Law for All - Polish Legal Centre

Legal pro-bono charity Law For All, in conjunction with the Polish City Club, has established the Polish Legal Centre on a weekly basis offering free advice on a number of widely encountered legal problems to Polish immigrants. The Centre draws on the combined resources and expertise of Law For All and the Polish City Club to offer constructive solutions to the task of aiding London's Polish population.

Poles are the UK's biggest minority group of European extraction. The majority of Polish immigrants to the UK are young, educated people, but many take low paid jobs on arrival, and suffer problems with integration. Overcoming language and cultural difficulties, many Polish immigrants are struggling to get to grips with their rights and responsibilities under the UK system. From a legal perspective, the key problems concern areas such as housing and welfare benefits. Employment law is another important issue, with many Poles receiving below minimum wage, and subject to exploitative practices, because they are simply unaware of their rights and how to enforce them.

The Polish Legal Centre is located in Hammersmith, within easy access of key centres for London's Polish population, at POSK, a venue offering privacy and good facilities. Lawyers from Law For All will give their time for two hours per week. Financing is being coordinated by the Polish City Club, an organisation founded by Polish professionals working in the City of London, under the patronage of H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in London. The Polish City Club acts as a network for Polish business, legal and academic professionals and also aims to promote the interests of the UK Polish community generally.

Since its inception in October 2007, the Centre has been the subject of significant media attention and has recieved accolades for its work from the Polish Consul-General in London. Earlier this year, the Centre was invited to the Polish Senate to give an account of its work.