In November 2014 the SLF grant funded Public Law Project (PLP) to carry out pre-litigation research into the lawfulness of aspects of the Immigration Act 2014 and related policies. The research targeted a new Home Office policy whereby some migrants could be removed from the UK without being served with removal directions. This policy would have made […]
In July 2012 the SLF grant funded Islington Law Centre (ILC) to consider possible challenges to the lawfulness of aspects of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) 2012. ILC proposed that legal assistance for refugee family reunion cases should still be available under a strict statutory interpretation of LASPO. In addition, challenges to the Exceptional Cases […]
In September 2014 the SLF grant funded the Asylum Support Appeals Projects (ASAP) to intervene in the case of a destitute former asylum seeker, with outstanding representations, who had been refused support by the Home Office. He was refused support on the grounds that his outstanding representations, which were based on having a private and family life […]
We are delighted to announce that the Strategic Legal Fund for Vulnerable Young Migrants will continue for two further years from January 2015. The project will continue to be hosted by Trust for London, making grants jointly funded with Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. In addition, we are really pleased that Unbound Philanthropy has joined us as a partner and is […]
Legal Services Agency (LSA), a Law centre in Scotland, have launched the findings of their research into the treatment of separated children who arrive in Scotland aged 16 and 17. The SLF had grant funded the LSA following concerns they had identified about the variation in the level of care being provided to this group. Local authorities in Scotland […]
In a landmark judgment on the first ever modern slavery case heard by the Supreme Court, the Court unanimously ruled that trafficked people have a right to claim damages from their traffickers irrespective of their immigration status. Anti Slavery International intervened in the Supreme Court case and were represented by Public Interest Lawyers (PIL). The SLF had […]
On the 15th of July 2014, the high court delivered its judgment which ruled that the Government’s proposals to introduce a “residence test” to those applying for civil legal aid were unlawful. The SLF grant funded Bindmans solicitors, working in partnership with Public Law Project (PLP), to carry out research into the impact the test would have […]
We are very pleased to welcome Gerry Hickey as the new Project Manager for the Strategic Legal Fund. She has taken over from Frances Smith, to whom we are very grateful for three years of excellent support. Gerry is your first port of call for any queries relating to the SLF. Gerry has worked in advice services […]
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered judgment in the case of Jessy Saint Prix on 19 June 2014. The SLF grant funded The AIRE Centre, which was bringing a third party intervention in the case, to enable its legal team to travel to the CJEU to make submissions in court. The case focussed on the position of […]
On 13 June 2014 judgement was handed down in the case of Gudanaviciene & Ors v Director of Legal Aid Casework & Anor. These were successful judicial review challenges to the Legal Aid Agency’s refusal to grant exceptional cases funding (ECF) in six cases under Section 10 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of […]