Advisers assisting (further details below).

Our Location

In 2019, the Clinic moved from its old home in the Richard Price Building into its new, purpose-built facilities in the Law Mall Building on Swansea University Singleton Campus, complete with:

four sound-proofed interview booths for Clinic interviews and advice sessions,

a student-space for Clinic students to be able to work privately on their cases,

and a conference room to be able to host meetings with local legal and advice-sector professionals.

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There was an opening event for the new premises held on 17th October 2019 when members of the local profession, students and Law School staff were invited to a series of talks about the Clinic’s work as well as a networking opportunity.

Student Awards and Recognition In July 2020, one of our student volunteers, Isabel Francis, was recognised with the highest accolade a young person aged between 9 and 25 can achieve for their social action or humanitarian efforts – The Diana Award. The Award, which was established by the UK government in memory of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and in 2020 was awarded to a total of 184 young people who came from 35 countries, so we are very proud of Isabel for achieving an accolade of international significance.

As a result of the restrictions caused by the Covid 19 pandemic there was a virtual award ceremony on 1st July 2020. The Duke of Sussex surprised the award recipients with a congratulatory video message. Also, virtually presenting and surprising the young people for their work at the Virtual Award Ceremony were celebrities such as Ade Adepitan MBE, Aisling Bea, YolanDa Brown, Miranda Hart, Liam Payne, Bastille, Cel Spellman, Dame Emma Thompson DBE. Isabel has also been invited to meet with Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, at her family’s ancestral home, Althrop House.

Isabel has assisted with the infected blood enquiry (an independent enquiry examining the circumstances in which patients contracted HIV or hepatitis from contaminated blood products), engaged in community outreach with Eastside Food Bank, and gave evidence to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee at the Welsh Parliament on access to justice issues. Isabel is no stranger to success having already won the LawWorks and Attorney General ‘Best Contribution by a Team of Students Award’ at the Student Pro Bono Awards last year, alongside another student Tahmid Miah.

The Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) is a student’s comprehensive record of learning and achievements whilst at Swansea University. The Swansea Law Clinic Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) Award was validated during the course of the 2019/20

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academic year. To achieve the Bronze Award students volunteer for 20 hours with the Clinic, their hours comprise of volunteering, training and a short reflection on their experience. The volunteer opportunities can be anything currently available and the induction training on professional ethics, interview skills, advising clients and equalities issues are compulsory. Those achieving the Silver have carried out 30 hours of volunteering!

Huge congratulation to …Aansa Ishtiaq and Angelika Jankowska for receiving the Silver Award!

Further congratulations to Georgina Prothero, Georgina Wilson, Hannah Godfrey, Lewis Morgan, Maisha Imran, Veronika Kennedy, Yoanna Spasova, Elena Ritenberga, Kelly Barlow, Nia Phillips, Nicole Carter, Raluca Burlacu, Rhiannon Smith & Kirstyn Njini for receiving the Bronze Award!

Visit by former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham ClintonOur new clinic premises were visited by former US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, during her visit to the School which bears her name in November 2019. Secretary Clinton met with Student Advisers, the Student Fundraising Group, volunteer local legal professionals and Clinic staff during her visit.

Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton visit

in November 2019. Clinic staff and

volunteers (from left to right):

Cerys Davies, Hannah Bussicott,

Richard Owen, Hillary Rodham

Clinton, Eve Haynes

Secretary Rodham Clinton meeting Student Advisers in the

student workspace in the new Clinic premises.

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Number of clients assisted

Since the move, as a result of the extra interviewing space, the Clinic has been able to increase the number of clients it assists. A Drop-in advice service (which then adapted to the Virtual Clinic after lockdown), was launched on the 6th November 2019. The Drop-in advice service has allowed the Clinic to increase the number of students and legal volunteers who are able to participate in its activities. As a result, this year we have had:

o 164 student volunteerso 19 legal volunteers from 7 local law firms.

In 2019/20 we have helped:o 190 clients consisting of 164 cases prior to the lockdown and 26

clients through the Virtual Clinic

Clinical Legal Education Module

Students enrolled on the Clinical Legal Education Module were trained as Student Advisers and carried out face-to-face meetings with members of the public requiring legal advice. Most interviews were carried out in the new Clinic facilities in the Mall Building, some of the interviews were carried out at HM Prison Swansea. Student Advisers advised on 35 separate legal cases over the autumn and spring terms. The face-to-face interviews covered the areas of law shown on the pie chart, most cases were either family or employment law related.

