Research on Exceptional Case Funding and university law clinics

PLP worked in partnership with the University of Exeter to set up an Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) clinic as part of the University of Exeter’s Community Law Clinic. The research assessed the feasibility of extending access to ECF through university law clinics. This included taking into account the practical experiences of setting up the clinic, and the perspectives of other institutions running similar schemes or considering setting up a similar project.

The findings demonstrate the practical issues encountered by universities engaging in ECF work, and provide recommendations for universities looking to expand their pro bono work by training students to assist members of the public with ECF applications. At a practical level, the research assisted the University to set up an ECF clinic in the academic year 2017/18, which continued to run in 2018/19.

PLP has published research relating to this project, Exceptional Case Funding Clinics.