Faculty of Business and Law / Legal Advice Centre & Business Clinic Annual Report 21/22

Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor Foreword

As a University located in the heart of the city region, we are student centred, inclusive, caring of our community and courageous – we seek to speak out boldly and be agents for positive change in society. Our clinical practice work in both the Law School and the Liverpool Business School, as set out in this Annual Report, reflects our commitment to our students and the people and organisations in our city region.

Clinical practice provides students with a unique opportunity to develop knowledge in context. Working with academics, practitioners and clients on real legal or business problems creates circumstances in which students can acquire theoretical knowledge and understand its practical application through the act of doing.

This has two outcomes. First, it is of enormous benefit to our students, as they will have a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the subjects they are studying. This will help them develop successful professional careers when they graduate.

Secondly, the provision of free business and legal advice to communities and organisations who may struggle to access such advice contributes significantly to the economic and social wellbeing of the city region.

This Annual Report notes the broad range of legal and business clinical practice services undertaken in the last academic year. We do not currently evaluate the social value of this work, but it is estimated that the financial value of the advice delivered through our clinical practice work amounted to £1.314m. This is a significant contribution by the University to communities and organisations the city region.

In the current academic year, the opening of the Hardman Street facility enables us to expand the provision of legal and business services and to add new services. We will, for example add an accounting review service to our business clinic work specifically aimed at the charitable sector. This will help charities develop good financial and governance practices. The Hardman Street facility demonstrates the University’s commitment to its civic role and the positive work it does to support the social and economic well being of the city region.

Dr Timothy Nichol Pro Vice Chancellor: Faculty of Business and Law

Dr Timothy Nichol

SCHOOL OF LAW: LEGAL ADVICE CENTRE

Foreword

We have been delighted to operate the Legal Advice Centre for its 8th year and we are thrilled to be back to offering face to face advice. With thanks to our fantastic in-house staff and students, external volunteers and support from the University, we have been able to assist more clients than ever before.

The need for pro-bono legal advice across all sectors has only increased since the pandemic and will likely increase further as we enter into this cost of living crisis. We have certainly seen a rising demand at the Legal Advice Centre this year. This report highlights some of the great work we have undertaken this year, none of which would be possible without our brilliant students and external volunteer solicitors from local firms who very kindly give up their time to support our students and the community. At the end of this exceptionally busy year, we are delighted to be moving into new purpose built premises in the City Centre which will greatly enhance our accessibility for the local community as well as the learning experience for our students. We are developing innovative new clinics in the field of Community Economic Development and Exceptional Case Funding, which also form part of our work developing impactful research as part of the Centre for the Study of Law in Theory and Practice.

The Legal Advice Centre will be fully integrated into the LLB Law curriculum at every level from September onwards, making us one of the biggest and most inclusive law clinics in Europe. From September 2022, our third year students who choose to work in the Legal Advice Centre will spend a year with us developing in-depth knowledge of a subject area and allowing us to assist even more members of our community access the legal advice they require, including outreach work with our local courts and foodbanks.

Our thanks go to:

n The 435 students who have worked in the Legal Advice Centre this year and have successfully supported and advised clients through what is often an incredibly distressing time in the client’s life. They have coped admirably with coming back into the face to face world following the pandemic and we are very grateful for their professionalism.

n Our 40+ local solicitor volunteers who give up their valuable time to help us achieve our aims. We are proud and grateful to have the support of volunteers from Brabners, Broudie Jackson Canter, Crawfords, DTM, Hill Dickinson, Jackson Lees, Liverpool City Council, Maxwell Hodge, MSB, Morecrofts, Thompsons, and Weightmans.

Rachel Stalker Solicitor & Clinical Legal Education Programme Leader

Rachel Stalker

“I thought the service was fantastic. The representative from the Solicitors was very helpful, and advised me on the query I had in regards to my current situation. Many thanks for this service as it has helped me greatly.”

“I am very grateful to have this service available to the general public. Any advice you give is very much appreciated. My circumstances dictate I could not afford to engage the services of a solicitor so I am grateful for all the help/ advice given. Thank you.”

“Really appreciate the time and support I was offered today it was extremely helpful.”

Absolutely amazing service

Spotlight on COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Our Community Economic Development clinic is a new initiative which Paul Twigg has launched to support entrepreneurs, startup businesses and creatives in the Liverpool City Region. We have been able to work with some fantastic clients this year in order to advise on issues such as franchise agreements, shareholders agreements, intellectual property protection, terms and conditions reviews and GDPR advice.

We believe in offering pro-bono legal advice to small businesses and creatives who otherwise would not be able to afford legal advice at the early stage of their journeys, often leading to disastrous consequences later down the line.

The service has been very well received by the organisations we work with in the region including but by no means limited to the Women’s Organisation, the Growth Platform, Sound City and the LJMU Start-Up Hub. In addition, the service has been welcomed by clients, with one small business commenting:

May I take this opportunity to thank [you] both…for your time as well as advice. The feedback link that was in the letter doesn’t really give me an opportunity to say how useful and valuable I have found the service you provide.