Miscarriage of Justice Module

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Family; 8

Em-ploy-

ment; 10

Neigh-bourhood

Disputes; 5

Benefits; 2

Consumer/Small

Claims; 3

Housing; 5

Medical Negligence; 1 Personal Injury; 1

Students on this module, as well as extracurricular students, have been reviewing the safety of a murder conviction. The students have been supported by the Inside Justice Advisory Panel, which consists of a retired judge, barristers, solicitors, forensic scientists, retired senior police officers, journalists and campaigners.

Students worked on two cases in 2019/20. In Semester One they continued working on a case from a previous year. An application has now been made to the Criminal Cases Review Commission with a view to getting the case referred back to the Court of Appeal. In Semester Two a new case was referred to the Project. The students’ investigation plan has been approved by the Advisory Panel and the painstaking work of sifting through case papers has begun.

Voluntary Activity

Drop-in Clinic

Following the Clinic’s opening event in October 2019, seven firms and individuals from the local legal profession expressed an interest in supporting and working with Swansea Law Clinic. The Drop-in Clinic began on the 6th November 2019, offering free, 30-minute advice sessions with a volunteer solicitor (shadowed by a Clinic volunteer student).

Different clinics were established to ensure we recruited the right solicitor to the right session;

Housing (1pm - 3pm) Employment (2pm – 4pm) General (2pm – 4pm) Family (4pm – 6pm)

Thanks to the volume of interest from the local profession, the clinic was quickly able to offer each session on a

weekly basis.

Over the autumn and spring terms (up until the COVID-19 lockdown) the drop-in clinics advised on 110 separate cases. The breakdown of the number of cases per clinic is shown above. Each clinic dealt with a wide range of case types and areas of law.

Virtual Law Clinic

In March 2020, due to Government restrictions on movement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clinic was no longer able to operate a drop-in service. This meant the service then moved to an online remote

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Employment; 17

Family; 28General; 32

Housing; 33

provision, still engaging both students and legal volunteers to support members of the public. During March 2020 - July 2020 the remote clinic:

supported 26 clients, engaged with third sector partners such as Ethnic Youth Support

Team (EYST) and Women’s Aid to jointly support clients, and, included translators.

We are very grateful for the support from the following firms who have assisted clients in our Drop-in and Virtual Clinics during 2019/20:

o Iain Alba, Angel Chamberso Coastal Housingo DJM, Solicitors o Duncan Lewis, Solicitorso Gomer Williams, Solicitors o Graham Evans and Partners, Solicitorso Peter Lynn and Partners, Solicitorso Smith Llewelyn Partnership

Amicus ALJ

The Clinic partnered with Amicus ALJ during Semester One of the 2019/20 academic year. Amicus ALJ is a small charity that helps provide representation for those facing the death penalty in the United States. It believes the death penalty is disproportionately imposed on the most vulnerable in society, violating their right to due process and equal justice before the law.

Student Advisers were looking at cases in Florida where a recent Supreme Court ruling held that judges could not overrule juries’ recommendations not to impose the death penalty. This means looking at records from historic cases to ensure that the death penalty has not been imposed contrary to the jury’s recommendation, which is now unconstitutional.

Student Fundraising Group

The Student Fundraising Group raised over £500 for the LawWorks and Advocate Law School Challenge 2019/20 which raised money for access to justice charities – Law Works and Advocate. They received a Bronze Award and finished sixth in the country in the annual competition.

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They ran a variety of activities including Bake Sales and a ‘Gavin and Stacey’ Pub Quiz, with shout outs from the one and only Joanna Page (Stacey) and Larry Lamb (Mick).

The group also had the opportunity to meet Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton on her most recent visit and discussed the importance of legal support who would not otherwise receive it because of financial barriers.

