Disability and Social Justice Project

Legal Services Agency

The Legal Services Agency (LSA) is a National Law Centre based in Glasgow, which seeks to address unmet legal needs. As part of this aim, they have recently launched a Disability and Social Justice Project aimed at improving access to justice for disabled people across Scotland.

This project is funded for 3 years by the Scottish Government Equality and Human Rights Fund to support and empower disabled people throughout Scotland to enforce their rights, challenge injustice, and reduce the day-to-day discrimination that they face. The project has 5 strands:

  1. Access to Legal Advice providing accessible and personalised legal advice, advocacy, and representation to individuals, challenging breaches of Equality and Human Rights Law. With a specific focus on Mental Health, Housing, Employment, Civil Litigation, and Criminal Injuries Compensation.
  2. Collaboration with Disabled People’s Organisations to create a service that is both accessible and intersectional.
  3. Raising Awareness both in disabled communities, the general public, and in the third, public and private sectors.
  4. Strategic Litigation to address systemic policy and practice issues.
  5. Research on Hidden Disabilities considering the specific barriers and impacts which those with hidden disabilities experience accessing legal services and the justice system.

The project does not give advice on Criminal Law, Family law, or Private Client Law (Wills and Succession) which fall outside the specialisms of the LSA.

As part of their research the LSA is gathering information on the experience of neurodiverse people and those with hidden disabilities. If you wish to participate the survey can be found at https://tinyurl.com/3f7zbe7x. If you are in need of legal advice or wish to make a referral the LSA can be contacted on 0141 353 3354 or you can make an appointment through their website at www.lsa.org.uk/how-to-access-services/make-an-appointment