While students were eager to apply their legal knowledge in real-world settings, members of the surrounding community were facing workplace disputes, housing insecurity and family breakdowns without access to clear legal advice.
In September 2024, Diana Kirsch joined the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) as Director of LSE Legal Advice Centre with the goal of building a new legal advice centre and bringing those two needs together.
Diana arrived with a clear vision of what makes a law clinic succeed: committed students, experienced volunteer lawyers, supportive staff and strong connections to the wider pro bono community through LawWorks.
Diana, along with Saher Osman, Deputy Director of the Legal Advice Centre and employment lawyer, and Behnia Naemi, Legal Clinic Coordinator, worked tirelessly to set about bringing those pieces together in a very short space of time. 
As the clinic took shape, support from across the pro bono community helped strengthen its foundations. The team, with input from LawWorks, were able to connect with volunteer lawyers from nearby law firms and chambers who could supervise students and share their expertise.
“LawWorks has been incredibly helpful. The training, the resources and the introductions to volunteer lawyers have made a huge difference as we’ve been building the clinic.”
LSE Legal Advice Centre opened its doors to the public in January 2025.
In January 2026 the LSE Legal Advice Centre celebrated its first birthday. In the first year alone, the clinic provided 80 people with legal advice in employment, family, homelessness law and more, helping those individuals to gain a clearer understanding of their rights and the confidence to move forward.
*Mary’s story: Finding clarity after separation
Following the breakdown of her marriage, Mary came to the clinic unsure about her financial future and what would happen to the family home she had lived in for years. Students helped explain her legal options in clear, accessible language, giving her a better understanding of her rights and the possible paths forward at a difficult moment in her life.
Reflecting on the experience, Mary said: “It helped to finally understand where I stood and what my options were.”
*Irene’s story: Being heard after being dismissed
After disclosing severe ADHD and complex PTSD to her employer, Irene found herself facing bullying and isolation at work rather than support. When she was later dismissed during a brief online call, she turned to the clinic for guidance. Students helped her understand the legal protections available to her and the potential claims she could pursue.
Reflecting on her contact with LSE Legal Advice Centre, Irene said: “I felt like someone was finally listening and helping me understand what had happened.”
Behind every client story are the student volunteers - listening, researching, drafting letters and translating complex law into practical advices. Drawn from across the law school, they brought curiosity, empathy and a willingness to learn from the real situations people are facing.
When reflecting on their experience of volunteering in the Legal Advice Centre, the students said:
Raphael Burghgraeve, 3rd year law student and student adviser of the Homelessness Clinic, ran in collaboration with Centrepoint and Shelter, supporting vulnerable young people facing homelessness: “Most of my clients have been younger than me. It really makes you think about how different people’s situations can be, and how important it is that someone helps them understand their rights.”
Miao Xuan Liow, 3rd year law student: “It’s completely different talking to someone about what they’re going through rather than reading about a case in a textbook. You realise how important it is to explain things clearly.”
Larissa Wanty, 2nd year law student: “I spent a day writing my first letter and it came out looking like an essay. You suddenly realise that quoting legislation isn’t helpful if someone just needs to understand what their options are.”
The students’ enthusiasm is exactly what the clinic hoped the project would create, a place where learning and real-world impact meet.
LSE has also launched a new Domestic Abuse Law Clinic in partnership with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and specialist charity Advance, providing free, confidential legal advice to women experiencing domestic abuse and helping them understand their rights around issues such as child arrangements, protective orders and separation. By combining legal expertise with specialist support services, the clinic helps survivors navigate complex legal processes during some of the most challenging periods of their lives.
As the clinic moves into its second year, it is not only expanding its services but deepening its commitment to access to justice. Alongside the Legal Advice Centre, volunteers are now involved in projects including a homelessness advice clinic run in collaboration with Centrepoint and Shelter, work on miscarriages of justice with the charity Appeal, refugee law initiatives and community outreach programmes.
*Names have been changed to protect client's anonymity.
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