My legal life: Young Legal Aid Lawyers

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Young Legal Aid Lawyers, which was established to represent the views of students, solicitors and barristers entering the profession who are committed to legal aid.

YLAL was the brainchild of solicitor Laura Janes (pictured, below). She turned the concept into a reality with the help of the late Ashley Dias-Patel, a fellow trainee at Alexander and Partners, and barrister Felicity Williams. ‘I worked so hard to become a legal aid lawyer. I got there and thought, “it’s so hard”. Not only do you have to work really hard and do this upsetting and difficult work, but you have to fight just to be able to continue to do the work,’ Janes tells me. 

The ‘crunch point’? When Janes had to get an injunction for a domestic abuse victim. ‘To prove her eligibility for legal aid, we needed to get bank statements, but the bank statements were in the house where her abuser was. I remember phoning up the Legal Services Commission and saying, “This is ridiculous. The whole reason we need to go to court is to keep her safe from this man. You cannot expect her to go back to the house to get evidence so she can get an injunction”.’

The LSC told Janes to ask the police to get the evidence from the house. It was the police who had sent the woman in Janes’ direction, she told the LSC.

Legal aid lawyers were also dealing with a Labour government clamping down on ‘fat cat’ lawyers.

‘I could not be further from that,’ Janes says. ‘There was no voice in the sector for the skinny cats. I wanted to fight for legal aid as a point of principle. But what came through, as much as it was borne out of necessity to create a fighting force, was a network of lifelong friends and kindred spirits.’

The first YLAL meeting was held at 6pm on 13 April 2005 in the basement of Doughty Street Chambers. According to the minutes of that first meeting, Janes explained the purpose of YLAL and the difficulties faced by young people joining the profession. 

‘Edward Fitzgerald [founding head of Doughty Street Chambers] welcomed the setting up of the Young Legal Aid Lawyers group. He emphasised the importance of the group representing a range of young lawyers from students to young practitioners, solicitors and barristers and that those paying the price of [price competitive tendering] have a strong voice,’ the minutes state.

Two decades later, it is clear from testimonials lawyers submitted for YLAL’s 20th anniversary celebrations at London’s South Bank University (where Janes has taught for 15 years), that YLAL became that strong voice – and more.

Barrister Christian Weaver, author of The Law in 60 Seconds, said: ‘Just wanted to say thank you to YLAL for the role you’ve played in shaping my journey and that of so many others. My first ever mentor, while I was a student, was a person from the YLAL mentoring scheme, and, interestingly, the work I now do as a barrister is similar to that which she did! The work you do matters – not just to the people you represent, but to those of us watching and learning from you. Seeing the way YLAL has stood up for legal aid and each other over the years has been a real source of motivation, especially in the early days when the path felt uncertain.’

YLAL helped barrister Kitan Ososami ‘find my people and affirm my position fresh out of a uni where I was force fed corporate and commercial law aspirations only’.

Toufique Hossain, director of public law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, said YLAL plays ‘such a crucial role in developing and inspiring young legal aid lawyers – without them we would simply be unable to stop (or at least try to stop) hostile and extreme government policies that do so much damage to vulnerable people. Be very proud of your contribution!’

High Court judge Mr Justice Knowles CBE wished ‘happy birthday to one of the most important associations in the law’.

Aspiring solicitor Iona Bruce said: ‘I have a YLAL mentor through the mentorship scheme and they have really helped me as I start my legal career. I am very grateful to YLAL.’ 

Happy birthday, YLAL.