A LAW school in Chester has been shortlisted for prestigious national award.

The University of Chester's Chester Community Law Project was shortlisted for a national award recognising its charity work. 

The student-led Reach Out to Families project was shortlisted for the Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership award, recognising the students’ work with the charity Pregnant Then Screwed. 

This project involves student volunteers researching and devising a series of ‘your rights’ information sheets for the Pregnant Then Screwed website. As of December 2023, the online resources have been downloaded over 38,000 times, providing critical assistance to parents across the UK. 

The annual LawWorks Pro Bono Awards celebrate the best legal pro bono activities undertaken by organisations and individuals, and the positive impact they have had on those that they have helped. 

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The awards are held at the Law Society on Chancery Lane in London.  This year’s ceremony was hosted by the journalist and broadcaster, Samira Ahmed and the event is a wonderful celebration of the hard work of those involved in pro bono across the UK. The Law School’s pro bono team was delighted to attend.  

This recognition follows on from the group’s win in the category of ‘Best Contribution by a Team of Students’ at the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards in May 2023. 

The Chester Law School operates several community initiatives as part of Chester Community Law Project.  Current initiatives include the Employment Clinic, the Asylum and Immigration Project (in conjunction with Eastgate Chambers), and projects focusing on assisting survivors of domestic abuse, business start-ups and those in need of legal assistance regarding housing matters. 

Andrea Todd, Director of Pro Bono and Community Engagement for Chester Law School, said: “We are very proud that our students’ commitment to the Pregnant Then Screwed project has been given such high-profile recognition, and to feature in the shortlist alongside colleagues from across the legal sector undertaking groundbreaking social justice work is testament to the difference our students are making to the lives of parents across the UK.” 

To read more about the LawWorks Pro-Bono Awards, click here.