The Family Law Email Advice Line is provided Free of Charge by the Bristol College of Law. The service was established to enable members of the public to obtain clear, independent legal advice from post graduate students studying at the Bristol branch of the College of Law.

 

Our students are not professionally qualified but they do work under the supervision of the College’s Pro Bono Co-ordinator, who is a Practising Solicitor with many years experience in Family Law. The College aims to provide a high standard of service similar to that offered by any Solicitors’ practice.

 

The College of Law itself is the UK’s leading Professional Law School. We have been training Solicitors and Barristers for over 100 years.

 

On receipt of your instructions a Supervisor will consider whether your case can be dealt with. If at this stage it appears that we are unable to give you advice, either due to the nature of your case, pressure of time or complexity, you will be informed by e-mail. The College will, wherever possible, give information of other organisations or bodies which may be able to help you.

 

If we accept your case we will allocate the enquiry to a student, or pair of students. The student(s) will contact you to obtain all relevant information. They will then research your individual case and work with the Supervising Solicitor to prepare a full letter of advice.  The letter of advice is normally sent to you within four weeks of the first email contact, if not sooner.   If for any reason this is not possible you will be informed before the original deadline expires.

 

The Centre provides an advice only service. This means that we cannot represent you in Court or at any other hearing. However, where possible the College will offer a referral to an appropriate body or organisation. These limitations are necessary because students are not qualified to appear in Court and the College Solicitors cannot commit to the time required to prepare and present a case in Court. If further advice is sought, this may be offered but usually with a different set of Student Advisors.