The first national Justice Week took place in November 2018 and many events were organised to celebrate and showcase pro bono work across England and Wales. Lawyers of all persuasions took part – from law students and academics, paralegals, trainee solicitors, and pupil barristers, to solicitors, chartered legal executives, barristers, and members of the judiciary.
 
Cardiff and South East Wales Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) organised an evening where 150 lawyers and law-related professionals took part in the Great Legal Quiz.
 
Congratulations and huge thanks to Clare Good and her fellow JLD colleagues for their efforts, which ensured the evening went smoothly, in a packed and noisy Steinbeck and Shaw (not a law firm!) in the centre of Cardiff. An impressive array of raffle prizes was donated. The atmosphere was excellent, despite some very tough quiz questions. Some of us haven’t yet recovered from not knowing the 12th word of the lyrics to Wuthering Heights. And don’t get us started on the lyrics of Abba’s Knowing Me, Knowing you – it’s not too late to lodge an appeal!
 
Reaching Justice Wales (RJW), the Welsh legal support foundation of the Access to Justice Foundation, was proud to finish as the winning team, following a tie-break that hinged on Tom Danter of Dolmans knowing when BBC2 first went on air. The RJW team was led by His Honour Judge Robert Harrison, Designated Civil Judge for Wales and Chair of RJW, who gave the pre-quiz welcome. The team was significantly helped towards victory by Eleanor Barrow of LawWorks, and Personal Support Unit volunteers, law students Eleanor and Cameron.
 
£950 was raised from the evening, to be divided between Reaching Justice Wales and LawWorks.
 
Thanks to all!
The Reaching Justice Wales Committee
 
 
 

It’s nearly time to walk for justice! With the Cardiff and Swansea Legal Walks 2018 just around the corner, it's time to dig out your walking shoes! Why not check out the teams so far for Cardiff and Swansea?
 
Want to join us on the walk? It’s not too late; simply sign up here for Cardiff or Swansea!
 
Legal Walks help raise much needed money and awareness for local free legal advice agencies and charities. These organisations provide legal advice to some of the community's most vulnerable people, and your support makes a real difference. In the past we have supported organisations such as Benefits Shop - Rhyl, Carmarthen CAB, Cardiff Law Centre, Cardiff PSU, Riverside Advice Cardiff and Speakeasy Advice Centre Cardiff.
 
On the day, registration will be open between 5.00pm and 5.30pm. Once a photo of everyone with our lead walkers has been taken, then we set off on the walk! The fun continues on the walk, as there will be an additional photography challenge! You can enter by tweeting your photographs from the event @RJWCCC using the hashtag #legalwalk.
 
Couldn’t join us this time? Don’t worry, you can join us for one of our other events! There’s an event for everyone whether you are into walking, running, cycling or baking (even just eating) cakes!

On Sunday 1st October a dedicated team from Hutton’s Law put months of hard training into practice to tackle the Cardiff Half marathon in aid of Reaching Justice Wales! Raising over £500, this amazing effort will go a long way to support access to justice across Wales. A massive thank you to the Hutton’s Law team: Nia Russell, Danielle Davenport, David Garner, Alexander Hutton-Lewis, Elen Hawkley and Louise Whitelock. We are so grateful for your determination, resilience and outstanding commitment to our cause.
 
“As a law firm, we understand the importance of all members of society having access to legal advice when they need it but appreciate that this is not yet a reality and, for too many, legal advice can be out of reach.  We wanted to run the Half Marathon to raise funds for RJW because we saw it as a wonderful opportunity for us in the legal profession to demonstrate our commitment to access to justice for all and to give back to our communities.”
 
You can still support their efforts by visiting: https://mydonate.bt.com/events/cardiffhalfmarathon2017136428/434785
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​We are excited that 5 teams have signed up already and a total of 23 walkers, with the biggest team so far coming from JCP Solicitors. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the start line, and hope everyone is feeling ready to help us to raise crucial funds to support access to advice for all!

The Great Legal Bake is on its way!

The Great Legal Bake cannot come fast enough and as the days speed by the numbers of bakers continues to grow! We now have 75 bakers committed to getting their scales out to support local advice agencies in their mission to ensure access to justice for all.

Last year we had 77 bakers get involved, and we’re already hoping to beat that number this year. After raising over £20,000 last year let’s all get our whisks at the ready to raise even more in 2017!

Reaching Justice Wales is doing great so far with Smith Llewelyn Partnership just signing up to join many others to make this Great Legal Bake the best one so far. You can see who’s already signed up here.

We’re very excited to start baking and hope you will all join us! 

​Not long now - we're excited for the Reaching Justice Wales Great Legal Bake!
 
​We are really excited about the Great Legal Bake coming up in just over one month from February 20th-24th. We already have 50 teams organised so far, all ready to bake and raise funds to support access to advice for all. Last year, we raised over £20,000 in baking efforts, and are looking forward to surpass that amount in baking extravaganzas this year.
 
