Every year, more than 110 legal aid centres in the Netherlands help an estimated 35,000 vulnerable citizens, with free legal aid. Until now, these legal advice centres hardly worked together, while much knowledge and experience is lost due to annual board changes. Thanks to the NVR, legal advice centres are united and knowledge and experience is exchanged on a national level.

Goals

The NVR's goals are:

• Together, legal aid centres have a stronger voice to national politicians and policymakers.
• Sharing best-practices is important to ensure that knowledge in legal aid centres does not disappear.
• Support in further professionalisation of legal aid office services.

Activities

The NVR organises meetings to prevent knowledge from disappearing when legal aid office staff leave. During these meetings, legal aid centres share knowledge and best-practices among themselves. Intervision sessions will also be organised with chain partners, such as social lawyers.

How to clarify questions in the consultation hours as efficiently as possible? What are good interview techniques to apply? What is the best place to refer people to? Centrally organised training courses that focus on the practical elements of the work such as this one can support legal practitioners in their work.

Finally, the association is looking at the right tools that can support law shop work, such as a case-management system, focused on the needs of law shops. There may also be research in due course.

Impact numbers

• The association has welcomed 45 law shops from across the country as members.
• In 2023, seven training sessions were organised for members, where about 120 legal practitioners attended.
• Two general membership meetings were held in 2023. A total of about 150 legal practitioners attended these.
• The NVR has established partnerships with the organisations like Raad voor de Rechtsbijstand and Zorgverzekeringslijn, and works with a number of academics and social lawyers.