HALS - project aims

The Help Accessing Legal Support project strives to:

• ensure that a litigant in person knows what support is available to them and are better able to access appropriate legal advice in the areas of Employment, Family, and Welfare Benefits that will help expedite a positive resolution*
• deliver services for litigants in person that resolve their legal issues in a joined-up, holistic, way by working with other service providers across the North East, promoting effective signposting, referral, and relevant tailored support.

Who is the HALS project designed to reach?

The service is for a litigant in person with either a Employment, Family, and Welfare Benefits issue. 

Litigants in person are people who:

• are already engaged in a hearing, or legal proceedings
• are potential or actual defendants in legal proceedings
• have a legal issue, and approach us about a potential action
• may have a legal remedy but are unaware of that option

What support is offered by the HALS Project?

The project will give clients access to specialist staff and resources that will enable them to:

• progress their case themselves
• represent themselves in court/tribunal
• solve their problems pre court/tribunal
• where necessary, access representation in court/tribunal (limited resource)

*A litigant in person is an individual who has to go to court without legal representation from a solicitor or barrister.