How does it work?

By training teams of pro bono lawyers to provide advice and to prepare applications for leave to remain on behalf of children, we seek to try to regain the ground that was lost when legal aid was removed, to increase access to justice for undocumented children, and to ensure that each child receives high quality, tailored advice and representation.

MiCLU’s supervising solicitor provides training to the pro bono lawyers, prepares template documents for use in the cases, provides close supervision throughout the life of the case, and mentors the pro bono legal teams as they work on applications and submit them to the Home Office.

Referrals come from frontline agencies direct to the MiCLU team, and suitable cases are then placed with legal teams at each pro bono partner.

Pro bono lawyers feel confident in their knowledge, and supported to provide the same high quality service to pro bono clients that they provide to their more traditional client base.

We embed a child-centred approach to running these cases, ensuring that the needs and best interests of children are central to every step, and are at the forefront of the evidence the legal teams gather in support of these applications.

Referral agencies feel confident that they are referring service users into a high quality programme which will lead to the best possible application being submitted to the Home Office.

Clients are offered a lifeline – free legal advice from a dedicated team which combines the resources and quality of a corporate law firm, with the knowledge and understanding of the sector offered by a law centre.