The Reaching Justice Wales Trust was established to support the provision of free legal advice in Wales the Great Legal Bake is an important part of our fundraising activities. The organisations we support make a huge difference in the lives of many people. The recent cuts to legal aid and reduced household income for many working families has increased demand for free access to specialist legal advice and it is more important than ever that the poorest and most vulnerable people in our community have access to such support. For example, the trust has supported projects such as the Public Law Project which included gaining "exceptional funding" necessary to prevent breaches of fundamental rights.  
 
During the week, there will be bakes across the country at various firms and organisations. This is an opportunity for lawyers to showcase their inner Mary Berry’s and show off their baking talents in support for a great legal cause. Cupcakes, cookies and cakes at work (savoury and sweet) - what’s not to love!
 
We would like to get as many people involved as possible, so gather your co-workers, friends and family to get involved in the baking to raise vital funds for legal advice agencies!
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As part of National Pro Bono Week, over 70 organisations signed themselves up for the biggest quiz of the year. Reaching Justice Wales teams tested their knowledge of everything from films to the Olympics to raise funds in support of access to justice in Wales.
 
A big thanks to teams from Cardiff and South East Wales Junior Law Division, Caswell Jones, Lewis Silkin LLP, Swansea & District Law Society

Currently topping the fundraising leader board in Wales are the South East Wales Junior Law Division who have raised an incredible £519.60! However, funds are still coming in and we’re confident that this will be the most successful Great Legal Quiz yet!
 
All teams did a great job in raising money, and we are very grateful to everyone for pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as possible to support access to justice in Wales.
 
The charities supported by The Great Legal Quiz help thousands of people every year gain access to justice. These charities are often the last resort for people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances but without the resources to pay for private legal advice. Without this charitable work many vulnerable people would be left alone to navigate the court and justice system without any advice or support.
 
The national winners will be announced very shortly – watch this space!

​It is time to warm up those brains as the Great Legal Quiz is fast approaching. If you would like to take part, there is still time for you to join us by registering here.

We currently have 4 teams signed up in Wales, all raising vital funds to support access to advice for all. 
 
The Quiz is completely self-run: we supply the questions and advertisement posters. Advice organisations can use the Great Legal Quiz to fundraise completely for their own organisation or if you are not an advice organisation then you can split the funds 50/50 between Reaching Justice Wales and a charity of your choice.

The charities supported by the Great Legal Quiz help thousands of people every year gain proper access to justice. These charities are often the last resort for people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances but without resources to pay for private legal advice. Without this charitable work, many vulnerable people would be left alone to navigate the court and justice system without any advice or support. 

We are very excited for Wednesday and we hope that you all are too! But please keep spreading the word and get as many people involved as possible, the questions will not be law-focused so anyone with any general knowledge is invited to participate.
We are so grateful to everyone taking part, the event would not be possible without your contribution.

It was the perfect autumn evening on Monday 3 October, when over 60 members of the legal profession embarked on an 8km challenge to raise funds in support of access to justice in Wales. Walkers followed the route which meandered across Singleton Park and through the town’s sights, giving them the perfect opportunity to enjoy a lovely evening whilst showing their support for local legal advice services.
 
We had a grand total of 11 teams sign up with the biggest team coming from Swansea University College of Law and Criminology.
 
A big congratulations goes out to Swansea Law Society, who are topping the fundraising table at the moment, raising almost £600, with Swansea Neath Talbot Citizens Advice coming a close second, with almost £500. This is a huge achievement and we are very grateful to these teams for pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as possible to support access to justice.
 
We had several charities who joined the walk in order to fundraise for their organisation, including the Bar Pro Bono Unit, the CAB and FNF Both Parents Matter. Free legal advice services are often the last resort for local people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances without the means to pay for private legal advice. The funds raised by the Swansea Legal Walk, and Reaching Justice Wales as a whole, will go to support these charities in the incredible services which they provide, as well as other organisations that work throughout the region and help thousands of people every year navigate the complicated legal system.
 
The walk has broken all previous records, raising over £2000 so far. Without your contribution the Swansea Legal Walk, the work of Reaching Justice Wales would not be possible.
 
Please continue to fundraise and ensure that we can help more vital services than ever before.

The Great Legal Quiz cannot come fast enough and as the days speed by, the number of quizzers continues to grow! We currently have 3 teams in Wales committed to quizzing to support local advice agencies in their mission to ensure access to justice for all.
                                                                                               
The Quiz is completely self-run: we supply the questions and advertisement posters, all you need to do Is sign up and prepare to get quizzing!
                                                                                                                    
Are you an advice organisation and not too sure about signing up? As an advice organisation, you are able to use the Great Legal Quiz to fundraise 100% for your own organisation. Alternatively, if you are not an advice organisation, you can choose to split the funds, 50% for the RJWCCC and 50% to the charity of your choice!
 
Please do spread the word and get as many people involved as possible! The questions will not be law-focused so anyone with any general knowledge is invited to participate!