Legal Services Agency celebrates Human Rights Day 2024. Human Rights Day is celebrated around the world on the 10th of December every year.  The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This was the first recognition of human rights on a global scale…

Legal Services Agency celebrates the 30th anniversary of the National Lottery. On this anniversary we would like to thank the National Lottery – and the players of the National Lottery – for the important, life-changing, and inspiring work that has been made possible through their funding. Our Employment Law Project is majority funded by the…

We are excited to share our Annual Report highlighting developments over the last year. To view our Annual Report in pdf, please click here Annual Report 2023-2024 or watch our video below.

Legal Services Agency is delighted to welcome two new Trustees to our Board of Directors: Stuart McWilliams and Dr Douglas Jack. The Trustees join LSA at an exciting time as we approach 35 years of LSA’s contributions in challenging systemic failures, and protecting and improving legal rights. Coming from legal practice and academia, the new…

Legal Services Agency would like to express gratitude to our Board of Directors during Trustee Week 2024. Trustee Week takes place from the 4th to the 8th of November to celebrate the achievements of charity trustees across the UK. Trustees are volunteers who provide charities with financial management, strategic direction, and overall governance. The work…

Last Tuesday, Legal Services Agency’s Housing and General Court team were honoured at Scotland’s National Conference on Homelessness, organised by Homeless Network Scotland. The team were recognised at the ‘Inspirations from the Frontline’ session which closed Day 1 of the conference. As our Housing and General court team were very busy representing our clients in…

Legal Services Agency celebrates Pro Bono Week 2024. Pro Bono Week takes place annually and celebrates lawyers giving free legal help to those who need it. Part of Legal Services Agency’s work is carried out pro bono. Our vision is one of a fair society where social justice is available to those who might otherwise…

The Everyone Home collective, of which Legal Services Agency is a member, are a collective of organisations who support people affected by homelessness. The collective has warned that people forced to sleep rough in Scotland could die this winter because of a severe lack of accommodation amid record levels of homelessness. The Everyone Home collective…

Legal Services Agency welcomes the publication of the Employment Rights Bill, which was published on the 10th of October 2024. The Bill, according to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, delivers: “the biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation, boosting pay and productivity with employment laws fit for a modern economy.” In our view,…

Legal Services Agency is pleased to announce the publication of our new Employment Law Guide, written by volunteer Erin Sweeney and trainee solicitor Michael Sweeney, as part of our Employment Law Project. Our experience in this area has highlighted that many people do not know what their options are when their employment rights have been…

LSA welcomes the coming into force of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 (‘The Act’)  from the 1st of October 2024. This new legislation is important as it promotes fairness for workers in the hospitality industry “by ensuring that the tips consumers leave in recognition of good service and hard work are going to the workers…

Listening to lived and frontline experience is crucial to addressing homelessness. St-Martin-in-the-Fields Charity, who fund LSA’s Disrupting Cycles of Disadvantage: Early Intervention in Homeless Project, have collected feedback from over one thousand frontline workers across the UK who are supporting people experiencing homelessness. Their survey found that the demand for homelessness services is increasing, which…

Legal Services Agency is proud to share that our Employment Law Project has helped improve individuals’ financial circumstances by over £1,000,000. Our Employment Law Project provides employment advice to people throughout Scotland. We also provide support to fellow grassroots advice agencies and aim to bring together stakeholder expertise to challenge inequality and injustice in the…

Legal Services Agency is pleased to announce that we will be piloting a four-day working week. Beginning in October, the pilot will span six-months. Our pilot means that full-time members of staff at Legal Services Agency will see their working hours reduced from 35 hours over five days, to 32 hours over four days, with…

July was Disability Pride Month. Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July to promote visibility, awareness, and acceptance of the disabled community. It serves as an opportunity to highlight the achievements of disabled individuals, whilst also raising awareness of ableism. Ableism is the discrimination of someone because of their disability or medical condition. This year’s…

Legal Services Agency is pleased to announce the publication of our new Disability Discrimination Guide, as part of the Disability and Social Justice Project. Our work with disabled organisations and charities has highlighted that many disabled people are not aware of their rights in relation to service providers, and that they are unsure how to…

Legal Services Agency welcomes the addition of four new members of staff to our Glasgow office: Denise Borrer, Megan Smyth, Nina Smith, and Amy McGilp. Denise Borrer joins LSA as a solicitor from private practice, having previously been a solicitor at Stirling and District Citizens Advice Bureau. Denise is joining the Housing and General Court…

At Legal Services Agency (LSA), we work on numerous projects aimed at reducing social inequality and disadvantage, many of which involve collaborating with other third sector organisations. Fair Way Scotland is a partnership of third sector organisations working to combat destitution and homelessness among people denied access to support on account of their immigration status.…