I do not know how well used you are, but I feel that you are providing an essential service to small businesses that just need the heads up about certain legal matters, but maybe do not have the funds to seek advice from legal firms.

Moving forward, we intend to expand the capacity of the service when we move into a new premises in Hardman Street and we look forward to working very closely with our colleagues and new neighbours in the Liverpool Business School Business Clinic. We are also working with various local organisations to deliver public information sessions on issues affecting small businesses, musicians and creatives and look forward to delivering these in 2022/2023.

Spotlight on URGENT FAMILY REPRESENTATION

Since January 2021, Mary Mullin and Liz Jones have expanded the work of the LAC and their clinical teaching into providing free representation at court to vulnerable litigants who cannot afford a lawyer. Students work directly with clients under supervision and obtain and analyse evidence, produce statements and court bundles, and attend court hearings, thereby developing vital legal skills and experience that they would normally have to wait several years to obtain as trainee solicitors. This work is now a key part of the LLB Law curriculum, a unique educational opportunity for students and a vital public service driving social justice and social mobility.

Since joining LJMU Liz and Mary together have delivered around 1500 – 1800 hours of free legal advice and representation for around 100 clients. As a result of Liz and Mary’s advice and help clients have the chance to re-establish contact with their children after many years, settle matters which had previously been entrenched firmly in acrimonious

litigation, and better navigate the complex landscape of the courts, social services and other agencies. This work is not just of immense social and financial value but is also a significant improvement to the student learning experience in the School of Law. Liz and Mary are both highly qualified and experienced practitioners who now impart their substantive and strategic knowledge to law students.

Liz and Mary’s work as pro bono advocates, relying on student support, will be used going forwards by the CLOCK scheme based at Keele University as the model for a nation-wide network of pro bono advocates. They has also had local recognition and gratitude from the judiciary and members of the Family Committee at Liverpool Law Society, since the local profession can better engage with parties who are represented. Within LJMU, Mary and Liz won Rising Star awards in the 2012-22 Teaching and Learning Awards.

Spotlight on EXCEPTIONAL CASE FUNDING

Dr Michelle Waite leads the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) Clinic. ECF is intended to be a human rights safety net for people experiencing some of the most common civil legal problems, such as sorting out arrangements for children after separation, dealing with finances and property upon divorce and disputes about welfare benefit entitlements. If an individual’s human rights would be breached without access to legal advice and representation, then ECF (a form of legal aid) should be granted.

In the ECF Clinic Michelle and her student team will work with clients who need to make an ECF application. This is a difficult and time-consuming task for someone to try to do alone. Students working with Michelle will therefore gain knowledge of the human rights and public law arguments that can be made to support an application for ECF, an understanding of how the legal aid system works, experience of completing legal aid application forms, drafting supporting statements, carrying out legal research and interviewing clients.

This year, Michelle will also begin a research study in parallel with the ECF Clinic and as part of the burgeoning Practice work in the Centre for the Study of the Law in Theory and Practice. This will explore how human rights to legal aid in family law and welfare benefits cases are shaped by Legal Aid Agency decision-making. Michelle’s research adopts a novel collaborative adviceled ethnography design. The student team in the ECF clinic will therefore be student advisers under Michelle’s supervision as well as having a role as data collectors and creators in the research study.

Building upon Michelle’s doctoral research in this area, the study will bring new insights into the barriers people may face in accessing ECF and the arguments that can be used successfully to ensure that individual’s rights are protected. There is therefore the potential for significant impact on legal practice in this area, not only for the Clinic’s clients, but also people across England and Wales with family law and welfare benefits problems and other legal practitioners.

BUSINESS SCHOOL: BUSINESS CLINIC

Foreword

The Liverpool Business School Business Clinic was established to provide a range of support options to SMEs, multi-nationals, start-ups and not for profit organisations in the Liverpool city region. As a modern civic university, which aims to serve its people and communities, the Business Clinic acts as a source of support that businesses within the Liverpool City Region can access to help them address the challenges they face moving forward.

We have been delighted to have had the Student led Business Clinic back face to face this year, as it now plays a vital part in the curriculum and the student journey. The clinic provides students with the opportunity to practically apply and develop their theoretical knowledge in a real-world professional environment. Projects delivered to date for our clients include market planning, strategy planning, diversify of products and services, market research, social media campaigns, competitor analysis amongst other things to help plan for new business opportunities. Our students provide research and genuine innovative and fresh approach solutions to all types of problems and challenges.

