Pro Bono Story
Christine’s Story
Lawyers often continue to make a difference long after retirement. Through the UK’s pro bono infrastructure, many use their experience to support people who cannot access legal advice.
“Just because I’d finished working, it didn’t mean I stopped thinking like a lawyer.”
When Christine retired in 2023, there were lots of things she wanted to do but she knew she didn’t want to give up practising law. She began volunteering at the Family Law Project in Luton before going on to set up the Family Law Clinic at the University of Bedfordshire in 2025. The clinic gives law students the opportunity to support people who cannot afford legal fees but do not qualify for legal aid, under the supervision of qualified solicitors.
“I was attracted to law because of the opportunity to help others and to make a difference to the lives of people at times of crisis.”
Christine grew up in Wales and originally wanted to be a teacher. But with the education system in turmoil, she switched to law. The first in her family to go to university, she trained as an articled clerk, which was her first opportunity to see the law in action.
“It was here I realised how powerful the law can be as a tool for justice which can transform lives.”
After qualifying, Christine moved to Bedford to practise as a solicitor, covering a mix of criminal and civil litigation, and family law cases. For the next 20 years, she focused on family law, working mainly on legal aid cases. She remembers clearly the devastating impact of LASPO in 2012, when legal aid was withdrawn from almost all family cases.
“Parents were left to navigate the legal process without any knowledge of the court process or the basic legal principles that applied to their cases.”
After retiring, Christine took a break from this highly pressurised environment, but even early on she decided to keep her practising certificate, feeling that she was not finished with helping families. Her search for voluntary work began on the Law Society website, where she found LawWorks, the charity that supports volunteer lawyers. A contact there encouraged Christine to join the pro bono community and put her in touch with the Family Law Project at Luton Family Court.
“I’ve also learned how to be a bit of a teacher at the end of my career!”
Christine became a mentor, attending sessions each week with students to explain the court process to families. It was at a thank you dinner with the university team that the idea for the law clinic first emerged. Christine began doing some research and contacting established law clinics for advice. The idea soon turned into something bigger, and the university registered the Family Law Clinic with LawWorks, who also gave them practical help to set up. This included training webinars for student volunteers, policy documents, access to CLIO case management system and Lexis Plus for legal research.
The university recruited first and second year law students and they contacted local solicitors, support organisations and Citizens Advice to promote the service. The enquiries soon came and the clinic began to offer face to face and online appointments once a week.
Students quickly saw the value of the clinic:
“Being part of the Family Law Clinic was one of the highlights of my degree. It gave me the chance to put legal theory into practice, work directly with clients, and develop real confidence in my legal skills.” – Maliha, third year law student.
Cases usually involve child arrangements and the division of family finances following separation or divorce. One vulnerable mother was taken to court by the paternal grandparent when contact stopped after abuse by the father. The clinic advised her on how to prepare her case and referred her to the court project, where she was supported by another team of students at her hearing.
‘English is not my first language so it wasn’t easy to process. With your support I managed to understand the whole process better.” – Family Law Clinic client, Feb 26.
In October 2025, the law clinic became part of the university’s legal practice course, providing 48 hours of coursework. The students are dedicated, often choosing to continue after term ends and over holidays. Recruiting volunteer solicitors remains challenging but their partnership with Duncan Lewis has been crucial.
Christine’s journey shows how retired lawyers can continue to make a real difference through pro bono work.
“Volunteering allows you to share the skills you’ve learnt over a lifetime and pass these on to students who remind you of the power of the law,” she says. “Set boundaries for what you’re prepared to do but it’s vital to commit time regularly. If you rise to the challenge, you won’t regret it!”
For more information on volunteering after retirement, see the National Pro Bono Centre’s resources for retired lawyers, developed with LawWorks and Advocate, via the button below.