Students and staff join law professionals on fundraising legal walk

Law students and lecturers from Teesside University took part in the Teesside Legal Walk, which supports the provision of advice for those most in need.

The three-mile walk, held earlier this month, started from Teesside Combined Court Centre in central Middlesbrough, following a route which took in landmarks and historic sites across the town, culminating at Teesside University.

The Teesside Legal Walk is an annual event which gathers the legal community and supporters of access to justice to walk to raise money for the advice sector and awareness of the essential work it does. Around forty walkers took part, raising £774.

Funds raised will support the Access to Justice Foundation, which raises and distributes funds to support free legal advice services in the Northeast of England.

Following the walk, Her Honour Judge Matthews KC, Designated Family Judge for Teesside, made a short speech highlighting the importance of pro bono work and the need to raise money for the Access to Justice Foundation, to enable this work to continue.

Such services provide free legal help to people facing problems such as homelessness, debt, employment, family issues, mental health problems, discrimination, injustice, or who would not otherwise have access to legal help.

Emma Harbron, Lecturer in Legal Practice in the University’s Department of Law, Policing and Investigation, School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, said: “This annual event provides a wonderful networking opportunity for our students, and demonstrates the excellent links between Teesside University Law Clinic, the department and the legal community. This was the was the third year of the walk, with the highest turn out so far.

“It was heart-warming to see so many people turning up to raise both money and awareness of the importance of pro bono work. The walk is becoming an important part of the legal calendar each year.”

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