SWLLC Pro Bono Volunteers Win Joint Award in Merton Partnership Civic Pride Celebration 2023

We are so proud to announce that Sital Somaiya and Charlotte Pugh have both been awarded joint first place for Employee Volunteer of the Year Award in the Merton Partnership Civic Pride Volunteer Awards Celebration 2023!

We would like to thank both of them for their long time pro bono volunteer work for the past 8+ years in our free Legal Advice Clinics! Their dedication and hard work has impacted the lives of many vulnerable individuals and families over the years.

Sital Somaiya

Sital’s passion for volunteering stems from her desire to help those who are struggling to obtain legal advice, particularly in family matters.

One client who Sital assisted spent 10 months trying to obtain Legal Aid, getting letters, writing emails, and trying to explain their case over the phone countless times, only to have their application rejected twice by the LAA. But a 20-minute call with Sital was all it took for them to feel like someone finally had their back. The client stated:

“Sital is like a walking encyclopedia, it is obvious that she knows what she is doing, she is confident, kind and sweet, to the point, knowledgeable, polite, professional, and she makes me feel like she cares. Thank you so very much! My case is far from being sorted but just knowing that she is representing me makes my life easier.”

Charlotte Pugh

As an Immigration Pro Bono Adviser in the South West London Law Centres (SWLLC) Legal Advice Clinic, Charlotte has provided free legal advice and support to individuals and families on low incomes who are facing complex legal issues related to immigration. Her deep knowledge of immigration law has been invaluable in offering legal advice to those seeking to uphold their rights and secure a better future for themselves and their loved ones.

Only last year Charlotte assisted 149 people understand and enforce their legal rights.

Her commitment to her clients is unwavering, and she consistently goes above and beyond to provide excellent legal advice and support.

We are lucky to have both Sital and Charlotte on our team and look forward to our shared work in the future. Congratulations to both!

If you’d like to volunteer as an adviser, please send your CV to volunteers@swllc.org. By giving your time and expertise as a pro bono volunteer, you’ll be helping local people on low incomes to understand and uphold their rights, and secure a better future for themselves and their families.