Legal Services Agency is very pleased to share the launch of the new website for Scottish Association of Law Centres (SALC), of which LSA is a member. SALC is the national body for the not-for-profit legal sector in Scotland, and in particular, for community-based law centres across Scotland. SALC has been established to ensure the…

The Department for Work and Pensions, in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), released the guide on 9 April 2024 which can be found at Employing disabled people: Disability Confident and CIPD manager’s guide – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The guide is a key component of the Government’s Back to Work program, which…

We are delighted to report that we have had another successful year with regards to our employment law project. This project was launched in April 2022 to promote employment rights and assist people facing problems at work. Please click here if you are looking for more information about the types of issues we can assist…

Under the Equality Act 2010, all students with disabilities have the right to request for reasonable adjustments to be made, such as providing specialist equipment, and education providers have a duty to make such adjustments. Reasonable adjustments are paramount to ensuring an enjoyable and enriching learning experience and ultimately, providing fair treatment to all students.…

Legal Services Agency recently contributed to an important consultation by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) regarding the potential introduction of a £55 fee to be payable by claimants when submitting an Employment Tribunal or Employment Appeal Tribunal claim. The MOJ referred to three key principles underpinning the overall proposal: affordability, proportionality and simplicity. In a…

We are excited to share our Annual Report highlighting developments over the last year. To view our Annual Report in pdf, please click here Annual Report 2022 2023 or watch our video below.

The Public Sector Equality Duty, as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, requires local authorities to have due regard for the need to eliminate discrimination and advance equality for people with disabilities. This includes reducing disadvantages suffered due to a disability, meet the needs of disabled people and encourage disabled people…

Legal Services Agency has recently been invited to contribute to two important consultations due to our expertise in the areas of Criminal Injuries Compensation and Human Rights. We remain committed to ensuring social justice is available to those who might otherwise find it difficult to access legal assistance and as such, use consultations as an…

The UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 is being held in Glasgow from 3-13 August. This is a significant event which brings more than 8,000 cyclists from all over the world to compete at the highest level in 200 competitions. Whilst there is no doubt of the positive impact of this event for Glasgow due to…

Before Brexit, EU nationals could move freely to the UK to work, without any need to apply to the Home Office for a visa. (British nationals could do the same, to other EU member states). If their earnings were low, provided their work was deemed “genuine and effective” rather than “marginal or ancillary”[1], EU workers[2]…

In February 2023, Legal Services Agency launched our new project with the MS Society to provide a legal advice service for people living with MS. The MS Society is a charity which supports people who have a diagnosis of MS and plays a leading role in MS research. MS stands for Multiple Sclerosis and is…

Legal Services Agency is pleased to receive funding from the Scottish Government Homelessness Sector Prevention Fund, enabling us to continue to provide emergency legal representation to those facing eviction and repossession. We will be continuing to provide our helpdesk in Glasgow Sheriff Court and we are pleased to announce that similar in-person emergency helpdesk provision…

Gaining practical experience as a volunteer is something I would recommend anyone to get involved in. It is especially beneficial for students who may be undertaking employment law as a module during their studies. I gained an interest in employment law when I began studying it at university and it is helpful to be gaining…

I first got involved with LSA at the beginning of June 2022 through a micro-placement with was advertised through my university, Edinburgh Napier University. I had a great experience working alongside Stuart Swan within the Employment Law Project and I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to come back as a volunteer if…

Legal Services Agency marks Volunteers’ Week 2023. 2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), when LSA will join thousands of charities and voluntary organisations recognising the contribution volunteers make across the UK. With this year’s theme of ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ we hope to encourage people to be the change that we want…

Press Release from JustRight Scotland and Scottish Refugee Council. Legal Services Agency is proud to support this important campaign. The inhumane and unworkable #RefugeeBanBill has today (10 May 2023) moved to Second Reading in the House of Lords, giving us another crucial opportunity to raise our voices in opposition to this harmful legislation, which seeks…

We recently published LSA’s Employment Law Project Year in Numbers – Employment Law Project Year in Numbers – Legal Services Agency (lsa.org.uk). There are many stories behind the numbers and we have asked our employment law solicitor, Stuart Swan, to share his career story so far and reflections on the Employment Law Project. My first…

We are proud to note that we have had a highly successful year with regards to our employment law project. This project was launched in April 2022 to promote employment rights and assist people facing problems at work. Please click here if you are looking for more information about the types of issues we can…

