Prestigious award for Hugh James and Cardiff Law School
Hugh James solicitors in association with Cardiff Law School beat off stiff competition from across England and Wales to win the Student Team Award at last night’s prestigious Law Society Junior Lawyers’ Division 10th Anniversary Pro Bono Awards.
The Solicitor General, Vera Baird QC MP, and the Shadow Home Secretary, Dominic Grieve QC MP presented the awards at a ceremony at the Law Society in London.
Hugh James and Cardiff Law School established a joint legal clinic in 2007, to advise on continuing healthcare cases. Hugh James is a leading firm in this area of practice and the clinic allows them to pass on significant professional experience and expertise to law students.
The Law Society award recognised that Hugh James in association with Cardiff Law School has developed the provision of high-quality pro bono services in an innovative and niche area of law and practice, which is not always served by legal aid. This pro bono service assists in addressing the nationwide problem of assessment for NHS continuing healthcare funding.
Continuing healthcare (also known as nursing care) is where the NHS is responsible for care and fully funds it. Continuing healthcare mainly affects very ill patients, often elderly, in nursing homes, but can also apply if a person is in hospital long term or needs nursing care at home. Hugh James has a specialist team to handle nursing care cases and currently represents over 600 people claiming they were incorrectly charged for care.
Malcolm Evans, Partner with Hugh James, congratulated the clinic on its success: "I’m delighted that the scheme has been recognised in this way and would like to congratulate Cardiff University Pro Bono Team for their success in this prestigious competition. I am confident that the clinic has made a valuable contribution by making legal services available to those who might not otherwise have benefited from them. By offering their services pro bono, Cardiff Law School and Hugh James provide a valuable source of advice and information in an area of law where legal aid is not always available. I look forward to our continued working relationship."
Pat Brand, the Cardiff Law School tutor who supervises the legal clinic, expressed the Law School’s gratitude to Hugh James (particularly solicitors Lisa Morgan and Nicola Martin) for their unstinting generosity and commitment to supporting the students, without which this venture could not have succeeded in its endeavours to assist vulnerable members of the community.
Professor Gillian Douglas, Head of Cardiff Law School, said "I am delighted that Cardiff Law School and Hugh James have won this award. We are committed to continuing to develop our Pro Bono Clinic to support the community and allow our students to gain exposure to the law in action, and learn valuable skills that will prepare them for legal practice."
Over one hundred and eighty Cardiff Law School students were given a comprehensive training programme including a session by Hugh James and about 60 have gone on to casework. Cardiff Law School and Hugh James also work with the support of Alzheimer’s Society and Age Concern Cymru in providing the service.
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