LAW BEYOND LAWYERS
Exploring Community Lawyering in the UK
Sistren Legal Collective, Migrants Organise, Citizens UK, Public Interest Law Centre and ATLEU (Anti-Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit) are together creating a space to bring together community organisers, lawyers, legal practitioners and movement partners to explore what community lawyering means in a UK context, learn from international and domestic experience, and build a shared vision for community-led legal practice.
This convening is grounded and practical in its ambition. We want to demystify community lawyering by making it concrete rather than theoretical, exploring not just what people are doing but how we talk about it. It is an entry point for lawyers and community organisations alike and provides a connecting space where barriers between legal practitioners and communities already using legal tools as part of broader organising and campaigning can begin to break down. It is a space where lawyers and community organisers can listen to each other and build each other's power.
Together we will:
- Discuss and map principles and practices of Community Lawyering in the UK
- Surface structural barriers to communities accessing legal knowledge and infrastructure
- Explore what community-based approaches to the law can look like
- Create space for lawyers and community organisers to find ways of working together
- Articulate connections to social justice movements
- Define what a stronger infrastructure for community lawyering in the UK could look like
The format of the day will include presentations from community lawyers locally and internationally, small-group discussions and creative interventions.
We see this convening as the starting point for exploratory conversations and movement building around the possibilities of community lawyering in the UK.
Further Information:
Date & Time: Thursday 24 September | 10am to 4 pm
Location: North London (full address will be shared with ticket holders closer to the event date)
Access:
- The venue is accessible, including a wheelchair accessible bathroom.
- The closed underground station is a 4-minute walk to the venue.
- There are paid parking spaces a 10-minute walk away.
- There is one free parking space available at the venue, please let us know if you would like to use this.
Hospitality:
Catering will be provided throughout the event, including morning snacks, lunch, additional snacks and drinks. There will be vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Registration:
This event is free to attend, but contributions to help us cover the cost of the event are welcome.
Places are limited, and we ask you to register your interest by Tuesday 1 September at 11.59pm.