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Family Rights Group’s trainee solicitor joins Young Legal Aid Lawyers Committee

Published: 19th April 2024

3 minute read

Congratulations to Myriam Naoual, Family Rights Group’s trainee solicitor, on her appointment to the Young Legal Aid Lawyers Committee. Myriam’s appointment continues our legal team’s work influencing change to the legal aid system.

Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) is a group of lawyers who are committed to practising in those areas of law that have traditionally been publicly funded. It includes students, paralegals, trainee solicitors, pupil barristers and qualified junior lawyers based throughout England and Wales. 

As a member of the Committee, Myriam is now helping to steer the group’s work. That includes campaigning for a sustainable legal aid system, and promoting the interests of junior lawyers who are working or would like to work in the legal aid sector.  

Myriam recently returned to Family Rights Group after being on secondment with Goodman Ray Solicitors, as part of her training contract with the Justice First Fellowship. 

Myriam said:

“Publicly funded legal advice and representation is critical to a fair justice system. For families involved with the Family Court, it can help prevent difficulties from escalating, and can safely avert care proceedings. 

“Young Legal Aid Lawyers represents the next generation of legal aid lawyers. I’m excited to be helping to take the group’s priorities forward and to build on our work at Family Rights Group to influence legal aid reform. 

“So far, I’ve contributed to the Review of Civil Legal Aid and to the response to The Law Society’s 21st Century Justice Green Paper. I also sat on a panel of  interviewers for the Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund.” 

Family Rights Group has secured important legal aid changes for families and continues to campaign for further reforms.  

  • In 2023, we secured a major win with legal aid extended to kinship carers applying for special guardianship orders in private law, and non-means tested legal aid for parents who oppose applications for placement orders or adoption orders. 
  • We are campaigning to address glaring gaps in legal aid for parents when their children are deprived of their liberty. 

Find out more about our legal aid work here 

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