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27 March 2026 / Bhavini Bhatt
Issue: 8155 / Categories: Features , Profession , Legal services , Pro Bono , Charities
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Funding the front line of access to justice

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Millions face legal problems without access to advice: Bhavini Bhatt of the Access to Justice Foundation explains how new funding routes & collective action residues can help close the gap
  • Many across the UK are excluded from access to justice due to lack of free legal advice, with demand far exceeding available support from charities and advice organisations.
  • The Access to Justice Foundation is expanding funding through innovative sources—such as pro bono cost orders and unclaimed collective action damages—to strengthen frontline legal support and reach underserved communities.

We will all face challenging legal issues at times in our lives. It could be an unscrupulous landlord, a discriminatory employer, or any of a myriad of situations. But we don’t all face them with equal access to sound legal advice. Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help.

The Access to Justice Foundation is the only

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Devonshires—Rebecca Eastwood

Devonshires—Rebecca Eastwood

Housing management and property litigation practice strengthened by Leeds partner hire

Trowers & Hamlins—Rahul Sagar

Trowers & Hamlins—Rahul Sagar

Banking and finance practice bolstered by partner hire

mfg Solicitors—Ian Sheppard

mfg Solicitors—Ian Sheppard

Commercial litigation team welcomes senior associate in Birmingham

NEWS
A ‘parallel justice system’ is developing due to the increased use of Out of Court Resolutions (OOCRs), magistrates have warned
The government’s plan to cut jury trials could ‘cause more delays than it could ever serve to reduce’, veteran silk Geoffrey Robertson KC has warned
Artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to generate faster and cheaper transcripts of criminal court proceedings, ministers have announced
Solicitors practising litigation have been issued with a Law Society practice note following the Court of Appeal’s judgment in Mazur
Sir Andrew McFarlane has retired from the judiciary, following nearly eight years as president of the Family Division and president of the Court of Protection
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