Surrey Law Society gets funding for virtual law centre

Surrey Law Society has received a 420,000 government grant to set up a virtual law centre offering free legal advice by phone and Internet.

The grant, from a government fund for innovative legal projects, means the proposed centre, which has been planned since early 2000, can begin to take shape.

The centre, which has begun to recruit legal staff, will offer the same services as a normal law centre, providing free legal advice and assistance to the general public on issues such as employment, social welfare, housing and immigration via organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux and Help the Aged.Surrey Law Society president Helen Corbett, the centre's patron said: 'The centre will be an invaluable resource, as it is aimed at groups in society who are no longer covered by legal aid.' Victoria MacCallum