‘Just because I’d finished working, it didn’t mean I stopped thinking like a lawyer.’
When Christine retired in 2023, she assumed she would slow down. She didn’t expect that within two years she would help establish a new university law clinic supporting families in crisis.
Christine’s story will resonate with many approaching retirement. After decades in practice, much of it in family legal aid, she took a well-earned break. But having maintained her practising certificate, she hoped to continue using her skills. Through the charity LawWorks, she was introduced to a local family law project in Luton. What started as weekly mentoring of students soon grew into something more ambitious: in 2025 she helped establish the Family Law Clinic at the University of Bedfordshire.
Today, the clinic supports people who cannot afford legal fees but do not qualify for legal aid. Supervised by qualified solicitors, students help clients understand court processes, prepare documents and navigate proceedings.
Christine’s professional
