London Specialist Advice Forum
The London Specialist Advice Forum, an initiative founded by the London Legal Support Trust (LLST) in partnership with the City Bridge Foundation, is a network of frontline specialist free legal advice agencies across the capital. It provides a space for agencies to share best practices, resources, and opportunities; discuss sector developments and challenges; and identify emerging needs and solutions.
By facilitating knowledge exchange, peer support, and collaboration, the forum aims to strengthen the sector’s sustainability, efficiency, and resilience – helping agencies ensure fair access to justice for all.
2025 forum schedule
Wednesday 4 June at 3-5pm – in person
Thursday 25 September at 2-4pm – online
Wednesday 26 November at 2-4pm – TBC
Background
The forum was established in 2020 in response to discussions with advice agencies from our Centres of Excellence (COEx) programme. These agencies highlighted the need for a dedicated space to share ideas, collaborate, and discuss solutions to emerging challenges in the free legal advice sector.
With support from the City Bridge Foundation, LLST has been able to support the establishment and ongoing development of this sector-led platform. We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with many specialist advice providers in London and the South East, who help shape the forum’s direction and focus on local needs and solutions. Additionally, we utilise our well-established connections within the legal and funding sectors to help share forum learning about emerging issues and needs across the free legal advice sector.
Purpose
- Provide a dedicated space for specialist free legal advice agencies to convene, enabling them to share and discuss current issues, sector developments, funding options, projects, and collaboration opportunities.
- Enhance communication within the advice sector through regular forum meetings, subgroup meetings, and digital communications.
- Promote sustainability and efficiency by encouraging the exchange of best practices, resources, and learning from within and beyond the sector.
- Support sector resilience by providing a safe space to air and discuss issues and challenges, offer mutual support, and benefit from each other’s experience and knowledge.
- Shape sector development and projects by identifying emerging issues, themes, and patterns within the advice sector; influencing the wider sector, funding community, and key policy stakeholders (where relevant); and guiding the creation of development work and pilot projects.
Membership
The forum is open to agencies, advisers, caseworkers, and lawyers providing free social welfare legal advice in London and the South East. However, we welcome anyone committed to strengthening and sustaining free legal advice services and ensuring fair access to justice for all. This includes grantmaking organisations funding (or interested in funding) free legal advice services, membership bodies, academics, and students.
Membership is not restricted to organisations funded by the London Legal Support Trust or City Bridge Foundation, and you do not need to be based in London —though the Forum focuses on issues and developments in this region.
To become a member of the forum, please fill in this short form or contact Lukia at [email protected].
Forum subgroups
Alongside the forum, we also facilitate sector-led subgroups for community care practitioners, billing staff, and apprentices and trainees.
To become a member of one, or more, of the subgroups listed below, please fill in this short form. If you have any questions, please contact Lukia at [email protected].
Community Care Subgroup
The Community Care Subgroup, led by Disability Law Service, exists to strengthen the not-for-profit community care advice sector by facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration, enhancing communication, and addressing capacity challenges. The group was launched following a wider forum meeting on Disability and Community Care.
The group welcomes advisers, caseworkers, and lawyers across the country who work in the NFP sector and provide free legal advice on community care. Participation is encouraged from anyone with an interest in improving legal advice and representation for individuals facing challenges in accessing community care services.
The group meets twice a year and hosts a Teams Group to facilitate knowledge sharing, communication, and collaboration among members.
Legal Aid Billing Subgroup
The Legal Aid Billing Subgroup, co-led by the Public Law Project and the Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU), brings together billing coordinators and those who do billing within their organisations to discuss key issues, support each other, and improve the legal aid billing process. The group was established following LLST’s Billing Project.
The group meets every other month and hosts a Google Group to facilitate knowledge sharing, communication, and collaboration among members.
Apprentices and Trainees Subgroup
The Apprentices and Trainees Subgroup, led by University House – Legal Advice Centre, is a dedicated space for apprentices and trainees in the free legal advice sector to network, exchange tips, and support one another throughout their training and studies. The group also feeds into the work of the Advice Workforce Development Fund.
The group is open to apprentices, trainees, and caseworkers currently working towards their SQEs and legal qualifications in London and the South East.
The group meets quarterly.
Forum resources
Below is a list of previous forum meetings, including agenda items, recordings, and meeting notes.
March 2025
- Impact on Urban Health: Overview of Impact on Urban Health’s work on funding strategic litigation
- University House – Legal Advice Centre: Updates on new LGBTQ+ clinic, supervisory work, and legal apprenticeships
- London Funders: Presentation on the “Mapping Funding for Social Welfare Advice in London” report
- Discussion on the impact of National Insurance contribution increases on the advice sector
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
September 2024
- Trust for London: Update on strategy and social and economic justice grants
- Money A&E: Presentation on “Grow Your Own” advice project
- London Legal Support Trust: Updates on the apprenticeship levy and the Advice Workforce Development Fund
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
May 2024
This meeting was centred around a series of roundtable discussions, addressing the following key questions:
- How does the sector respond to unprecedented needs proactively to survive?
- How can the sector collaborate and work in partnership?
- How can the sector best learn from each other?
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
February 2024
This meeting was focused on wellbeing in the advice sector, and what the sector can do to improve wellbeing.
- The National Lottery Community Fund: Update on new funding strategy
- Advice Services Alliance: Presentation on wellbeing in the advice sector
- GamCare: Meet the Agency presentation
- LAPG Management & Leadership Hub: Thoughts and tips on wellbeing arising from practitioner workshops
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
November 2023
This meeting was focused on celebrating the achievements of the sector and acknowledging all the amazing work that had happened in the past year.
- Lloyds Bank Foundation: Information on upcoming funding specialist programme
- Cost of Living Advice Project: Presentation on learning and insights from Year One of the project
- University House Legal Advice Centre, Maternity Action, and Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre: Sector stories and achievements
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
September 2023
This meeting was focused on EDI: racial justice and equity in the advice sector.
- The Runnymede Trust: Presentation on the “Falling Faster amidst a Cost-of-living Crisis: Poverty Inequality and Ethnicity in the UK” report
- The Legal Education Foundation: Overview of the Legal Education Foundation’s “Power, Culture and Inclusion” work
- North Kensington Law Centre: Discussion on racial justice in the advice sector and how structural racism impacts community work and advice
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
May 2023
- John Ellerman Foundation: Information on social action grants
- Public Law Project: Overview of campaigns
- Harrow Law Centre: Presentation on housing and campaigns project
Recording available here.
Notes available here.
February 2023
- University House – Legal Advice Centre: Meet the Agency presentation
- Public Interest Law Centre: Presentation on “Abused Twice” report
- Law Centres Network: Update on civil legal aid review
- East End Community Foundation: Presentation on tackling poverty and advice funding
Briefing notes
- Cost of living briefing notes
- Community Care briefing notes
- Civil Legal Aid Review briefing notes
- Domestic Abuse and Housing briefing notes
- Wellbeing in the Advice Sector briefing notes
- Action list for funders, advice sector, and the voluntary sector briefing notes