Published:  24th March 2020

All of us at PLP are sending you our very best wishes. We hope that you are safe and well at such a challenging time.

We know that many of you will be thinking about how changes to rights and public law frameworks may impact on the marginalised and the disadvantaged, and how best to support those for whom justice and fairness are so vital at this time.

We want to share with you what we are doing right now, and some of the ways we might be able to support each other.

Our priorities are:

  1. To support individuals and frontline organisations get access to justice
    • Our casework team is still here, ready to help the people that need it. If you have referrals please contact us.
  2. To preserve open justice and effective participation in hearings
    • If you are a court or tribunal user, please complete this survey. We would like to hear your experience of how Coronavirus is affecting the operation of courts and tribunals
    • If you are concerned about court closures and open justice, or think you or your organisation might be impacted, please get in touch with our Deputy Legal Director Sara Lomri at s.lomri@publiclawproject.org.uk
  3. To constructively scrutinise all emergency legislation, including the Coronavirus Bill and related Statutory Instruments, and provide a resource for Parliamentarians and the sector
    • Read PLP’s latest briefings on the Coronavirus Bill and other emergency legislation here
    • Contact Alexandra Sinclair at a.sinclair@publiclawproject.org.uk if you have concerns about emergency legislation or any specific SIs
    • If you work for a charity or in the legal and advice sector, understanding the nature and scope of these changes may be vital. Please contact Sara Lomri if you want help understanding how the legislation may impact your work.
  4. To deliver our training and events programmes
    • As well as looking at alternative dates for our training and conferences, we are also working on hosting remote participation events to ensure that you have access to as much of our programme as possible. We are also working on making more resources available generally.
    • Please contact Amelie at a.godfrey@publiclawproject.org.uk if you have any questions about our training and conference programme or a specific event

Whatever happens over the next few months, public law will have an important role to play in maintaining accountability and ensuring the lawfulness and quality of public decision-making.

We are working as hard as ever – albeit from remote locations around the UK.

Please keep in touch. Tell us the specific problems you’re facing on the ground – your insight will help us to identify key issues and solve problems where they arise. Hive-mind thinking will help us all.

We wish all the best to you, your friends, families and colleagues.

All at PLP