Thousands of lawyers set to march in London for justice
More than 100 judges to pound the streets.
Solicitors, barristers, legal executives and thousands of other professionals working in London’s legal sector are set to march on London on 18 May to raise vital funds for the London Legal Support Trust (LLST), an independent charity that raises funds for free legal services in London and the South East.
The annual London Legal Walk, sponsored by the Law Society, is one of several legal charity walks that take place around the country. This year will see more than 8,000 lawyers, including more than 100 judges and magistrates, take to the streets of the capital to walk 10k together to raise much-needed money for free legal advice agencies. Over 500 teams have signed up for the charity walk from different parts of the legal sector. Lead walkers include Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme court, Lord Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice and Alison Saunders CB, the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Bob Nightingale, chief executive, London Legal Support Trust said: “The London Legal Walk is one of the few times of the year when the legal sector, from barristers chambers, to law firms, to legal publishers, judges and anyone with even the slightest link to law in London , come together for one very important cause – to raise funds in unison to help people get access to free specialist legal advice.
“At the LLST, we see first-hand the impact of the austerity measures have had on access to justice for ordinary people who struggle to find legal advice and support they can afford. Legal advice charities, have felt the full brunt of not only legal aid cuts, but also cuts to council funding, which means people looking to voluntary advice agencies for help have fewer options. The money raised by the sponsored 10k walk will go some way to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable of those people.”
Last year, lawyers raised more than £560,000 through the London Legal Walk. Since the first London Legal Walk in 2005 at which 330 walkers raised £37,000 the Trust has held events and raised donations totalling more than £4 million. All of that has come from or through the legal profession.