Feedback

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“Volunteering with the Swansea Law Clinic has been a highlight of my studies so-far. The opportunity to work with

solicitors advising real clients face-to-face has been valuable and exciting, and the support from the Law

Clinic’s professional team has been humbling. I highly recommend working with the clinic to both students and

solicitors alike.” Student Volunteer

“Though we do not have the words to fully express our appreciation, my wife and I would like to thank you and your students … I was very impressed, and grateful for their easy manner and professionalism … A credit to

you and the University.” Clinic Client

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“The clinic itself is a great resource for the local community, particularly as provision of pro bono

legal advice was lacking in the area. The energy and enthusiasm from the Law Clinic has been great to see

and it is a real pleasure working with you.”LawWorks Cymru

Special thanks to Georgie Arthure and Eve for helping with guidance on how to go about my court matters during the lockdown. Thank you to the law school for keeping the services open during lockdown.

Clinic Client

Litigant HelpdeskThe Litigant Helpdesk was established last academic year, and continued to run this year. The student volunteers attended the Swansea Civil Justice Centre to offer their services in providing support to individuals attending the court without any representation. This project has been supported by two members of School of Law Staff – Cerys Davies and Simon Crabtree.

We are very grateful to District Judge Marjory Taylor, Karen Andrew JP, Judith Evans Specialist Family Adviser and Iain Alba of Angel Chambers for organising a training session for volunteer Student Advisers at Swansea Civil Justice Centre.

Over the autumn and spring terms, 24 students volunteered at the Litigant Helpdesk, and were able to assist and support 19 individual cases. All cases that the students supported were family-related matters, broken down in the chart above. Most of the family-related matters were supporting unrepresented litigants at First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointments.

As a result of the pandemic, it has not been possible to offer a face to face service since March 2020. However, Student Advisers have produced information sheets, for example, on the Small Claims Track in order to assist unrepresented defendants.

Visit by Lord Carlile

We were lucky to have our third visit to the Clinic from Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE, QC, FRSA in March 2020 who met with Litigant Helpdesk volunteers, students on the Miscarriage of Justice Project and students on the Legal tech Masters course.

In addition to meeting Clinic students, he also met with students from the cybercrime unit and gave an advocacy masterclass.

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Concili-ations; 7

Direc-tions

Hearings; 11

Divorce settlement hearings 1

Students from a number of different clinic activities meeting with Lord Carlile

‘Legal Tech’

This academic year saw the launch of the new ‘Legal Innovation Lab Wales’ (LILW) in the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law. The Law Clinic has been working closely with LILW to create a ‘Employment Legal Advice’ app.

As a response to the Covid 19 pandemic LILW, working with the Clinic, developed a parental leave app so members of the public can see if they are eligible for parental leave. We were lucky to have feedback from Swansea Neath Port Talbot Citizens Advice Bureau, and a number of students from the Legal Practice Course translated the app into Welsh.

Student Engagement

Following thorough research of the models adopted by other university law clinics, we have developed a fit for purpose Student Board which will be launching next academic year with its first group of student representatives. Recruitment is taking place over the summer and the intended structure is to ensure as many student voices as possible get heard in the development of the Clinic’s activities.

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The Student Board

Remote / Drop - in Clinic

Representative

Miscarrage of Justice

Representative

Fundraising Representative

Litigant Helpdesk

Representative

Outreach Representative

Amicus ALJ Representative

Module representatives

Service Evaluation During the Summer Vacation, the Law Clinic carried out our first service evaluation asking both students and clients of their experience of being involved in the Clinic.

Events and Celebrations

This year we have hosted two very successful engagement events. The first being in October to mark National Pro Bono week titled ‘Engaging the Profession’ and the other in February to mark Justice Week titled ‘Fighting for Rights’.

Justice Week 2020 Event. Panellists (left to right): Professor Richard Owen, Clinic Student Volunteer Tristan Bruce, Clinic Legal Professional Volunteers Alice Jones (Duncan

Lewis), Jamie Saunders (Coastal Housing) & Nia Godsmark (Peter Lynn & Partners) & Professor Elwen Evans QC, Head of School

Both events were well attended by the local profession as well as staff and students. During the October event fourteen local law firms attended and as a result seven firms have become active volunteers with the drop in / remote clinics.

The Clinic hosted a continuing professional development event on employment law for LawWorks Cymru to support local legal advisers in October 2019. The event was led by George Pollitt and Helen Randall both of Iscoed Chambers.

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The Clinic was also pleased to host a full member meeting of the Swansea Neath Port Talbot Regional Advice Network in November 2019, which about twenty local advice agencies attended.

