University news

The Glasgow Open (GO) Justice Centre has won Best Contribution by a Law School at the LawWorks Student Pro Bono Awards 2025.

The Emma Ritch Law Clinic, which is also based at the UofG’s School of Law, was Highly Commended in the best new pro bono project category.

Supported by the Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Lord Hermer KC, the awards celebrate the best pro bono activities undertaken by law students and law schools across the UK.

The Glasgow Open Justice Centre Co-Directors Professors Nicole Busby, Maria Fletcher and Jacqueline Kinghan commented: "We are honoured to receive a Law Works Student Pro Bono Award. In recent years, we have developed new clinics and pro bono projects in important areas of legal need including homelessness, sexual violence, racial justice and children's rights together with our civil society partners. University of Glasgow law students working on these projects have shown great enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to using the law in different ways to create positive social change. We are delighted to see their work honoured by this award."

Eamon Keane and Professor Jacqueline Kinghan, Emma Ritch Law Clinic Co-Directors, said: "The Emma Ritch Law Clinic is an innovative new development in UK clinical legal education and we're delighted to see our work providing independent legal advice and representation to survivors of sexual violence highly commended by the Law Works Award panel of judges."

"My clinical legal education at the Emma Ritch Law Clinic has been the most rewarding experience of my University career,” said Olivia Murray, final year law student. “This opportunity has revealed to me that profound struggles surrounding access to justice for complainers in sexual violence cases and has encouraged me to reflect on the importance of using my legal experience to promote social change. I leave the clinic with a commitment to social justice lawyering and a better understanding of the realities of legal practice I will continue to carry the lessons I have learned into my role as a legal professional."

Law students, Maria Helena Papachristos and Niamh Dennis, added: "Being part of the GO Justice team and getting to work alongside amazing organisations, such as the Marie Trust homelessness centre, has been an invaluable experience for us. The opportunity to teach and most importantly to learn from the service users lived-experience and encountered barriers has shaped our legal practice. Now being aware of the lived challenges of law in action, we are ever more committed to furthering access to justice through social change."

Alasdair Douglas, Chair of LawWorks said: “LawWorks received an impressive number of nominations for the Awards, underscoring the incredible work done by law schools, teachers and students across the UK. The nominations are, of course, just the tip of the enormous iceberg of pro bono legal advice given by students - there are some 300 plus law clinics up and down England and Wales which are supported by LawWorks and around half are run by universities and law schools. All those nominated or shortlisted deserve recognition and appreciation for their work, not just by our annual awards, but by society at large, as does everyone involved in pro bono.

“We were delighted to be able to hold the Awards event in the Houses of Parliament with its ancient links to the creation of the rule of law, access to justice for all being one of its central tenets and we are grateful for the Attorney General’s support. I would like to extend my thanks to our judges, who had the daunting but fulfilling task of selecting the winners. Congratulations to all this year’s winners of the LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards.”

Five students attended the House of Lords awards ceremony on Wednesday 23 April.

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First published: 24 April 2025