How to find other legal representation

Asylum seekers have a right to access legal advice - and because the vast majority of asylum seekers are not entitled to work, most are eligible to receive free advice through Legal Aid.

Unfortunately, Asylum Aid cannot take on all the people who ask us for help.  But there are other ways to access legal advice.

The website Legal Advice Finder publishes a directory of organisations in England that are funded to provide free legal advice.  If you live in Scotland, the Scottish Legal Aid Board provides similar services.

There are also lists of accredited legal advisers on the websites of the Law Society and the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).  In addition, the Legal Services Commission has published a list of the legal firms in England and Wales that hold Legal Aid contracts to conduct immigration work.

Alternatively, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants may be able to help you. 

If your legal representative tells you that they cannot continue to represent you because your case does not meet the ‘merits test’ (which means it is considered to have a less than 50% chance of success), they should also give you details of how you can appeal against this decision if you wish to the Independent Funding Adjudicator.

If you are not happy with the quality of advice that you have received, you can make a complaint.  The Law Society deals with complaints about solicitors firms, and the OISC regulates non-solicitor firms including the not-for-profit sector.