Category: Public interest litigation

Last June we launched our Public Interest Litigation Unit which aims to offer a new service to advice agencies, charities, community groups and campaigners across Scotland. We had already identified some significant test cases affecting tens of thousands of vulnerable Scots that we are now progressing, in partnership with a national charity in Scotland. The project is led by our Principal Solicitor, Mike Dailly and Deirdre Flanigan, our second year trainee solicitor.

PILU seeks to advance human rights, equality and financial inclusion through the use of strategic public interest litigation in Scotland. We have a particular focus on mitigating the impact of the austerity agenda, with its resultant cuts to welfare benefits and essential public services. Public interest litigation is the use of legal action which seeks to advance the cause of minority or disadvantaged groups or individuals, or which seeks to progressively advance issues of significant public concern.

We are currently progressing a range of cases involving social care services, charging for non-residential care, homelessness, and have been working closely with our local MP, Chris Stephens and his team on the treatment of asylum seekers in Glasgow.