What can social justice lawyers in the UK learn from across the Atlantic about innovative ways to fund and deliver legal services? Fiona Bawdon explains
In 2006, when barrister Shauneen Lambe and solicitor Aika Stephenson were setting up the youth justice charity Just for Kids Law, they decided to go on a week-long visit to America.
Shauneen admits that the decision to spend some of their initial £15,000 grant on the trip might have raised eyebrows, but says it was invaluable in helping to shape the new organisation.
Earlier in her career, Lambe had worked as an attorney in the US, and was aware of the campaigning work done by the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana. New York had just created a special district attorney for young offenders, and implemented a ‘can we not prosecute?’ policy. She says: ‘We’d just got our first grant, and I said to Aika, “Let’s go and check out what’s being done in the US.” I’d always had an idea they were taking a more innovative approach.’ Lambe contacted the
