Sequentus - fitness to practise lawyers
Sequentus - fitness to practise lawyers

Criminal appeals pro bono clinic

Join our six-week programme to help a client challenge their conviction for a serious criminal offence, working as part of our volunteer casework team to identify possible routes to appeal. All of our work is carried out remotely, so you can participate from anywhere in the world.

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Criminal appeals
pro bono opportunities

For undergraduates, graduates and students on a BTC, LPC or SQE course we provide the opportunity to gain firsthand experience of complex criminal appeals cases, whilst developing invaluable practical skills and working remotely as part of a diverse casework team.

Cost: £100

Once you have completed your registration, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access the materials and engage with the team.

Over the course of six weeks, you will be reviewing a criminal appeals case where our client believes that they have been wrongfully convicted. You will be given a complete case file and asked to collaborate with your peers and the clinic team to identify potential grounds of appeal and help the client progress their case. Whether it is evaluating the impact of fresh evidence or researching and drafting new legal arguments, you are expected to take responsibility for your own work and ensuring that we meet each client’s needs.

You will meet with the clinic team remotely each week to discuss progress, exchange ideas and allow for any necessary supervision. We use a secure messaging platform so that everyone in the team can discuss the case between meetings.

The programme includes comprehensive learning materials dealing with the relevant aspects of criminal appeals as well as an introduction to criminal litigation and topics that you can expect to encounter on the LPC, SQE or bar training course. We also offer free mental health drop-in sessions and legal research workshops.

How can you get involved?

Step 1

Sign up for the programme.

Step 2

Take part in the casework programme over six weeks.

Step 3

Decide if you would like to take part in follow up activities, including the opportunity to review a further FTP case, work on a mini project within the clinic or sign up for our skills training programme and Qualifying Work Experience opportunities for the SQE.

The benefits

About us

As a not-for-profit our goal is simple – to provide flexible legal work experience to people from non-traditional backgrounds so that they can fulfil their potential.

Over the past six years our team of people have trained thousands of aspiring lawyers in casework methodology, giving them the knowledge and skills to complete meaningful work on client cases. This expertise is distilled into casework programmes as well as our QWE and SQE opportunities.

We’re proud that our innovative model ensures that clients who would otherwise be denied access to justice can rely on a highly-focused team of qualified and trainee lawyers, while students get access to the most dynamic and exciting real-life legal experience imaginable. 

Next steps

Not sure? Start a conversation and we’ll gladly answer any questions!

Ben Bardell – Programme Manager
bb@sequentus.org

Sequentus - fitness to practise lawyers

We’re registered in England under number 14201467 as a company limited by guarantee and not-for-profit.

We do not undertake reserved legal work as set out in s.12 Legal Services Act 2007.

Practice areas

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