Impact Project: Housing Law Clinic

There has been a rapid and unprecedented rise in homelessness in recent years with over 10,500 individuals, a third of which are children, experiencing homelessness as of November 2019. In 2019, an average of 86 families each month presented as newly homeless in Dublin.  

The scale of the problem has put serious pressure on resources, leading many families and individuals to face barriers in accessing safe emergency accommodation, let alone secure and stable housing. Lack of legal advice is one such barrier, particularly given the difficulties in obtaining legal aid for housing issues.  

As the housing crisis escalated, and the need for legal services increased, Mercy Law Resource Centre (MLRC) approached PILA to discuss the scope of a pro bono partnership that would enhance the capacity of the law centre and increase its reach in order to address the growing unmet legal need. PILA came to A&L Goodbody with a proposal that would see corporate lawyers provide free legal advice to people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes at an existing weekly clinic, and provide follow up legal representation where appropriate.  

In December 2017, 67 solicitors, trainees and paralegals undertook legal training in housing law provided by MLRC. Following a period of shadowing MLRC solicitors, A&L Goodbody lawyers were ready to start seeing clients through a weekly clinic based in Focus Ireland on Eustace Street. Thanks to the partnership approach, the service has been able to respond to the escalating crisis and help more people. Since coming on board A&L Goodbody solicitors have staffed 416 face-to-face legal advice consultations at the clinic. The firm has also provided ongoing legal assistance to close to 200 families. These cases can involve challenging refusals of emergency accommodation, ensuring the application of fair procedures and standards of good administration by approved bodies and local authorities, and representing clients before the Residential Tenancies Board.