On 10th February 2023, we succeeded in preventing the eviction of a family of five from their home in Glasgow. The evidentiary hearing before the First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland considered the reasonableness of an eviction order as sought by the landlord. The tenants had a Short Assured Tenancy over the property. The landlord served a…

Legal Services Agency is proud to have added our name to the joint statement in opposition to the new Illegal Migration Bill. JustRight Scotland and the Scottish Refugee’s Council’s joint statement on rejection of the UK Government’s Refugee Ban Bill below and further details can be seen here: Scotland rejects the Refugee Ban Bill (justrightscotland.org.uk)…

My name is Lauren Christie, and I am a third year social work student currently on my first placement at Legal Services Agency! I study Social Work at Glasgow Caledonian University and will graduate in 2024. The main reason I chose to study social work was to try to improve the lives of people within…

On 2 February 2023 the UK Government passed The Climate Change (Targeted Greenhouses Gases) Order 2023 in response to a campaign by the Scottish Climate Emergency Legal Network (SCELN) to amend the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008. SCELN, of which Legal Services Agency is a founding member, has successfully campaigned to address the discrepancies between…

Legal Services Agency has successfully appealed a decision which granted planning permission for a luxury housing development on woodland at Portessie in Moray. In November 2021, Moray Council’s Local Review Body granted planning permission for a proposal to build seven houses on Slochy Woodlands near Buckie. Planning permission had been refused by the Council at…

On 1st February 2023, we sadly bid farewell to our office manager of over 18 years, Elizabeth Stewart. Elizabeth has worked at Legal Services Agency since 2004. As our office manager, Elizabeth has worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth running of our organisation, providing vital administrative support and management. Whilst she will be greatly missed,…

Two of our trainee solicitors, Kay Foulkes and Mera Logan, were delighted to take part in Edinburgh Law School’s ‘Festival of Legal Possibilities’ on Tuesday 21st February and Thursday 23rd February, respectively. This event was run by Diversity+ and the University of Edinburgh Law School. Kay attended the Tuesday session which covered diversity and representation…

At our recent AGM we celebrated our developments highlighted in our annual report, but also considered the history and purpose of our organisation in an interesting panel discussion. The discussion was Chaired by Colin Porteous who was the first Chair of Legal Services Agency and among the founding members leading to its establishment. Led by…

Eight Months to go until I am finished my Traineeship. I remember thinking that two years was a really long time, turns out it really is not. My first year of my traineeship was a whirlwind of emotions, new faces, incomprehensible information, and imposter syndrome. I’d like to say that that last part has eased…

We are excited to share our Annual Report highlighting developments over the year last year. To view our Annual Report in pdf, please click here LSA Annual Report 2021 2022 or watch our video below.

Approximately 1% of the population are either trans[1] women, trans men or non-binary. Trans people don’t identify as the gender they were assigned at birth. Being transgender is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act (“gender reassignment”) – it is unlawful to discriminate against someone because they’re trans. Broadly, subject to certain exceptions, public bodies,…

2022 was undoubtedly another busy and successful year for Legal Services Agency. We are very proud of all of the work we have achieved and could not have done this without the dedicated work of our staff, volunteers and board members. We are looking forward to 2023 as we strive to uphold rights and address…

10th December was Human Rights Day, a day to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This document sets out fundamental human rights which are to be universally protected. Although not binding, more than 60 human rights documents have developed based on the UDHR. Human Rights Day 2022 marks the beginning of a yearlong…

Terra Firma’s Kenneth Young, instructed by Rona Macleod at the Legal Services Agency, successfully argued in the Sheriff Court that statutory consent given to a trustee in sequestration to sell the family home is capable of being withdrawn.   The case of The Accountant in Bankruptcy v Watson and Watson called for legal submissions at Glasgow Sheriff Court in November.…

Tomorrow, 3rd of December, marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is an annual observance by the United Nations to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of people with disabilities. The theme for this year is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in…

Aileen Miller was promoted to partner in the Mental Health and Adults with Incapacity Department on 1st October 2022. After qualifying as a solicitor in August 2010, Aileen began working with well-known Glasgow law firms specialising in Immigration Law before developing an interest in Mental Health and Incapacity Law in 2017. She joined LSA in September…

In October 2022, the Scottish Parliament passed the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill (we understand that the Bill has not yet received royal assent). This Bill aims to introduce new measures to protect tenants in the rented sector during the current cost of living crisis and includes a reform of the law on…

SCOTLAND’s law centre history is a remarkable story. And it’s a Glasgow story. I met Paul Brown, Principal Solicitor at Legal Services Agency (LSA) at Sartis – an old favourite for many a Glaswegian. Paul retired from LSA on Friday after putting in a 42-year shift as a law centre solicitor. I wanted to capture…

