Free Legal Support Service for Litigants in Person

This project follows on from the successful Access to Justice Project which was a collaboration between Dorset Race Equality Council and Dorset-wide Citizens Advice. LSLIP aims to build on the previous project which improved access to justice in the areas of Employment and Discrimination by adding two further subject areas: Family Matters and Housing. The project seeks to assist clients to pursue remedies for their issues, including potential legal recourse.

The LSLIP project is administrated by the Access to Justice Foundation with funding from the Ministry of Justice. Again, Dorset Race Equality Council (DREC) is working in collaboration with Dorset Citizen’s Advice, but also with Citizen Advice South Somerset, Shelter Dorset and Shelter Bristol

The aim of this project is to improve access to general and specialist support for potential litigants in person, who are experiencing issues in Race Discrimination, Employment, Family Matters or Housing.

Project definition of a litigant in person:

• People already engaged in a hearing or legal proceeding
• People who have a legal issue and approach a service about a potential action
• Potential or actual defendants in legal proceedings
• People who may have a legal remedy available, but are unaware of that option

Dorset Race Equality Council’s role

Under this project, DREC has a dedicated discrimination caseworker to assist all clients who are experiencing some form of discrimination due to their race, ethnicity or cultural/religious beliefs. Our partnership allows us to access the expertise across the other three subject areas and ensure that our clients have access to the right advice and specialist support for their particular issue. Our caseworker has the option to work in collaboration with another specialist caseworker to achieve the best possible outcome for their client.

DREC encourages people to contact us as soon as they are experiencing difficulties so that we can give timely advice. The majority of past cases show us that early intervention enables us to successfully resolve cases to a satisfactory outcome. We will always explore all available options with our clients and seek resolution without the need for court action. However, if there is legal remedy and this becomes the only course of action, where appropriate, we will support our clients to prepare them to become litigants in person.

If we cannot resolve a case without recourse to legal action, we will seek to ensure that:

• Litigants understand the potential risks of taking legal action
• Litigants are aware of any time limits
• Litigants are aware of all the steps they must take and how to prepare for going to court as a litigant in person
• Litigants have the confidence to represent themselves in court because they understand the process and the expectations placed upon them
• Litigants are empowered to enforce their rights in accordance with the law

If you have any discrimination issue and require further information and advice, please contact us.

Penelope Pearl (discrimination caseworker) 07858 626560   penelope.pearl@dorsetrec.org.uk or enquiries@dorsetrec.org.uk