Now at the end of its 4th year, the Business Clinic is set to grow further next year as the number of students involved in the Clinic is set to include by at least 30%. We are proud to say that over the next two years the Business Clinic will be embedded into all undergraduate and postgraduate provision across the School of Business and Management, including programmes such as Events Management, International Tourism Management and Human Resource Management. As part of our commitment to the Principles of Responsible Management Education, we will be developing projects associated to sustainability and digital transformation that students can successfully deliver to businesses across the Liverpool City Region

This year our thanks go to:

n The amazing staff we have working in the Business Clinic, both academic staff which have pushed the boundaries with the curriculum and the Business Clinic project officers who have worked to foster some fantastic external relationship.

n The 290 student who have worked in the Business Clinic this year supporting 72 projects

n Our 12 business consultant mentors, who show up week after week to support the consultancy groups to deliver a quality piece of work that has value to the client.

Last but by no means leas a massive thanks to all the businesses and organisations who have provided projects to the Business Clinic.

Track Dinning Subject Leader, Liverpool Business School

Dr

Dr Track Dinning

The Liverpool Business School Business Clinic was established to provide a range of support options to SMEs, multi-nationals, start-ups and not for profit organisations in the Liverpool city region. As a modern civic university, which aims to serve its people and communities, the Business Clinic acts as a source of support that businesses within the Liverpool City Region can access to help them address the challenges they face moving forward.

LIVERPOOL BUSINESS SCHOOL: BUSINESS CLINIC

Summary

The Business Clinic is embedded across the majority of the Liverpool Business School’s full time undergraduate and postgraduate provision to provide students with the opportunity to undertake a live business consultancy project with an external host organisation. These projects provide students with the opportunity to practically apply and develop their theoretical knowledge in a real-world professional environment. The Business Clinic undertake projects in area such as Sport Business, Marketing, Finance International Business. In the coming years the clinic will expand to work with more programmes such as Events Management, International Tourism Management and Human Resource Management. Some of the projects delivered to date for our clients include market planning, strategy planning, diversify of products and services, market research, social media campaigns, competitor analysis amongst other things to help plan for new business opportunities. Our students provide research and genuine innovative and fresh approach solutions to all types of problems and challenges.

What our student are saying:

“Applying theory into practice has helped me to find a tangible solution for a business and understand how valuable my knowledge can be. It has given me the confidence to explore employment options once I complete my course.”

Final year Business with Marketing student

“The project work is very creative and to be able to work on a live project alongside a client is really interesting. The skills I am learning from this project will help improve my career prospects.”

Final year Sports Business Student

Clients who want to work with the Business Clinic are asked to outline an initial project brief. Then, working alongside one of our Business Clinic project officers the brief is developed to include not only clear aims and objective but also a set of outcomes in order that the clients’ expectations can be met. The majority of the projects are delivered over a 10-week period with student groups meeting on a weekly basis. The student groups are guided by the academic member of staff on a weekly basis. We also work with 10 Business Consultants, who are attached to a group and provide weekly support to those students to deliver a highquality project for the client.

Last year (20/21) the Business Clinic saw 225 students provide a service to over 39 organisations (public, private and third sector) across the region and beyond. The clinic ran wholly online via Microsoft Teams and Zoom calls which meant we were able to serve organisations beyond the Liverpool City region. However, within the Liverpool City region the Business Clinic supported 30 organisations.

This year 290 of our students are working across 72 projects with the Business Clinic supporting 40 organisations on a range of projects within the Liverpool City Region.

No. of organisations supported by the Business Clinic

What our clients are saying:

to work with so many passionate LJMU students who have been keen to showcase their credentials as the marketeers of the future in our industry. They have provided genuine help to us by undertaking a reallife research project that we’re putting to direct use in order to offer the best possible ticketing packages for our supporters.”

Warriors

Number of students and projects

Number of Students

Number of Projects

Hours of consultancy (based on 120hrs per student)

Value (based on a student rate of £20.00/hr)

Investment in Business Mentor

Total value

“It has been a pleasure

Wigan

NEW THIS YEAR: ACCOUNTING CLINIC

In 2021-22 the Accounting and Finance academic team are proud to announce the full launch of the Accounting Clinic. This Clinic gives students from the Accounting and Finance degree an opportunity to work with an external client from the charity sector. Students will support the charity to complete an end of year independent examination. Charities eligible for this service are those with an income of between 25K and 250K. The Accounting Clinic is currently an extracurricular volunteering opportunity for our students, and with its initial introduction just six months ago, the clinic has already completed the independent examination for

a local church with four students and has a further seven charitable organisations lined up to work with this in 2021-22. We anticipate the client base for this clinic to grow over the next twelve months.

We are grateful to:

n The Associaton of Charity Independent Examiners (ACIE) who have trained 45 students to undertake this work.

n The students who have signed up to volunteer in the Accounting Clinic.

n The organisations that are already speaking to us already

about using the clinic for their end of year independent examination.

n Liverpool Business School

Staff who have supported the setup of the clinic - without them it would not have been possible.

We are excited to see this clinic grow over the next academic year delivering significant support to the region’s charitable sector.

Mike Franco Programme Leader Accounting and Finance