In May, we hosted an in-person London Specialist Advice Forum at Doughty Street Chambers. The theme for this forum focused on the sustainability and resilience of the sector and how the free legal advice sector can respond to unprecedented needs.

The forum consisted of roundtable discussions where forum members discussed the following three key questions:

1. How does the sector respond to unprecedented needs proactively to survive?
2. How can the sector collaborate and work in partnerships?
3. How can the sector learn from each other?

The current challenges in the free legal advice sector
Since the implementation of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (2012) the legal advice sector has faced a series of challenges. According to the Mind the Gap: Addressing the Skills Gaps with the Advice Sector report, research illustrates various problems within the sector, such as:

• Lack of adequate and sustainable funding, which can hamper long-term planning and programme implementation.
• The funding landscape itself has become increasingly fragmented and competitive.
• The sector grapples with limited statutory recognition and insufficient structural support, hindering its ability to effectively advocate for and serve its community.
• There is a declining number of advice providers, which reduces access to crucial services for vulnerable communities.
• An immediate and recurring challenge identified by the advice sector is the difficulty in developing an effective and sustainable career pathway that attracts and builds the workforce.
• Lastly, the sector faces an ongoing challenge in terms of public perception and marketing, often struggling to effectively communicate its value and impact to potential supporters and the broader community.

In addition to this, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise of the cost-of-living crisis, have exacerbated poverty and increased the demand for advice services. These interconnected issues collectively pose significant barriers to the advice sector’s ability to fulfill its vital role in society.

How does the sector respond to unprecedented needs?

During the roundtable discussions, forum members explored how the sector can best address unprecedented needs. A consensus emerged around the necessity for more diverse funding options within the sector. Forum members emphasised the importance of adopting various approaches, such as consortiums, and highlighted the need for funders to cover core costs. Additionally, discussion also centered around alternative funding sources, including livery companies and legal expense insurance, to address the funding gaps.

In addition to the issues of funding, another key issue raised in the discussion was the workforce crisis, with recruitment and retention being a major challenge. The cumulative impact of a difficult funding and policy environment over the years has made it difficult to maintain the required staff levels for experienced roles, with many leaving the sector due the pay, lack of progression, and conditions in the sector. The loss of experienced practitioners and the sector’s struggle to replace them has had a significant impact on the sector. Currently, LLST is working in collaboration with others on an ongoing programme to tackle the workforce crisis and to train more solicitors to work in the advice sector. This programme derives from a partnership among funding organisations, advice agencies, and other stakeholders, to enhance recruitment, training, and retention within the advice sector. This collaboration aims to foster a more inclusive and sustainable environment for professionals in the field. You can find out more about it here

How can the sector collaborate and work in partnerships?

Alongside the funding and workforce crisis being significant challenges for the sector, forum members agreed that working in collaboration and partnership was also important in helping the sector deal with unprecedented needs. Suggestions included working in collaboration with local community organisations on tackling key issues. For example, the Cost-of-Living Crisis Prevention Advice (CoLCPA) Project, a collaboration between London Citizens Advice, London Legal Support Trust, and the Greater London Authority, aims to enhance the capacity of advice agencies to respond to the cost-of-living crisis and support more Londoners. The project encourages delivery partners across London to develop models tailored to their local needs and work closely with community partners for referrals, outreach, and community engagement. More information about the project can be found here.

Similarly, forum members also stated the importance of working in collaboration with private law firms and sharing resources, insights, and information across the charity and private sectors. One forum member mentioned how alongside the importance of building relationships with various key stakeholders within and outside the sector “acknowledging the value of pro bono and working with the private sector can help with the overall sustainability with the sector”. It is also worth noting that partnership working doesn’t only pertain to the context of funding and delivery models but also the sharing of resources, skills, and knowledge. Other suggestions for supporting the challenges of the sector include evaluating the advice journey proactively and ensuring organisations can maximise resources to provide advice at every level required locally. This includes avoiding duplication of efforts, instead collaborating with local advice services and using each other’s training resources.

How can the sector best learn from each other?

When it came to discussing how the legal advice sector can best learn from each other, forum members highlighted the significance of both in-person and online events, such as the London Specialist Advice Forum, for fostering knowledge sharing and understanding the sector’s successes and challenges. They emphasised that learning and networking are crucial not only for the legal advice sector but also for funders, aiding them in communicating with the sector, and evaluating their funding processes. An interesting aspect of these discussions was the emphasis on honesty. Many participants agreed that learning involves sharing not only the positive impacts of services and projects but also the challenges and failures encountered. This transparency is essential for learning from experiences, addressing difficulties, and ensuring the sector’s sustainability. Crucially, staff time is needed to be able to engage in opportunities for learning and sharing ideas.

Forum members acknowledged that continuous learning is vital for the sector’s survival and the improvement of access to justice. Training and ongoing professional development are necessary to keep the advice sector relevant and capable of adapting to the needs of clients and services, including through digital resources. Shared learning about best approaches to wider sector issues is key, for example the collection and use of data, with a call for more comprehensive sector-wide data and analysis to share with key stakeholders, funders, and the wider advice sector.

The next steps

Following on from the roundtable discussions, LLST collated suggestions on what the next steps could be for the sector in responding to unprecedented needs and working collaboratively. These next steps include potential action points for funders, advice agencies, and wider voluntary sector organisations. You can find out more and access the action point here

You can catch up on the notes and recording of the May Forum