Start-Ed Pro Bono Legal Clinic

Description 

City, University of London's Start-Ed community is a forum in which local students, startups (including charities / SMEs) and professional advisors come together for mutual benefit. Clients come to get free one-to-one advice from leading professional advisors and experienced entrepreneurs. Student volunteers sit in and gain real-world experience. Professional advisors get to engage with possible future employees (the students) and possible future clients (the startups). Everybody wins!

We use data collected through the programme to feed into our research and inform policy-making by governments and industry in support of startups and entrepreneurship.

We also previously operated the Start-Ed Student Accelerator Programme with funding from the UK Intellectual Property Office.  Through this programme, we provide paid internships to law students to work with some of our start-up clients.  Although this programme has now come to a close, we hope to have similar opportunities in future.  Watch this space for further details.

How to get involved 

Applications are OPEN and the final application deadline for the current term is Friday 27th October at 11:59pm. 

To apply:

  1. Register on the eXtensible Volunteering System (XVS) with City's Community Volunteering service at http://volunteering.city.ac.uk.
  2. Search for Start-Ed or go to Start-Ed's profile.  Read and carefully follow the application guidelines.

Acceptances will be on a rolling basis, but all applicants will hear back by Friday 3rd November regardless of outcome.  

Email us for more information
Apply online 
Apply Now On the eXtensible Volunteering System (XVS)
Important dates
When does it take place? 

Tuesday evenings throughout term time.

Where does it take place? 

Locations vary, but most frequently we host the events here at City University's Northampton Square campus.  We also regularly run events with startup incubators, tech accelerators and Co-Working Spaces throughout London including The Hangout, WeWork South Bank, Google Campus and others.  Successful applicants will be notified of locations and timings for events.

Who can apply? 

All students of the City Law School are welcome to apply regardless of the current level of your studies.  Participation in this clinic is as much about motivation, interest and attitude as it is about past experience, and it is our goal to make this opportunity available to as many students as possible.  If you are interested, make an appointment with Careers, update your CV, and make your application as set out above.

Please Note: Application does not guarantee acceptance or participation. Attendance at each session is by invitation and booking only, but we endeavour to invite all successful applicants to at least two (2) 2-3 hour sessions during the course of the term and to offer further opportunities to all successful applicants as available.

More information 

During the sessions our student volunteers meet and accompany legal professionals as they help clients with legal issues related to intellectual property, business structure, commercial contracts, employment, land, and more. It is a fun way to gain commercial awareness, hone your legal skills, and interact with qualified solicitors (primarily) and occasionally a few barristers who practice in these areas.