Written by: Caroline Langdell, Senior Programmes Manager at London Legal Support Trust
Sometimes, just the word ‘data’ is enough to start the eye rolls or bring on a cold sweat. In a similar way to when people talk about AI, there’s a level of overwhelm that has the ability to stop us in our tracks before we even get started. The world of data is big, it can be complex, and it requires a level of time and attention that can be difficult to find, especially if it’s not the primary focus of your role.
And yet, we know that data is vitally important. We know it’s not just about numbers, but about creating better services, implementing smarter systems, reaching those who need it most and achieving better outcomes for the communities we serve.
So, what do we do?
Recognising Where We Are
There is no escaping the challenges facing the free legal advice sector right now. Funding pressures, increasing demand, resource limitations and staff burnout create a perfect storm that makes it harder than ever to deliver the services our communities desperately need.
When it comes to data specifically, we face additional hurdles. Heavy workloads mean there is limited capacity for data collection and analysis. Stretched budgets make it difficult to invest in the digital infrastructure and IT systems that could transform how we work. There are also understandable concerns about what data we should be gathering, how to keep it safe, and whether we have the skills to make sense of it all.
The broad and diverse nature of free legal advice organisations, from Law Centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux through to independent charities and community groups, is one of the best things about our sector. This diversity means we can respond to local needs and maintain our unique identities. But it also presents challenges with no shared approach or consensus on how to collect and use data and a lack of centralised infrastructure for sharing insights and best practices.
We don’t have a magic wand. We can’t fix these systemic issues overnight, and in some cases, we shouldn’t be trying to, standardising the sector and creating a fleet of homogenised organisations isn’t top of anyone’s wish list. But we can’t pretend they don’t exist either.
Learning from Experience: The Law Centres Network’s Data Project
The Law Centres Network recently embarked on an ambitious data project that offers valuable insights for the wider sector. The project highlights both the potential and the practical realities of implementing data initiatives across diverse organisations with varying resources and technical capabilities.
Alex Charles, Head of IT and Data at the Law Centres Network said:
“We know the work of Law Centres transforms lives, but in today’s challenging climate, it’s more important than ever to clearly demonstrate our impact. High-quality data is essential for telling our story effectively and persuasively to a wider audience. To do this, we need to ensure our data is accurate, well-managed, and that we have the right skills, tools and data culture in place. This project is designed to help us achieve exactly that.
The ‘Unlocking the Power of data’ project was born from a collective need and want across our membership to improve how we collect, use and manage our data. It’s designed to tackle the underlying causes that hinder data efforts: low data skills and capacity; poor data quality and governance; inconsistent data standards and definitions; fragmented systems and tech; sector-wide coordination challenges etc. If we want to make genuine progress on these areas, we can’t see them in isolation – we need a holistic approach, tapping into the big strategic issues of building data leadership and culture, developing data literacy, making better use of tools and systems, and working more closely with other advice agencies such as LLST’s Centres of Excellence, as well as funders and policy makers to harmonise the data we collect.
Our initial efforts have centred on boosting data literacy and confidence among staff. We’ve launched a data apprenticeship and developed a data leadership and training programme to equip staff and managers with essential skills in areas like Excel, Power BI, data quality, governance, security, ethics, data leadership and data storytelling. Data peer-peer groups have been established to encourage sharing and learning and build data culture. We are also looking at how to develop a more consistent and shared approach for what data we collect and how to use this, what we are now calling “a common data framework”. This is a huge undertaking, but a vital part of our project. As such, we are working together with other advice organisations and strategic partners, so the work has wider relevance than just within our own Network”.
So why does it matter?
Despite the challenges, the case for embracing data in our sector is compelling. Here’s why it should matter to all of us:
Understanding Community Needs: Data helps us build a clearer picture of the communities we serve – whether analysing needs by location, demographic groups, or types of legal issues. This understanding enables us to tailor services more effectively and identifies emerging trends before they become crises.
Improving Service Delivery: By tracking what works and what doesn’t, we can continuously improve our approach. Data can inform training and development, help us understand why some interventions succeed while others fall short, and enable us to share successful approaches across the sector.
Securing Sustainable Funding: In an increasingly competitive funding environment, robust data provides the impact evidence and needs analysis that funders often look for. It helps us tell our story with credibility and demonstrate the difference our work makes in people’s lives.
Enabling Collaboration and Strategic Planning: Good data supports partnership working by helping organisations map gaps in provision, avoid duplication of services, and work together more strategically. It can reveal opportunities for collaboration that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Addressing the Barriers
Of course, many of us have legitimate concerns about data collection and use and those have to be acknowledged and addressed:
Ethical and Privacy Concerns: Much of the data we handle is personal and sensitive. Any data strategy must prioritise client confidentiality and comply with data protection regulations while still enabling us to learn and improve.
Investment in Digital Infrastructure: Many organisations lack the IT systems and digital infrastructure needed for effective data collection and analysis. It’s an issue highlighted in LLST’s most recent survey of COEx partners and it represents a significant barrier that requires sector-wide attention and investment.
Lack of Standardised Systems: Without common approaches to data collection and definitions, it’s difficult to compare outcomes or share insights across the sector.
Skills and Capacity Gaps: Many organisations lack the specialist skills needed to design data systems, analyse results, and translate findings into actionable insights.
A Way Forward: Starting Where We Are
As Sherlock Holmes wisely observed, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.” But where do we begin when the challenges seem so overwhelming?
Start Somewhere: Perfect shouldn’t be the enemy of good. Even simple data collection can provide valuable insights. Begin with basic metrics that matter to your organisation and build from there.
Collaborative Approach: The role of funders, government, and umbrella bodies is crucial in supporting this shift. They can provide resources, create incentives for data collection, and help establish common standards that benefit everyone.
Culture Change: We need to promote and encourage a culture of learning from data across the sector. This means celebrating insights and improvements, not just highlighting problems, and creating safe spaces to discuss what we’re learning.
Shared Learning: Initiatives like the Law Centre Network’s data project provide valuable lessons for the wider sector. By sharing both successes and challenges, we can help others avoid common pitfalls and build on proven approaches.
Jack Huzzey, Data Project Officer at the Law Centres Network said:
“Interest and engagement in our data project have exceeded expectations, showing just how much our members value better data practices. We’re building better connections between us and other advice organisations, providing a space for more joined up working, sharing, learning and collective problem solving on data use and improvement; and are starting to work more closely with funders and policy makers to help them better understand the unique challenges of our work on the front-line and how we can work more effectively together towards our shared data goals.
We know that the project is highly ambitious and will require significant time and effort to achieve meaningful progress. However, we are fully committed to this undertaking and remain optimistic that our efforts will yield positive results over time.”
Conclusion
Data isn’t just about numbers, it’s about understanding the people we serve and finding better ways to help them. And that goes for funders and infrastructure organisations as much as it does for front line advice agencies.
It’s why LLST are taking part in the LCN’s data project too, with one of our own Senior Programme Managers taking on the Data Apprenticeship programme as part of it. As funders, facilitators and supports of the sector, it’s really important for us to be doing everything we can to understand the challenges being faced, the way in which data is collected and used and the lessons we’re learning from it. Not just so we know where best to direct the funds and resources we have, but how best to do it too. We want to be right there with you.
While the challenges facing us all are real and significant, data offers us tools to work smarter, demonstrate our impact, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for the communities who depend on us.
The journey towards becoming a more data-driven sector won’t be easy, but it’s one we can’t afford to postpone. By starting where we are, learning from each other’s experiences, and keeping our focus firmly on improving outcomes for clients, we can build a stronger, more effective, and more sustainable free legal advice sector for the future.