About us
What we do and who we are
Richmond Legal Advice Service (RLAS) aim is to provide clients with initial and basic legal advice and assistance where the legal advice is provided by volunteers who are qualified lawyers (see below on what is meant by a ["qualified lawyer"][qualified]). RLAS provides the advice and assistance without charge to clients.
RLAS has been operating for more than 60 years.
This website provides information about who we are and what we do. In addition, we have prepared an information leaflet for clients, which can be downloaded.
There is a continuing need for our service, especially with the restriction on the availability of legal aid (as well as its withdrawal in some areas of law)) making it harder and harder for clients to have access to qualified lawyers without paying substantial hourly rates.
RLAS declares its intention not to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of race, gender, class, disability, sexual orientation, caring responsibilities, age, political or religious belief or lack of it or trade union activity.
RLAS is a registered charity (charity number 1094365). For [details about RLAS, visit the Charity Commission website. Type our full name or charity number in the "Charity search box".
RLAS is also registered with the Information Commissioner for data protection purposes (registration number Z1633133). To carry out a search for RLAS on the Information Commissioner's website.
How is RLAS funded?
RLAS receives no income from clients. RLAS neither requests nor accepts any payments, donations, gifts or fees from clients.
RLAS can only operate because of grants received from local charities. Our principal funder is Richmond Parish Land Charity.
Their grants pay RLAS' running expenses, including paying for the use of the Holy Trinity Church premises in Richmond, professional indemnity insurance, registration with the Information Commissioner, the fee for registering our domain name and hosting this website, and stationery.
From 2010 to 2012, Mortlake Community Association allowed RLAS to use their premises without charge to enable RLAS to run additional advice sessions. Please note that from January 2013, we no longer run sessions in Mortlake.
Who provides the advice and assistance at RLAS?[qualified]
All advice and assistance obtained by clients from RLAS is provided by volunteers who are qualified lawyers. RLAS' volunteers do not receive, and will not accept, any payment for the advice they give. RLAS' volunteers will also not accept referrals from clients (i.e. RLAS does not permit one of its volunteers to take on as a paying client someone s/he has seen at an RLAS advice session).
What is meant by a volunteer being a qualified lawyer? [qualified]###
When RLAS states that a qualified lawyer gives advice and assistance, we mean that only the following will do so:
- a solicitor (who has completed their training contract and has been admitted as a solicitor)
- a trainee solicitor
- a barrister (who has been called to the bar and has completed their pupillage)
- a pupil barrister
Comments and criticisms
If you have any comments or criticisms, please feel free to tell the adviser you see or contact the secretary on 020 8940 7362 or by email.
Last updated: 16 January 2024