The Faculty of Law is delighted to announce a new partnership with The Law Corner, a public interest and pro bono legal advice organisation based near Kings Cross, London.
The Law Corner was founded by Cambridge Law alum, Nabil Khabirpour (Girton), in response to the reality that the administration of justice and the rule of law are severely compromised if individuals have no realistic ways of accessing the legal system. The Law Corner is guided by a twofold vision. One is to offer to those of limited means high quality and timely legal advice by taking on clients who would otherwise not be able to afford representation. The other is to provide opportunities for students and volunteers to learn more about the practice of law and, in the process, build a network among like-minded peers, collaborators and wider society.
Access to social justice is at the heart of the Law Corner’s mission; its partnership with the Faculty of Law will allow more law students to gain valuable experience in casework, all whilst providing an essential legal service to the community.
The partnership with the Law Corner is an important and exciting project which is strongly aligned with the Faculty’s broader commitment to diversifying the curriculum and its student body. The joint endeavour will make a vital impact on ensuring access to legal excellence and social justice, while enabling our students to gain invaluable pro bono work experience alongside their studies.
The Faculty of Law is particularly grateful to Dr Nick Friedman, who is leading this project on behalf of the Faculty, and Dr Stephanie Palmer for facilitating the connection with Law Corner. Dr Palmer taught Nabil whilst he was a student at Cambridge and now serves as an adviser to and collaborator with the Law Corner. Dr Palmer also has a long-standing interest in pro bono work and has been an executive member of the Cambridge Pro Bono scheme since its foundation in 2000.
Reflecting on the development, Nabil said:
It is an honour for the Law Corner to join hands with the Cambridge Faculty of Law in widening access to justice. Nabil Khabirpour
"It is an honour for the Law Corner to join hands with the Cambridge Faculty of Law in widening access to justice. My thanks go out to Mark, Stephanie, the Faculty Board and the Development team for turning this vision into a reality. I was so impressed to learn about the existing commitment to the cause among the student body and look forward to welcoming the first interns to the Law Corner this autumn. Finally, and on a more personal level, this partnership holds a special place in my heart. It was here at Cambridge, as an undergraduate, that I first became acquainted with the role of law in society and encouraged - by lecturers and supervisors who had a profound influence– to think deeply about what the demands of justice entail."
The Chair of the Faculty, Professor Mark Elliott, commented:
"I am delighted that this partnership with the Law Corner has been established as a means of contributing to a vital project in the service of access to justice while providing our students with new opportunities. We look forward to opening this scheme up to our students from Michaelmas 2023 and hope that is the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership."