LawWorks provides access to a national network of volunteer lawyers. Free business law advice can be provided to community groups, small charities and social enterprises that do not have funds to pay for legal fees.
LawWorks for Community Groups can help with a wide variety of legal matters, including:
• Company law: (such as advice on commercial contracts; how to incorporate as a company; updating and amending the organisation’s Articles of Association etc);
• Employment law: drafting, reviewing and updating employment contracts and staff handbooks.
• Intellectual property law: advice on registering a trademark and data protection issues.
• Property law: advice on lease terms; assistance with negotiating tenancy agreements.
• Other areas include: charity law matters; tax/VAT matters; insolvency and help in drafting contingency plans; insurance law matters; health and safety law matters; general commercial matters etc.
To apply, please visit the LawWorks website (www.lawworks.org.uk) and complete the online application form under the “Charities” section.
Applications are reviewed by the Community Groups team who will help organisations understand the scope of advice that they require. They will then select the right volunteer lawyer for the case and put you in contact with them. All of the volunteer lawyers treat these cases just as they would treat ones for which they have been paid.