Herbert Smith to deliver free advice from new legal centre

Herbert Smith is launching a free legal advice centre in Whitechapel.

Helene Kydd, community action partner at the firm, says that the cases dealt with at the advice centre will include employment, immigration and housing problems. She adds: "It can be anything from probate to someone who is dissatisfied with their dentist, or neighbour disputes."

The service, which starts next Tuesday, will operate one evening a week and a minimum of five Herbert Smith lawyers will be giving advice.

The centre replaces the firm's previous advice service, based in Islington since 1992, which closed in March due to funding cuts at the Citizens Advice Bureau where it was based.

Kydd says rather than stay in Islington, "we wanted somewhere close to our office to serve our local community".

Kydd says that the new location close to the firm's offices has stirred more partners to get involved.

She says: "At the moment we have got seven partners registered who will be going to the advice sessions themselves rather than just acting as a sounding board."

She adds that so far 51 trainees and 10 assistants have also registered to take part.