HKC Law Clinic provides a free, independent and confidential legal service to staff and students of the University and members of the public who are in need of legal advice or assistance. It is run as an integral part of the law degree programme.

HKC Law Clinic is a full legal pro bono service. You work on real civil law cases under the supervision of qualified solicitors, from the first interview with the client. It gives you an insight into the pressures and demands of the legal profession, and gives you the opportunity to serve real clients from the local community.

HKC Law Clinic is run by students from the Department of Law and Criminology taking law degrees, under the supervision of academic staff who are qualified solicitors or barristers.

Recent awards

We have been Shortlisted for Law Works Pro bono Awards for the past 2 years running 2017 - 2018.

We were awarded the Solicitors Journal Award in 2017.

We were Highly Commended in the Law Society Excellence in Pro Bono award in 2014.

We were awarded the LawWorks Attorney General Student Award 2013 for Best Contribution by a Law School.

How our students benefit

We provide students with the opportunity to work on real-life cases under the supervision of qualified solicitors. This enables them to

• gain an invaluable insight into the pressures and demands of the legal profession
• develop a wide range of transferable professional skills which enhance their employability

We also offer a variety of innovative opportunities for students to engage with, including the HKC Court Helpdesk, which operates in conjunction with Sheffield Combined Court Centre.

Students volunteer to attend court to provide advice and assistance on court processes and procedures to litigants without legal representation. This service is supervised by qualified solicitors from the HKC Law Clinic and is an invaluable opportunity for all students seeking to enter the legal profession.

How our clients benefit

HKC Law Clinic serves the local community where there is a significant unmet legal need. We work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure a commitment to legal excellence and social justice.

There is no charge for the advice and assistance that the HKC Law Clinic provides, but any expenses (such as court fees) must be met by the client. Clients are advised of what these expenses would be before committing themselves to any action.

Areas of law

We are able to assist on many legal issues, although we regret that we are currently unable to advise on criminal law matters, employment law cases, immigration issues or debt matters.

We are unable to accept instructions from any person who wishes to pursue a claim against a university or Sheffield Hallam University, its governors, employees or students.

The sorts of cases that we often deal with include (but are not limited to) housing, holiday complaints, consumer issues, landlord and tenant cases, company registrations and small claims matters.

Our joint aims are to provide practical legal experience for law students and to offer a thorough, accurate and reliable service to clients with legal difficulties.

However, we reserve the right to decline any cases that do not complement the educational aims of the scheme.

Standards and confidentiality

All advice provided by the HKC Law Clinic is under the overall supervision of the Supervising Solicitor, who is a practising solicitor and who is individually authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Clients can be assured that they will receive an independent and professional service in the same way as from any other practising solicitor.

All advice, assistance and representation is given in the strictest confidence.