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Where to get legal advice
The information on this website is for general guidance on your rights and responsibilities and is not legal advice. If you need more details on your rights, or legal advice about what action to take, please contact an adviser or solicitor.
There may be times when you need to seek legal advice but would rather not use a solicitor, which can be very expensive. There are other organisations that may be able to offer free advice and information to help you to solve any problems that you are experiencing.
Local organisations
There are several sources of legal advice in Newcastle, some of which we have listed below.
Citizens Advice Bureau
The Newcastle Citizens Advice Bureau can give you free, confidential, impartial and independent information and advice on a wide range of subjects. They can work with you to sort out your debt worries and to claim all of the benefits you may be entitled to. They can help with housing and employment problems, or deal with queries about consumer or tax issues. They can also advise on legal matters, answer questions about immigration, and have lots of experience on family and personal matters too. For further information, contact them using the details giving below, or visit the Newcastle CAB website.
Newcastle Law Centre
The Newcastle Law Centre provides free confidential legal advice and representation to people on low incomes who are live or work in Newcastle. As well as offering general advice in many areas of law, they can provide specialist advice in the following areas:
- Employment
- Housing
- Immigration and asylum
- Welfare benefits
- Discrimination
For further information, contact them using the details given below, or visit the Newcastle Law Centre website.
Shelter - North East
Shelter have specialist advisers who can provide you with information on your legal rights under housing law. They provide free, confidential and expert advice to support people who are experiencing housing problems. The trained advisers will be able to inform you of your legal rights, explain your options and provide advocacy to help you to liaise with landlords and the local authority etc.
For further information, contact them using the details given below, or visit the Shelter website.
Student Law Office
The Student Law Office is a legal advice centre where law students deal with cases under the supervision of qualified lawyers. They can offer free independent, confidential advice and representation in many areas of law, including:
- Employment
- Housing
- Consumer
- Business Advice
- Family
- Welfare benefits
- Crime and Miscarriages of Justice
- Human Rights
- Civil
- Prison Law
- Charities
Please note that the Student Law Office can only take on cases during the academic year, which is from October to May. Outside of these times, the students are away and they have limited cover. Also, they can not guarantee to be able to take on all cases.
For further information, contact them using the details given below, or visit the Northumbria University website.
Finding a solicitor
The Law Society is the representative body for solicitors in England and Wales. Their website has a facility which enables you to search for a law firm in your area that can help with your particular legal issue. Visit The Law Society website to begin a search. They also deal with complaints about solicitors. For further information, contact them using the details given below.
Community Legal Advice can provide you with details of solicitors in your local area who have the Quality Mark. The Quality Mark means that the organisation meets the quality standards set by the Legal Services Commission. For further information, visit the Community Legal Advice section of the Directgov website.
Solicitors for the Elderly is a national organisation of lawyers, such as solicitors, barristers, and legal executives, who are committed to providing and promoting robust, comprehensive and independent legal advice for older people, their family and carers. They can provide expert advice in many areas of law including wills and probate, Power of Attorney, housing, and long-term care. For further information, contact them using the details given below, or visit the Solicitors for the Elderly website.
Other sources of legal advice
There are websites that can offer a wide range of advice and information about legal matters. You may wish to read about the subject that you are interested in before seeking advice from a solicitor or other organisation. The Adviceguide website is a good starting point.
Financial help
Legal Aid helps with the costs of legal advice for people who can't afford it. If you need help with the costs of legal advice, you can apply for Legal Aid. Whether you will receive it will depend upon:
- the type of legal problem you have;
- your income (how much you earn) and how much capital (money, property, belongings) you have;
- whether there is a reasonable chance of winning your case and whether it is worth the time and money needed to win.
For further information, visit the Legal Aid section of the Directgov website.
Other useful information
Age UK's guide Help with legal advice
Contact Information
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
St Cuthberts Chambers, 35 Nelson Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5AN.
Telephone : 0844 499 4717, Fax : (0191) 232 0461.
Email : citycab@newcastlecab.og.uk
Law Society
Telephone : 020 7242 1222.
Email : regionalsupport@lawsociety.org.uk
Legal Services Commission
2-8 Fenkle Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5RU.
Telephone : (0191) 244 5800.
Email : newcastle@legalservices.gov.uk
Newcastle Law Centre
1st Floor, Charlotte Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4XF.
Telephone : 0191 230 4777, Fax : 0191 233 0295.
Email : info@newcastlelawcentre.co.uk
Shelter North East
1-2 Blackfriars Court, Dispensary Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4XB.
Telephone : 0344 515 1601, Fax : 0344 515 2914.
Email : tyneside@shelter.org.uk
Solicitors for the Elderly
Room 17, Conbar House, Mead Lane, Hertford, Herts, SG13 7AP.
Telephone : 0870 0670282.
Email : admin@solicitorsfortheelderly.com
Student Law Office
Northumbria University, School of Law, Room 114, City Campus East, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST.
Telephone : 0191 227 3909, Fax : 0191 227 3198.
Email : la.studentlawoffice@northumbria.ac.uk
Article last updated January 30, 2012 2:45 pm
