Centre for public legal education appeal - January 2011

Founders of the new centre for public legal education opened an appeal for patrons in January 2011. Chair of Plenet and founding president of the centre, Sir Henry Brooke, and founding patron, Professor Dame Hazel Genn launched the appeal asking for help to get the new centre off the ground.

Plenet argues that in an era of radical change in the way essential public services are being delivered, now, and more than ever,

‘We must ensure that those who are able to help themselves are given the tools to do so, and that the most vulnerable are protected and are able to gain access to justice.’

The centre aims to become a centre of excellence with international renown. The work will encompass services that range from producing in-depth guides to the law, training and consultancy on PLE delivery, to research commissioning and lobbying activities.

Read our flyer (537 KB)

'There is little point in Parliament and the courts churning out new laws and new restatements of the law if so many hundreds of thousands of people don’t know there is such a thing as a civil justice system'.

'What PLE is really about is a whole range of techniques to help people when they are struggling with a situation in which the law can help them but they have no idea that it can, or where to go for help. The techniques may include small group work, work in schools, use of the media, videos, drama, Punch and Judy shows - the list is endless'.

Sir Henry Brooke, Founding President
January 2011

The centre for public legal education aims to:

Help more people become legally capable

‘We will deliver learning and information initiatives that target the most in need. Our focus will be on preventive measures and early resolution of law-related issues.’

Improve recognition of the value of PLE

‘We will work with local groups, national organisations and government to increase understanding of how PLE works. We will make the case for PLE as a tool for alleviating economic and social pressures on individuals and increasing the value of public spending.’

Promote excellence in PLE

‘We will expand our work in the UK and EU to support and grow other organisations to develop best practice in PLE, through research, evaluation and information sharing.’

The intention is to bring together two successful initiatives to form the centre for Public Legal Education: Public Legal Education Network (Plenet) and ASA’s Advicenow project. Setting up the new centre was one of the key recommendations made in the final report of the Public Legal Education and Support Task Force published in 2007 and central to Plenet's strategic plan for 2011 to 2014.

How you can help

Supporters are invited to help in a variety of ways:

championing our work and sharing our vision with your networks and spheres of influence

making a donation to help launch the new centre

offering practical in-king assistance with infrastructure such as premises, staff and IT

supporting the delivery of specific PLE programmes in the next three years

Anyone wishing to join this exciting new initiative, can use our supporters pledge form and send it to Martin Jones at Plenet, 6th floor, 63 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8AA.

Supporters pledge form (146 KB)

Martin Jones, the director of Plenet and Advicenow is happy to provide any further information. He can contacted on 020 7398 1484 or martin.jones@advicenow.org.uk.

January 2011

Bibliographies

Sir Henry Brooke

Sir Henry Brooke is chairman of the Civil Mediation Council, and writes and lectures extensively on current developments in civil and commercial mediation and was a member of the Public Legal Education and Support Task Force. Henry was chairman of the Law Commission from 1993 to 1995, and was promoted to become a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1996. He was the judge in charge of the modernisation of the English law courts from 2001 to 2004. He was Vice President of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) from 2003 to 2006. He has been chair of Plenet’s Steering Group since it was established in 2008.

Professor Dame Hazel Genn

Dame Hazel Genn is Dean of Laws, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies and co-director of the Centre for Empirical Legal Studies in the Faculty of Laws at University College London, where she is also an Honorary Fellow. Hazel's work has focused on the experiences of ordinary people caught up in legal problems and the responsiveness of the justice system to the needs of citizens. She has conducted several pieces of influential research and was author of companion volumes Paths to Justice: What People Do and Think About Going to Law (1999). Hazel was chair of the Public Legal Education and Support Task Force.