Newham Community Law Project
We are a charity based in the London Borough of Newham, aiming to increase access to high-quality legal casework and representation for residents who cannot afford to pay for legal advice. Founded by volunteers, legal professionals, and community groups , we will work with partner organisations and the local community to make Newham a fairer place to live. We aim to launch in 2026, starting with immigration, asylum and public law, then developing services in housing and other areas of legal need in the future. Join us in supporting our mission.
From 2026, we plan to deliver high-quality legal services relating to immigration and asylum, and public law. We will also provide "know your rights" sessions. In the coming years, we will work with partner organisations and the local community, aiming to develop housing casework and other areas of legal need. Our approach is to increase access to specialist legal advice, not duplicate what already exists.
Who We Are
Founding Trustees
Our Organisation
Formation
In 2024, a group comprising local residents, volunteers from Young Legal Aid Lawyers ("YLAL") and University College London ("UCL"), barristers from Garden Court and community groups came together to develop a plan to increase access to high quality specialist social welfare law in Newham. They also work in partnership with the Newham Law and Social Justice Collaborative, chaired by Stephen Timms MP, on needs assessment and service design.
Structure
Newham Community Law Project is now officially registered as a Limited Company (NEWHAM COMMUNITY LAW PROJECT LIMITED, Company Number 16769600) and is currently in the process of registering as a charity. We will have an accessible office in Newham with good public transport links for our clients and staff.
Founding Trustees
We have an initial Trustee Board of five people who have knowledge and experience of living in Newham and supporting its residents. Once registered as a charity, we will carry out a skills audit and aim to co-opt to meet any identified gaps on the Board. Once we start delivering legal advice, we aim to recruit people with relevant lived experiences to the Board or to the wider advisory group.
Our Supporters
Advisory Group
Development Worker
Sally Causer
Volunteer
Catriona Filmer
Volunteer
Lainey Gough
Marketing Volunteer
Eren Göknil I'Anson
Volunteer
Connor Johnston
Web Developer
Cem Yılmaz
The Need
Legal Need in Newham
The Trustees and advisory group commissioned a report on legal advice needs in Newham. This was carried out by Fieldfisher, the Public Law Project and volunteers from Young Legal Aid Lawyers.
Newham is one of the most legally under-served boroughs in London, despite having one of the highest levels of socio-economic deprivation. According to the English indices of deprivation (2019), Newham ranks among the 20% most deprived areas in England. Other research reveals Newham's deprivation to be significantly worse than in other London boroughs, where 49% of children live in households with an income of less than 60% of the UK median after housing costs are subtracted (as per Trust for London). The borough has a large population of migrants, renters, people on low incomes, and individuals facing precarious work conditions, demographics that correlate strongly with legal need.
Legal Need in Numbers
As part of the research supporting the report, volunteers sat in on a sample of MP Sir Stephen Timms' casework surgeries. Overall, 77% of issues raised with the MP were legal in nature, highlighting Newham's high demand for advice services. Immigration and housing were the two highest categories of legal need. Current advice providers in Newham report being at full capacity, with 90% of those surveyed reporting that they struggle to meet demand.
Capacity & Referrals
It is difficult to make referrals for specialist help, and local residents are often unable to get the help they need. According to Nick Beale at the Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex & London (RAMFEL), It has long been clear that demand for specialist immigration advice far outstrips capacity in Newham, and many local organisations are already stretched to breaking point. We're delighted that capacity will be expanded through our partnership with Newham Community Law Project and look forward to working together to support local residents.
Our Plan
Our Plan & Backing
We have developed a strategic plan that sets out a road map for establishing a new Law Centre for Newham. This sets out the services we aim to provide over the next three years, and how they will be managed and funded. We aim to be embedded in the community in Newham with a wide range of local members. Thanks to funding from A B Charitable Trust, our vision is becoming a reality. We hope to launch Newham Community Law Project in 2026 and transition to becoming a member of the Law Centres Network by 2027.
What's in our Plan
Our strategic plan includes the following: what makes us unique; our vision and aims; the need for legal advice in Newham (including the state of legal and voluntary sector advice); our development into a Law Centre; the services we aim to offer within the next three years and onwards; our premises requirements; a staffing plan; and how we will evaluate our impact.
What East Ham's MP Says
From MP Sir Stephen Timms for East Ham:Newham Community Law Project will strengthen legal advice and representation in Newham, helping fill the large and longstanding gap set out in the 2024 borough needs assessment. It will support existing advice providers, signposting to them borough residents with no idea where to go for the help they need and to access justice. I look forward to working in partnership with the Project.
Get Involved
Stay Connected
To stay informed about the work of Newham Community Law Project, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved, please complete the short form with your contact details. You can also reach us directly by emailing—
info@newhamcommunitylawproject.org.ukopens your default email client
You'll receive updates on our progress and information about supporting access to justice in Newham.
Please note that while we greatly appreciate public engagement, we are not currently able to provide individual legal advice or casework support. We will update our community as soon as this changes.
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