Law Centre (NI) is a not for profit agency working to advance social welfare rights in Northern Ireland.

The Law Centre promotes social justice and provides specialist legal support to advice giving organisations and disadvantaged individuals.

We deliver legal services to members in community care, employment, immigration, social security and mental health. We support the work of advice agencies through advice, casework, training, information, publications and policy development.

We aim to work closely with our membership of independent advice giving agencies and associate members including social services and probation offices, solicitors’ practices, trade unions and community based organisations.

We seek to promote the work of local, regional and specialist independent advice in partnership with Advice NI and Citizens Advice.

Our work is guided by our core values: professionalism, independence, accountability, responsiveness, and a commitment to social justice and equality

Services

Casework: advice and representation on referral from our membership, including strategic court work and representation before the social security commissioners, industrial tribunals, immigration appellate authorities, social security tribunals and Mental Health Review Tribunals.

Policy: informed comment on public policy and legislation, lobbying and campaigning for legal reform and positive change to law and policy.

Training: courses aimed primarily at advisers, both new and experienced.
Publications: briefings, bulletins and other publications to assist advice agencies in their operation.

Fora: Quarterly practitioner meetings in social security, community care and immigration to bring together advisers to discuss legal, policy and practitioner developments.

Casework Areas of Work

Social Security: most social security benefits, representation before the social security commissioners and/or at social security appeal tribunals that raise complex/technical legal issues or points of public importance.

Community Care: legal issues surrounding provision of services, facilities or accommodation, carers' rights and other legal issues.

Employment: advice on employees' rights and representation at Industrial Tribunals.

Immigration: asylum and other complex applications to the Home Office, representation before the AIT.

Mental Health: advice and representation at the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

Senior Management

Director: Les Allamby

Assistant Director, Casework and Training: Maura McCallion

Assistant Director, Policy and Publications: Ursula O'Hare

Management Committee

Chair: Ciaran McAteer

Secretary: Norman Stewart

Treasurer: Barrie McLatchie

Other Members: Karen Campbell, Sharon Dillon, Patrice Hardy, Janet Hunter, Fiona Magee,  Cathal MacElhatton, Mick McAtavey, Grainne McKeever, Donal McKinney, Mary McManus, Michael Roddy