Volunteering
Richmond Legal Advice Service (RLAS) can only provide free legal advice and assistance with the help of its volunteers.This page provides general information on the types of volunteers RLAS needs as well as how you can volunteer. Further pages provide specific information relevant for potential volunteers who are either lawyers or are not lawyers
Who can volunteer?
To provide its advice and assistance sessions RLAS has 2 types of volunteers:- lawyer volunteers : these provide advice and assistance to clients at a RLAS session; and
- non-lawyer volunteers: help the lawyer volunteers but primarily they come to RLAS advice and assistance sessions to gain experience in seeing how a lawyer works in providing legal advice and assistance
What is meant by a “lawyer volunter”?
The following are considered “lawyer volunteers”:- a solicitor (who has completed their training contract and has been admitted as a solicitor in England)
- a trainee solicitor (undertaking a training contract in England)
- a barrister (who has been called to the bar and has completed her or his pupillage, in England)
- a barrister who have been called to the bar (and is undertaking a pupillage) in England
How do I become a volunteer?
If you wish to volunteer please contact us (contact details below). The process of becoming a lawyer volunteer is as follows:- sit in on and observe at two advice sessions—the potential volunteer is invited to sit in on at least 2 different RLAS advice sessions (to enable the potential volunteer to decide whether RLAS is right for them). The potential volunteer role is only to observe how an advice session is run
- complete an application form—the potential volunteer is asked to complete an application form and provide evidence of qualifications
- the trustees considers the potential volunteer’s application
- once accepted, the potential volunteer starts volunteering from a date agreed with the trustees and then is included on the rota
Volunteers are expected to follow the various policies and guidance that RLAS has produced.
A similar process is involved for non-lawyer volunteers, and an application form will be available shortly from this page.
How to find out more or to volunteer?
If would like more information or would like to volunteer please contact Victor Warner on 020 8891 2105 or by email (rlas {at} rlas {dot} org {dot} uk).Last updated: 2 April 2012