Law Reform Clinic Students from The Hillary Rodham Clinton Global Challenges Programme, which is supported by Sky, participated in a Law Reform Clinic on the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 on 30th October 2019. The Clinic was attended by Professor Jane Davidson, emerita Pro-Vice Chancellor of University of Wales Trinity St David, who when a Welsh Government Minister, sponsored the Act and is the author of the book #futuregen Lessons from a Small Country. The event was also supported by Professor Karen Morrow and Dr Victoria Jenkins.

Impact

We were pleased that evidence to the Commission on Justice in Wales submitted by the Clinic, the Miscarriage of Justice Project, and the Clinic’s Director, Richard Owen, was cited in the Commission’s final report, Justice in Wales for the People of Wales, which was published in October 2019.

Richard Owen delivered the keynote talk at the Wales Population Health Conference ‘Supporting the Future Generations Act: Systems, structures and behaviours that benefit the future health of Wales’ on 20th November 2019.

Research and development Richard Owen has authored a 12,000-word refereed article on ‘Sustainability and the University Law Clinic’, which has been accepted for publication by the International Journal of Clinical Legal Education and will be published in the autumn of 2020.

Professional Networks

Members of the Clinic’s staff participate in a number of networks.

Richard Owen was elected the Chair of the Steering Group of the Swansea Neath Port Talbot Regional Advice Network and was an observer at a meeting of the Welsh Government’s National Advice Network in January 2020.

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Deputy Minister, Jane Hutt MS/AS (second from right), and Fran Targett (third from right) Chair National Advice Network, meeting with the Chairs of Regional Advice Networks January 2020

During the period of review, Richard was also a member of the Law Society of England and Wales’s Access to Justice and Wales committees and the LawWorks Cymru Advisory Group. He is a member of the Editorial Board of The Law Teacher: The International Journal of Legal Education and has peer reviewed articles both for this journal and The International Journal of Clinical Legal Education.

Richard also assessed applications for the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence for HE Advance.

Townhill Children’s Zone

The Clinic has been pleased to participate in the Townhill Children’s Zone (TCZ) a multi-agency network consisting of local Head Teachers, medical practitioners, advice agencies youth and community workers, and youth centres. It is modelled on the highly successful Harlem Children’s Zone, and has the aim of increasing the number of young people from Townhill who go to university.

The Clinic’s involvement has secured £3,000 of funding from the University’s Greatest Need Fund to develop its activities with TCZ in the 2020/21 academic year.

Staff recognition

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Richard Owen was presented with a National Teaching Fellowship in October 2019. The National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) Scheme celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education. A maximum of 55 individuals receive the award each year.

National teaching fellows must demonstrate individual excellence: of enhancing and transforming student outcomes and/or the teaching profession; raising the profile of excellence: of supporting colleagues and influencing support for student learning and/or the teaching profession; demonstrating impact and engagement beyond the nominee’s immediate academic or professional role, and developing excellence: by showing impact of ongoing professional development with regard to teaching and learning and/or learning support.

2019 National Teaching Fellowship Award Winners.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)Both staff and Student Advisers engaged in a number of continuous professional development opportunities.

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Ideas and Impact Understanding Welsh Think Tanks delivered by the Bevan Foundation, Cardiff City Hall, 26th September 2019

Lexcel organised by Law Society Wales Office, 22nd January 2020

Commission on Justice in Wales Event organised by Law Society Wales Office, 18th February 2020

Collaborative Award in Teaching Excellence Assessor Training online webinars delivered in February 2020 by HE Advance

Vulnerable customer training (Swansea Uni) February 2020

LawWorks Clinics Network InfoExchange Session on Dealing with Demand delivered remotely 22nd April 2020

Clinical Legal Education Organisation, Clinics Catch up, delivered remotely 20th May2020

#futuregen: Wales and the World delivered remotely by Hay Digital Festival 22nd May 2020

LawWorks Conference delivered remotely 19th June 2020

Facing the Future online webinar delivered by HE Advance on 26 June 2020

Mediation Clinics Network, delivered remotely by Clinical Legal Education Organisation 2nd July 2020

Family Clinics and supporting litigants in person at hearings, delivered remotely by Clinical Legal Education Organisation 3rd July 2020

Members of Clinic staff also attended training in various software packages such as Clio and the Canvas virtual learning environment

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