Administrative Justice Council (AJC)

Grant: £25,000
November 13, 2017

The provision of a secretariat function to UK’s only advisory body on administrative justice, bringing together senior representatives of the judiciary, civil service, government, ombudsmen and end user organisations to improve decisions, complaints and appeals across critical areas including immigration, asylum, social security, housing, education, health care, planning and tax. Those affected by the system include some of most vulnerable in society: asylum seekers, immigrants, those in social housing and/or claiming benefits, people with disabilities or special educational needs, prisoners, pensioners and victims of police misconduct.

The AJC will be under-pinned by JUSTICE’s research and policy capacity and supported pro bono by a number of law firms. Acting as a liaison between Government, the judiciary and users of the administrative justice system, the Council would aim to fulfil its predecessor’s information sharing function whilst adding a more problem-solving and policy-influencing dimension.

Supported by the Ministry of Justice, led by Sir Ernest Ryder and managed by JUSTICE, this initiative will sit alongside current and future administrative justice work.

Strengthening 21st Century Access to Justice

Grant: £91,287
November 9, 2016

This project builds on the recommendations from recent reports Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity and What is a Court?, which informed the senior judiciary and Government’s thinking on system reform.

This project aims to ensure that the changes to the court and tribunals systems through digitisation respond to the needs of court users, and that ordinary people are provided with the tools to be able to take advantage of an improved, online justice system.

The project will involve on-going work with senior judges, law makers and Government officials on the adoption of modified dispute resolution processes by the judiciary and on reconfiguration of the court and tribunal estate centred on flexibility and IT enabled access to court buildings. It will also involve the establishment of a Working Party of JUSTICE members focussed on how ‘Assisted Digital’ might be enhanced to ensure that everyone, including the most technologically marginalised, can access justice online.

Advancing the JUSTICE Student Network

Grant: £20,000
November 10, 2015

Advancing the JUSTICE Student Network (JSN) will build upon the initial success of developing the JUSTICE Student Human Rights Network microsite and increased engagement with the student community. While much of initial objectives of the project (supported by the LEF) have been achieved there is still much to develop.

This project is multi-faceted in its objectives, intending to equip students with a practical understanding of how lawyers can work to strengthen the justice system and the rights of individuals within it. It is also designed to encourage contact between students and practitioners. This experience cannot be obtained from normal academic or vocational programmes. By drawing upon our unique history, experience and membership, a comprehensive JSN website will make a valuable contribution to legal education.

The site will contain a selection of unique resources designed to support academic legal education and to encourage interest in public interest law. Additionally, a key aspect of this project is the hiring of a JSN Fellow to carry out the work. The fellow will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the JSN, organising events, liaising with students and practitioners and coordinating the new ‘A Day in the Life of Justice’ initiative.

The JUSTICE Student Human Rights Network

Grant: £40,000
August 8, 2014

JUSTICE is an all-party law reform and human rights charity working to strengthen the justice system – administrative, civil and criminal. Its vision is of fair, accessible and efficient legal processes, in which the individual’s rights are protected, and which reflect the country’s international reputation for upholding and promoting the rule of law. This includes “promoting education and conducting research into the law, including current proposed practices and administration and reform of the law”.

The Foundation’s grant will enable the charity to build a dynamic student website to arm students with the necessary skills and experience to engage with law reform when they enter practice.