Introduction

Law Centres are a relatively new concept, first appearing in Scotland approximately 30 years ago. An innovative generation of solicitors identified huge gaps in the provision of legal advice and representation (mainly in evictions which were regularly undefended and unquestioned, but which parliament had legislated for) and the fundamental impact that had on people’s lives. The Law Centre founders identified the need and strived to fill it.

This model of legal service was new at the time and the number of Law Centres across Scotland are still limited. However, we are a growing sector, responding to need. Broadly speaking, Law Centres are either defined by geographical area (e.g. Dundee Law Centre, Castlemilk Law Centre) or by subject matter (e.g. Clan Childlaw, Shelter’s Housing Law Service).

In terms of structure, Dundee Law Centre (DLC, formally registered as Dundee North Law Centre) is a company and charity incorporated under the Companies Acts in Scotland which is limited by guarantee. The charity is also registered with OSCR.

There is a separate legal liability partnership, DNLC LLP, also incorporated under the Companies Acts in Scotland, which is a legal practice unit regulated and licensed by the Law Society of Scotland. The LLP is a ‘firm’ of solicitors, and the Principal Solicitor is fully accountable to that professional body. The LLP provides legal services to the charity; the two are separate legal entities but are inextricably linked in practice.

The Board of Directors is essentially responsible for the governance of the charity, but the legal team is responsible for the delivery of legal advice and representation, subject to the policies and procedures set by the Board. There is a service level agreement between the Board, the LLP and the Principal Solicitor which sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of the various parties.

Our work

The work carried out by our team can broadly be described as ‘social welfare law’; traditionally this includes homelessness, social housing, evictions, welfare benefits and debt. However, there are many complexities in these areas, and we are constantly triaging issues to see how clients will be best served. We work in partnership with other services across the city to achieve that.

Aside from the complexities in the law, it is important to understand the additional challenges in engaging with our particular client group; they are often marginalised and disadvantaged, often affected by health problems, addiction, literacy and poverty. This adds a layer of specialism and skill to the work we do in order to be effective, both in relation to individual cases and also as an organisation.

In addition to crude subject areas, DLC responds to gaps in legal services, address the complexities of our clients (which are numerous) and we are creative and innovative in our approach. We also strive to provide excellent service to our clients, encouraging them to engage with society as a whole and, in some cases, reintegrate with authority.

Our main focus is to address unmet legal need within the above areas of law, and it is fair to say that there are no other organisations operating within Dundee which provide the full range of legal services (free of charge) that are available from Dundee Law Centre.

Aims and Objectives

To relieve poverty by the provision in the after mentioned areas of free legal advice, assistance and representations to individuals living in community groups and voluntary organisations operating in areas of the City of Dundee currently known as Community Regeneration areas, all as designated from time to time by funders, the Scottish Government, Local Government or other indicators and such other areas as the company from time to time feels will benefit from receiving free legal advice; and

To advance the education of the public generally by undertaking seminars, classes and talks on relevant legal topics and issues to local schools, community groups and others in the aforementioned areas and by printing, publishing and distributing leaflets and booklets containing legal information and advice for the benefit of individuals, community groups, voluntary organisations and others living in/or operating in the said areas.

DLC Team

The staff team is a small number of dedicated, professional and very experienced individuals who work very hard to ensure that our service delivery is the best it can be.

We currently have one full time Principal Solicitor along with a part time Principal Solicitor who are the partners of the LLP. We also have a trainee solicitor and are hoping to grow our team subject to having additional funding in place. We also have a Finance and Operations Manager, a receptionist, 2 administrators (1 in the process of being recruited), 3 legal secretaries (one full time and 2 part time) and a part time cleaner.

All staff, including solicitors, are employees of the Charity, Dundee North Law Centre.

Our Changing World

Along with most organisations, the Law Centre was significantly affected by the pandemic, and we have responded creatively and effectively to the changes it has brought.

The Law Centre has always been a community-based organisation, reaching out to people in advice sessions in their local areas, community centres, etc. This changed during the pandemic and since 2020 we have developed new systems including virtual and telephone appointments and increased use of technology to communicate and actively participate in courts and tribunals remotely, using creative methods to ensure our clients are able to engage. The investment that the Board made to upgrade its IT and software during the pandemic has resulted in a much more flexible and responsive approach being available to staff and clients alike.

The first ever Dundee Law Centre website was launched in March 2020, and we are constantly improving our social media channels to meet the demands of this ever-changing environment.

The pandemic has emphasised the fact that there are some things people cannot control and that anyone can be affected by illness, financial hardship and the consequences of those. Gone are the days when people think that social welfare issues will not affect them. Society is finally realising that there is a gap in legal knowledge, services and provision and that these issues strike at the very heart of what legal system should be there for.

The pandemic was closely followed by the Cost-of-Living Crisis which has added to the demands of our service. It is clear that the need for advice, assistance and representation in our main areas of legal expertise (i.e., housing, debt, and social security) shows no sign of decline. The cost-of-living crisis, which affects our client demographic the most, means that there are many Dundee citizens who require such protection or entitlement as the law can give them. In Scotland, that is substantial, but it needs lawyers who can help vindicate these rights - in courts and tribunals, if necessary.

Dundee Law Centre is currently developing an exciting new strategy to guide our work in the next 3 years – it is ambitious and seeks to improve our profile and strengthen our partnerships so that we can reach more people and extend our reach. We also want to give some priority to improving how we tell our story, to be more attractive to funders, and to demonstrate our value to partners.

Our Finances

The Law Centre has budgeted expenditure budget of £425k for 2025-26 with the main expenditure item being staff costs of £300k. Our main source of funding is Scottish Legal Aid income of £150k and an annual grant of £150k from the Dundee Partnership. The balance is funded from grants from a variety of other charitable organisations. These grants require to be refreshed on a regular basis.

The Board

There are currently 5 directors due to recent resignations, but the Board is keen to increase our numbers and is currently seeking individuals with an interest in making a difference, to support the continued development and sustainability of the Law Centre.

In order to bring additional skills and expertise to the Board, we are seeking applications from dedicated individuals from wide ranging and diverse backgrounds including those with a background in law, finance, business, human resources, marketing, fundraising and the voluntary sector.

This is a voluntary unpaid position. The Board meets around 6 times a year. The meetings are in person, but hybrid meetings can be supported.

Trustees do not need to have worked within a legal setting, just have a genuine interest in supporting the valuable work our organisation does and the communities that we serve.