LAW students from the University of Chester have been shortlisted for prestigious national awards at the House of Commons in recognition of their volunteer work with vulnerable groups.

Students have been announced as finalists in three of five categories for the 2023 LawWorks and Attorney General's Student Pro Bono Awards after they dedicated their time to support refugees, pregnant women and new mothers.

The Awards celebrate the best pro bono activities - legal advice or representation provided free of charge in the public interest - undertaken by law students and schools across the UK.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the House of Commons on Thursday, April 27 with the Attorney General, the Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP.

Chester students were shortlisted in the following categories: Best New Pro Bono Activity - for their partnership with Pregnant Then Screwed (PTS), a charity tackling the root cause of maternity discrimination, Best Contribution by a Team of Students - for the Immigration Project, working with Eastgate Chambers, a firm committed to improving the lives of refugees, and Best Contribution by an Individual Student - for Annabel Priest, who has been instrumental as Project Manager of the Immigration Project.

The University of Chester Law School received recognition in the Best New Pro Bono Activity shortlist for its Reach Out to Families Project. A series of 'Your Rights' information sheets produced by students as part of the Chester Community Law Project (CCLP), broke down complex legal terms concerning maternity pay and leave, adoption pay and leave, unfair dismissal, flexible working, redundancy and discrimination.

Since they were uploaded to the PTS website in February, they have been downloaded thousands of times, enabling women who may be reticent to seek formal assistance clear and useful legal information.

Kristie Royle, Student Project Manager for the Pregnant Then Screwed partnership, said: "Working on the project and knowing how many parents we are helping has been extremely rewarding. There were many times in my career - before I studied Law - that I found juggling work and caring for my children extremely difficult, because I didn't really understand my rights. The advice and support that PTS provides parents with, empowers parents so that they do know and understand their rights and can secure the best possible outcome for themselves and their children.

"It is an absolute pleasure to work with such a brilliant organisation and such an amazing and motivated team of student volunteers. To have our work recognised by being nominated for such a brilliant award just makes all our efforts seem even more worthwhile."

The Best Contribution by a Team of Students shortlisting highlights the outstanding contribution to pro bono activities of five students involved in the Immigration Project this year, by assisting refugees to work, study and settle in the UK.

The student volunteers assist a Legal Aid caseworker in their life-changing work with refugee clients, over 80% of whom have been forced from their homes by the war in Syria, in supporting the drafting of applications, as well as providing advice and guidance.

Annabel Priest, Project Manager for the Immigration Project, said: "I feel immensely proud to be representing the University of Chester in our pro bono initiatives. It is fantastic that all of the hard work that we all put in to giving back to our community, alongside our own personal commitments, is being acknowledged.

"Personally, I wouldn't have been able to achieve any of it without the constant support of Andrea Todd and Megan Cowan, from Chester Law School, who have both been pivotal in pushing me to continually challenge my abilities. Further, Simon Clark from Eastgate Chambers has been instrumental in my learning and development, without whom I would not have had the understanding of the role that I require, in order to guide the students so effectively."

Andrea Todd, Associate Professor of Active Citizenship and Director of Pro Bono and Community Engagement at Chester Law School, said: "We are extremely proud of our brilliant student volunteers who are working so hard alongside their studies to make a difference to the lives of others.

"The passion, compassion and commitment shown, and the hours dedicated throughout the year, by all of our student volunteers demonstrates exactly the ethos that we want to see in the social justice lawyers of tomorrow."

The students will now wait to find out whether they will be taking home their awards at the ceremony in London on April 27.