What was your role title and where did you volunteer? 

I volunteered at a reputable Not-for-Profit tenant advocacy and housing advice service called Justice for Tenants (JFT) as part of my Clinical Legal Education Project (CLE) which I am undertaking under the LLM BVS course. I was allocated to be a volunteer with JFT by Pro-Bono Community (PBC), one of the partners in the CLE which assigns students to volunteer at local charities and legal advice organisations at the beginning of my course. I volunteered once a week remotely from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. 

Why did you choose to volunteer at that organisation? 

I decided to apply for the CLE alternative to the dissertation because it gave me the chance to hone my existing skills and build new attractive skills while volunteering on a project. This was also a unique experience compared to writing a dissertation, as I would be consistently engaged and involved throughout the academic year. 

I underwent training with PBC which equipped me with the basic knowledge needed when volunteering with a local legal advice service. The training included the provision of general legal advice and introductions to housing law and welfare benefits. After that, I was allocated to JFT which specialises in tenancy deposits, eviction, disrepair and Rent Repayment Orders (RRO) and other general housing matters. 

In my final year of undergraduate law, I took a liking to volunteering and wanted to continue to do so going into the BVS. It was and continues to be something close to my heart. I also want to continue to give back and help members of the community gain access to legal advice and support wherever I can. Continuing to volunteer meant that I could improve my existing skills and push myself further out of my comfort zone to gain new experiences. After researching JFT and a one-on-one interview with its founder, I was confident that I could do that at this organisation. I was also grateful that I would be given opportunities to progress steadily through the organisation with the chance to take on more advanced roles, challenging tasks and even the opportunity to attend a hearing. These were chances for me to develop and enhance the skills I would be learning throughout the BVS and would prepare me for pupillage or any job in the legal sector. 

What did typical ‘day in the life’ look like volunteering there? 

Advice Team Volunteer 

I started in JFT as a volunteer on the Advice Team and progressed further to the RRO Team after 4 months. As an Advice Team volunteer, I was allocated a fixed number of cases to work on each week. This entailed reading clients’ enquiries and conducting the necessary research and checks to determine whether they could make a claim for an unprotected deposit or an RRO. The RRO relates to a breach of licensing required for rented properties and houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and occasionally, disrepair. Going through an enquiry usually included reading many documents, each comprising multiple pages, with each client possessing a unique situation. After doing the research and checks, I would then draft an advice email to the client, that was personalised and curated in addressing their concerns. 

Despite having experience writing professional emails before, I had no experience drafting advice emails. Thankfully, I had the support of the Advice Team, who were always ready to help proofread my emails or answer my questions. The case management website also had guided email templates that I used to draft my emails which included brief explanations of key legislations and how that related to clients’ rights. I made sure to answer and address clients’ questions and concerns while being as helpful as I could. 

Rent Repayment Orders (RRO) Team Volunteer 

As an RRO Team volunteer, I would be allocated 1 case to draft an RRO application. It initially pressured me, because I knew stakes were riding on how I drafted the application, as this was a real case, not a class exercise, that would be put to the criminal standard of proof, far higher than a civil standard. It was also something completely new to me, but again I felt well supported by my team, who were also willing to answer my questions, clear up any areas of confusion and provide feedback for each application drafted. 

After drafting the application, it was assessed and feedback was given. I would then make the necessary edits to the application considering feedback and any response or new information from the clients were received. Once approved, the final version of the application is sent to the client to be read and approved before it is submitted to the Tribunal. I would be allocated a new case once the initial case was completed. 

What have you learnt from volunteering? 

Through my experience as a volunteer in both the Advice and RRO Team, I was able to improve on different skills and qualities that I picked up from my previous volunteering experience and the BVS, as well as new attributes specific to JFT. I learnt how to conduct research properly and thoroughly when investigating a specific licensing scheme for a specific borough efficiently. I also learnt how to conduct accurate checks to determine whether the property is licensed and a deposit is protected. 

This experience also trained my reading and comprehension skills, particularly involving large texts and many legal documents. I can skim through large volumes of information and distil key facts related to the client’s issues. This helps greatly when formulating a draft of the advice email that I will eventually send. I have also improved my professional writing, especially scripting advice emails and communicating with the other members of the team. This remote volunteering experience also improved my IT skills, including the use of Excel, Gmail, Dropbox and Word. I also had the chance to familiarise myself with a new case management system. 

Finally, I also learnt the importance of writing clearly and succinctly when drafting advice to ensure clients understand the full picture of their current situation and can make fully informed decisions regarding what they can do next. In addition to that, I got to improve my drafting skills when drafting the RRO applications: to draft them accurately, properly and completely to satisfy the legal test. This experience further emphasised the importance of good communication and teamwork. 

What did you find challenging? 

No experience comes without its challenges. I began volunteering in December 2023, during the busiest period in my timetable while undertaking the BVS. It continued well into January 2024 when my first set of assessments were happening. The biggest challenge I faced was managing my time efficiently between volunteering, tutorials and independent study while also ensuring I did not overwork or burn out from stress. I had also never worked with housing law in such depth and complexity before. So it took some time to adjust to the assigned tasks, relevant law and the usual course of action one would take when advising and progressing an enquiry. 

Moreover, the cases I dealt with every week are real cases concerning real people. It was important to me that I advised correctly and accurately to avoid condemning the client or giving a poor representation of the organisation. The tasks assigned were repetitive too, and I had to take active steps to ensure the quality of service I provided clients and momentum in completing my assigned tasks were maintained. To combat this challenge, I worked systematically, taking timed breaks and drafting notes to determine what the client was asking and advised accordingly. 

Why would you recommend volunteering to City students? 

I would heavily recommend volunteering to City students who wish to do something to give back to the community and to utilise their skills and knowledge to help others. It is a rewarding and fulfilling experience which allows you to familiarise yourself with what’s going on in the real world and amongst the members of the community. It also allows you to build experience and transferable skills that will be useful when entering the workforce. 

In addition, if the area of volunteering that you choose or are allocated relates to your subject of study or field you are interested in pursuing, it allows you to obtain valuable insight into the industry. It can also provide you with a different perspective compared to any previous experience you’ve done. I personally developed an interest in immigration law at the previous organisation I volunteered with and am considering that as a career path option. 

Has your volunteering supported you with your career and employability? 

I will say that so far, my volunteering experiences were key topics that were brought up during conversations with barristers and other professionals during networking events. I believe my past volunteering experience was a key element which allowed me to be granted this opportunity with JFT and for a seamless transition into this new role. 

Not only that, but my volunteering experiences have also helped to build my CV and enhance my skills and employability prospects. By volunteering, I can demonstrate and illustrate the skills I claim to possess through different experiences, whether it be drafting advice or thinking critically to work through an enquiry assigned to me. These experiences have also allowed me to land part-time roles, such as becoming a Student Ambassador for the Marketing and Events Team. I fully believe that these experiences will only continue to help me in the future, either by strengthening my candidacy as an applicant for a role or transitioning into a new role.