In 2008, the Legal Advice Centre at Queen Mary University of London took a groundbreaking step by establishing the Pink Law Clinic, designed to give free legal advice to the LGBTQIA+ community. Partnering with Mishcon de Reya, the Pink Law Clinic has been a beacon of hope for LGBTQIA+ people seeking legal guidance, fielding nearly 800 queries since its inception. Of these, Mishcon de Reya has assisted over 175 clients by supervising and supporting Queen Mary Law students to write letters of preliminary legal advice regarding Immigration and Family Law.
Whether it’s discrimination, civil partnership formation and dissolution, cohabitation issues, immigration, wills and probate, or hate crime, the Pink Law Clinic has been there to offer support, including working in collaboration with leading LGBTQIA+ campaigning organisation Stonewall, producing information leaflets on civil partnerships, gay fatherhood, and employment discrimination.
With the UK falling on the ILGA-Europe's ranking of LGBT+ rights across Europe due to 'widespread political and media anti-trans sentiment' as well as the failure of the government to deliver a ban on conversion therapy, support for projects like the Pink Law Clinic is needed more than ever.
Pink Law’s impact extends beyond its core mission. Queen Mary University of London have a well-established partnership with Mishcon de Reya, working together through the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre on initiatives like the Black Justice Project (offering free legal advice to the Black community) and SPITE Clinic (specialist advice for victims of image-based sexual abuse).
Mishcon de Reya have a strong history of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, since the firm’s founder Lord Mishcon's role on the Wolfenden Committee in the 1950s which led to the decriminalisation of male homosexuality in the UK. We’re proud to celebrate 15 years of Pink Law, and in particular recognise the tireless efforts of the legal professionals, students, and volunteers who have made a difference in the lives of these LGBTQIA+ individuals.