Legal Services Agency’s research shows an urgent need for reform within the legal sector to improve conditions for those with disabilities and neurodiversity. Just over half of respondents to a poll carried out by Disability Scotland at the request of LSA said they had faced challenges accessing legal services or the legal justice system. Overwhelmingly,…

September sees the retiral of Paul Brown, Principal Solicitor at Legal Services Agency (LSA).  Paul will be familiar to many in the legal field and has been a key figure in the law centre movement for over forty years. Paul started work in what was then the sole law centre in Scotland at the end…

It has been 9 months since I started as a Trainee at LSA. Since the outset, I have been working with the Housing and General Court Department. The tasks assigned to me are centered around defending evictions and mortgage repossessions and the prevention of homelessness. In reflecting on my time since I joined, I can…

The government has announced that it is carrying out a consultation on proposed changes to the 2012 Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. This is following the High Court’s finding that the government has not met a legitimate expectation to consult on the reform of the “unspent convictions rule”. This exclusion was introduced in 2012 which makes…

Legal Services Agency is proud to launch our new project, Disrupting Cycles of Disadvantage: Early Intervention in Homelessness. This project is funded by St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity (Frontline Fund) for three years. Around 40,000 people become homeless in Scotland each year, and those who encounter the criminal justice system are more likely to experience homelessness. Finding…

In 3 months’ time, I will be a second-year trainee. Sometimes, I need to stop and process that because it seems like only yesterday that I was applying for an ‘access to law course’. It’s safe to say that my experience as a Trainee has progressed vastly since my first article at the start of…

Legal Services Agency are pleased to invite you to the virtual launch of our new Employment Law Project. The main aim of the project is to protect employment rights to improve financial circumstances. We will do this by: Providing early legal advice; Supporting fellow grassroots advice agencies; and Bringing together stakeholder expertise to act strategically…

Legal Services Agency is pleased to invite you to join us for the virtual launch of our new Disability and Social Justice Project. The project has been designed to support and empower people living anywhere in Scotland to enforce their rights, challenge injustice and reduce discrimination. The project will involve the provision of specialist legal…

The last quarter of 2021 saw the Legal Services Agency launch a new project concerned with improving access to justice for disabled people in Scotland. Through developing a new specialist disability practice we will help disabled people in Scotland enforce their rights, challenge injustice, and reduce the day-to-day discrimination that they face While the project…

Starting was overwhelming. Coming from a High Street Firm into a Charity like LSA was a change. Your normal first day jitters were to be expected, then top that off with Covid 19 social distancing and masks. I kept thinking ‘how am I meant to smile at people when I have this mask on?’. Trivial…

A new report, “Charges for temporary homeless accommodation in Scotland – law and reality” has been published by the Legal Services Agency which examines the practice of charging for temporary homeless accommodation in Scotland, and whether local authorities are acting lawfully in this area. Background Individuals in Scotland who make a homelessness application to their…

We are excited to share our Annual Report highlighting developments over the year last year. To view our Annual Report in pdf, please click here LSA Annual Report 2021 or watch our video below.

The Scottish Climate Emergency Legal Network is holding a major conference in Glasgow during the run-up to COP26. The event is to take place on the 21st of October, 10 days before the start of Glasgow’s historic summit, and will be accessible both online and in person at the Renfield Centre on Bath Street. Registration…

Having Power of Attorney in place gives YOU the autonomy to make a conscious decision to allow someone you know and trust to make decisions regarding your welfare, if or when you lose the ability to do so yourself. It means that YOU know the person understands YOUR needs, YOUR wants and will always act…

A group of social justice lawyers based in Glasgow have successfully secured an important gain for asylum seekers in Scotland – the right to access legal aid for representation in tribunal appeals, where they face eviction from housing that is provided by the Home Office. The Glasgow Social Justice Lawyers came together in summer 2018…

The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 made various changes to the law which impacted upon housing law. A year and a bit after this legislation was enacted we are taking stock of where we are now, and what might change in the coming months. EVICTION BAN As previously blogged, a ban on eviction orders being enforced…

On 13th June 2019, the rules for Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes were amended to remove what had previously been referred to as the ‘Same Roof Rule.’ The ‘Same Roof Rule’ had prevented victims who had been living with their assailant as members of the same family at the time of the assault prior to 1979 from…

Since December 2020 there have been limitations on evictions in Scotland, often termed an eviction ban. However, the position is more complicated than a straightforward ban on evictions. The eviction ban came into effect on 11 December 2020, as a result of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. These Regulations prevented…

