Testimonials and Case Studies
Here is a selection of real case studies from the Legal Advice Centre's first year of operation. Please note that all names have been anonymised.
Case Study: Supporting Clients Through Complex Family Matters – Mary’s Story
Mary approached the university’s law clinic during a particularly challenging period in her life. After nearly a decade of marriage, she and her husband separated in 2023. Divorce proceedings were already underway when she came to the clinic, but her main concern was the financial settlement—particularly relating to the family home, financial security, and future maintenance.
Mary’s situation involved a number of complex financial considerations. She hoped to remain in the matrimonial home at least until her son completed his education, but her husband wanted to sell the property immediately. There was a significant disparity in their respective incomes and pension assets, with Mary’s financial position being far less secure. Two proposals had been put forward by her husband—one offering an equal division of the home’s equity without any ongoing maintenance, and another providing a slightly more favourable equity split along with limited spousal maintenance.
Mary also sought advice on a Declaration of Trust concerning the initial contributions made toward the property purchase. She needed to know whether it could be upheld as part of any financial settlement.
The law clinic was able to provide Mary with a detailed written letter of advice, explaining her legal options in clear, accessible language. The advice covered the process of applying for a financial settlement, the enforceability of the deed of trust, her rights in relation to spousal maintenance, pension considerations, and the potential outcomes regarding the sale or retention of the family home.
Mary expressed deep appreciation for the support she received:
"It was lovely to meet the students on Thursday. Their warm and friendly demeanour made me feel completely at ease. Thank you—being able to use the services of the clinic has been a huge help to me. Please pass on my thanks to the students. The letter was really helpful and I am really grateful for having the opportunity to have had the appointment."
Mary's case is a powerful example of the real-world impact our clinic has on individuals navigating life-changing legal challenges. With the support of our dedicated volunteer supervising lawyers, we hope to continue providing this vital, accessible service to those who need it most.
Case Study: Irene’s story
In early 2025, our law clinic was approached by Irene who had gone through a very distressing experience in her workplace. After disclosing her diagnoses of severe ADHD and complex PTSD to her managers—acting on the advice of a colleague—Irene hoped this would lead to understanding and reasonable adjustments being made to support her. Instead, she was met with hostility, ridicule, and isolation.
Rather than offering the support she was entitled to under the law, her managers and colleagues bullied and harassed her. They ignored her questions, raised their voices at her, and deliberately made her working life more difficult. This toxic environment left her feeling severely depressed and anxious
After lodging a formal complaint about the bullying she experienced, Irene was dismissed without notice during a brief Teams call. The reasons given were inaccurate and unjustified. She came to the law clinic seeking guidance on her rights and next steps.
The clinic’s student advisers, under supervision, provided detailed advice covering a range of potential claims, including:
- Failure to make reasonable adjustments
- Harassment and discrimination related to disability
- Victimisation
- Unfair and wrongful dismissal
The client described the experience of attending the clinic as transformative:
"I received extraordinary help and support from the students. They listened to me and asked relevant questions to support me with my case. I’d highly recommend this service to anyone—just amazing young people who really want to make a difference. Thank you so much! The world would be much better if there were more people like this lovely team (the students and their supervisor) I met during my appointment at LSE."
She added: "Thank you very very much for all the hard work, support and empathy I received from the students and their lovely supervisor. Please send my sincere appreciation for their kindness, understanding, and extraordinary support."
This case demonstrates the clinic’s ability to provide compassionate, thorough support to individuals facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. With continued support from our alumni community, we can expand our impact and help even more people.
Testimonials
The entire experience was fantastic - from communication with the people covering the admin side, to the initial meeting with the students and a follow-up call with their supervising lawyer to the final letter of advice. Everyone I had dealings with was clear, empathetic, well-informed and overall I would recommend the service without hesitation to anyone in a similar circumstance. Thank you so much for all your time and energies in supporting my case.
I received extraordinary help and support from the students. They listened to me and asked relevant questions to support me with my case. I’d highly recommend this service to anyone. Just amazing your people who really want to make a difference. Thank you so much!
Thank you very very much for all the hard work, support and empathy I received from "A", "T" and their lovely supervisor I met on the day of my appointment. Please, send my sincere appreciation for their kindness, understanding and extraordinary support they offered me.
An incredible service delivered far beyond my expectation. I cannot recommend the LSE Legal Advice Clinic highly enough and long may they continue with the invaluable support they offer.