I am the Chief Executive of Legal Action Group. Prior to this I was director and solicitor at Hammersmith Law Centre where I specialised in housing law. I am a founding trustee of Ealing Law Centre and have worked in law centres for most of my career. In 2017 I won the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award. I am co-author of Housing Possession Duty Desk – a practical guide, co-editor of the Legal Aid Handbook and Justice Matters, and I write, speak and campaign on access to justice, housing and legal aid.

I travelled to Canada and Australia to examine multidisciplinary approaches to resolving legal problems. Health Justice Partnerships in Australia and Trusted Intermediaries, or Trusted Help in Canada, were a focus. I recognised from my practice in the UK that a much more integrated approach to resolving legal problems was needed and, importantly, before they escalated. This alternative practice from other countries is informing change in the UK, where services tend to be fragmented and hard to navigate.

I have used the knowledge and skills I have learnt and I have written and spoken about the benefits of this approach.