Legal Services Agency (LSA) is delighted to welcome four new Trustees: Grant Carson, Kirstie Cusick, Mhairi Reid and Peter Beckett. The Trustees join LSA at an exciting time to support us in delivering our three-year strategic plan launched in Spring 2020. Coming from the public, private and third sectors, the new Trustees bring invaluable skills,…

It has been 72 years since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin,…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all facets of society. During these challenging times, the legal sector has had to adapt and revise the ways in which it delivers services. The extent of these adjustments – many stemming from the new Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 – vary across different practice areas. In…

Glasgow’s free advice sector stands united #SaveYourAdviceSector THIS Thursday, Glasgow City Council will vote to cut over £2m each year from its funding to Glasgow`s community law centres, citizen advice bureaux (CABx), local money advice and other advice agencies.  That`s a 60% cut across the board.  £5m removed from Glasgow`s free advice sector over the…

Unlawful evictions damages law reform briefing – 11 August 2020 Shaun McPhee, Ben Christman, Marianne Wilson, Caitlin Perring and Alice Dalkin Legal Services Agency  

Changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 By Hannah Goldsmith The Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme is a government scheme in place to help victims of crimes of violence receive compensation for injuries they have suffered.  The current Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is the 2012 Scheme (2012 Scheme), which, as its name suggests, came into…

Report on Valuation of Compensation Awards Arising from Letting Agent Enforcement Orders by Alice Dalkin, Caitlin Perring and Marianne Wilson Legal Services Agency June 2020 Alice, Caitlin and Marianne are volunteers with the Legal Services Agency in their Housing and General Court Department. They are also recent graduates from the University of Glasgow School of Law.  …

The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 has increased protection for private tenants. This leaflet summarises the changes to the eviction procedure for both Assured/Short Assured Tenancies and Private Residential Tenancies. Coronavirus Tenancy Poster V2 Legal Services Agency has dedicated lawyers specialising in private tenancies. Please contact 0141 353 3354 to arrange a telephone appointment or email us…

The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 received Royal Assent on 6th April 2020 having been passed by the Scottish Parliament on 1st April 2020. The provisions came into force on 7th April 2020 with some exceptions noted below.  This legislation has received significant attention in the Scottish media with particular attention paid to the proposed changes to practice within…

The current Covid-19 Pandemic has brought about numerous concerns for all of us who work in the legal profession but none more so than how this will impact upon the rights of us as individuals.  At Legal Services Agency we provide specialist advice to those with mental ill health, their family and carers.  Many of those we…

The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 is now law.  It brings major changes to housing law and practice, which will impact a large number of tenants for the foreseeable future.  The emergency provisions are initially effective until 30 September 2020 but may be extended by the Scottish Ministers up to a further year.  These changes could well be with…

For around eighteen months Legal Services Agency have been challenging lock change evictions in Glasgow Sheriff Court. We raised one of the first actions challenging these evictions and have raised around 77 interdict actions since then. These cases were put on hold waiting for a decision to be made in the case of Ali v…

A Discussion of Political Protests after the Coronavirus Act 2020 We are in exceptional times. There are two major threats, neither of them will be news. Firstly, to the long term survival of the whole of humanity and the natural world, i.e. the climate emergency. Secondly, to the survival of a significant proportion of humanity:…

A guide to lockdown law in Scotland Ben Christman, trainee solicitor (benchristman@lsa.org.uk) 8 April 2020 1. Introduction If you are living in Scotland at present, you will probably know that the Scottish Government has imposed a ‘lockdown’ to halt the spread of COVID-19. Similar lockdowns are in place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland –…

Homelessness law in Scotland and COVID-19 Ben Christman, trainee solicitor (benchristman@lsa.org.uk) 6 April 2020 Introduction There is no good time to be homeless, but it is difficult to imagine that there could be a more difficult period to be without a home than during a global pandemic crisis and national lockdown. Homeless rights organisations have…

The scale and pace of changes resulting from Covid-19 pandemic is causing heightened levels of uncertainty for us all! New guidance and amended rules are being issued daily. Interpretations of these for businesses and the impact for people and everyday lives are complex. We remain committed to providing access to justice, advice and representation in…

IMPORTANT SERVICE UPDATE From Tuesday 17 March 2020 we are making adaptations to our service delivery in light of continued concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. The safety and health of all our staff, clients and other visitors we have taken the difficult decision to move face-to-face delivery to telephone advice. We would be grateful if…

Scots lawyers should consider what may follow from the Dutch Supreme Court ruling, requiring Government action to avert the threats from climate change on human rights grounds. LSA`s Paul Brown discusses the Dutch Supreme Court ruling and using the law to tackle the climate emergency. Read the full article in the Journal here