Free Legal Advice Centres
Encyclopedia
Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) is a non-profit
human rights
organisation that provide pro bono publico assistance via a network of legal advice
clinics throughout the Republic of Ireland
. They have been involved in a number of notable law cases including Airey v. Ireland
.
who used their legal knowledge to provide advice and information to those who could not afford the fees
involved. They promoted access to legal redress for all, regardless of economic status.
It was through this work that they hoped to advance their ultimate objective: influence the government into instituting a comprehensive plan providing civil legal aid to those in need. FLAC’s operations expanded rapidly. By 1972, 2,437 cases had been handled. By 1974, this had risen to over 8000.
In some ways, these efforts distracted from the greater campaign for state-funded civil legal aid. Yet, ultimately it was a threat by FLAC to withdraw these services which forced the government to take action on civil legal aid.
Responding to FLAC’s campaign, the government formed the Pringle Committee in 1974 to address the issue of civil legal aid in Ireland. Meanwhile FLAC continued its own efforts, achieving one of its early ambitions in 1975 by opening the first community law centre in Ireland.
In 1977, the Pringle Committee published its Report calling for the provision of state-funded legal aid centres and for individuals to be educated about their rights, echoing the demands made by FLAC.
However, the government remained slow to implement the Pringle Report. FLAC would emerge as central to two events which finally pressured the government to take action.
The first was the landmark ECHR case, Airey v. Ireland which challenged the prohibitive costs of a legal separation as breaching an individuals access to justice. Supported by FLAC and represented by Mary Robinson
, Josie Airey won her case against the state and assurances of an adequate scheme of legal aid were secured from the government.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organisation that provide pro bono publico assistance via a network of legal advice
Legal advice
In the common law, legal advice is the giving of a formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law by an officer of the court , ordinarily in exchange for financial or other tangible compensation...
clinics throughout the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. They have been involved in a number of notable law cases including Airey v. Ireland
Airey v. Ireland
Airey v. Ireland was a case decided by the European Court of Human Rights in 1979.-Facts:Mrs. Airey wished to obtain a decree of judicial separation from her husband...
.
History
FLAC was created in April 1969, a group of law studentsLegal education
Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business...
who used their legal knowledge to provide advice and information to those who could not afford the fees
Attorney's fee
Attorney's fee is a chiefly United States term for compensation for legal services performed by an attorney for a client, in or out of court. It may be an hourly, flat-rate or contingent fee. Attorney fees are separate from fines, compensatory and punitive damages, and from court costs in a...
involved. They promoted access to legal redress for all, regardless of economic status.
It was through this work that they hoped to advance their ultimate objective: influence the government into instituting a comprehensive plan providing civil legal aid to those in need. FLAC’s operations expanded rapidly. By 1972, 2,437 cases had been handled. By 1974, this had risen to over 8000.
In some ways, these efforts distracted from the greater campaign for state-funded civil legal aid. Yet, ultimately it was a threat by FLAC to withdraw these services which forced the government to take action on civil legal aid.
Responding to FLAC’s campaign, the government formed the Pringle Committee in 1974 to address the issue of civil legal aid in Ireland. Meanwhile FLAC continued its own efforts, achieving one of its early ambitions in 1975 by opening the first community law centre in Ireland.
In 1977, the Pringle Committee published its Report calling for the provision of state-funded legal aid centres and for individuals to be educated about their rights, echoing the demands made by FLAC.
However, the government remained slow to implement the Pringle Report. FLAC would emerge as central to two events which finally pressured the government to take action.
The first was the landmark ECHR case, Airey v. Ireland which challenged the prohibitive costs of a legal separation as breaching an individuals access to justice. Supported by FLAC and represented by Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
, Josie Airey won her case against the state and assurances of an adequate scheme of legal aid were secured from the government.