Southampton Solent University is launching a free legal service to serve city residents.

Solent Law Clinic, in collaboration with Dutton Gregory solicitors opened on Tuesday, February 11, at the university’s East Park Terrace campus.

The service, focusing on family and housing law, aims to meet community needs and boost student skills.

It will operate weekly on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with appointments to be booked in advance via Solent's website.

Course leader for Law, Brad Kershaw, said: "As a civic university, it is in Solent’s DNA to work collaboratively to make a meaningful contribution in Southampton’s communities. We want to ensure our city prospers, and the Law Clinic aims to break down barriers to legal advice and deliver an accessible service which benefits everyone involved.

“Not only will this clinic benefit our local communities, but it will also give students experience that they can take forward into their future careers in law. Our student volunteers have shown a huge commitment to this initiative already, and it is heartening to see a strong sense of social responsibility on display at Solent."

The clinic will be manned by four law students and two business undergraduates, overseen by Dutton Gregory partner and head of family law Jonathan Whettingsteel.

Mr Whettingsteel said: "Following changes to legislation, access to publicly funded legal advice has dramatically reduced since 2012, and this clinic is going to provide much-needed support to those in need, who might not be able to afford the cost of solicitors.

"Students are not just the future of Dutton Gregory, but of the legal profession as a whole. As well as being able to help give students an insight into life as a lawyer, I personally feel I can learn a lot from them about how they want the legal industry to look.

"The Law Clinic is going to provide students with a chance to undertake interviews with real clients, giving students experience that they wouldn’t usually be able to obtain. For me, this shows how progressive Solent University is; producing graduates with practical experience, making them even more employable."