President of the Law Society visits GLC new offices

President of the Law Society of Scotland, Jamie Millar, received a warm welcome and tour of Govan Law Centre's new Orkney Street offices today. Mr Millar congratulated Govan Law Centre, its staff and board members, on securing the newly refurbished premises at the Orkney Street Enterprise Centre (OSEC). 

The facilities at OSEC provide the local community with access to free legal advice and representation, prevention of homelessness services, money and financial inclusion advice, help and support to get back to work or into further education, and access to social work services.

Mr Millar was in Govan to discuss access to justice issues in Scotland, with the Society's new Access to Justice Committee convener, GLC's Mike Dailly. The Society's new Access to Justice Committee is scheduled to have its first meeting later this week.

@Orkney Street Seminars: a new series of legal events from GLC

GLC has launched an innovative continuing professional development (CPD) programme - entitled 'Govan Law Centre @Orkney Street Seminars' - with 18 events scheduled between October 2010 and January 2011.  The theme of the series is to provide a high quality strategic analysis of topical legal subjects, not readily available elsewhere, at an affordable price.

The series includes morning sessions on reclaiming bank charges following the Supreme Court's surprise decision last year; tackling property factor disputes; new lines of defence in mortgage repossession cases; as well as 'what you need to know' events designed for legal practitioners, and money advisors. 

Innovative forms of delivery include a series of 'twilight' sessions tailored to suit the specific needs of educational professionals, and 'bite-sized' late afternoon events designed to address the needs of social care and social welfare practitioners.  Events within the series will be of interest to solicitors, professional and volunteer advisors, school teachers, social workers and health care professionals, among others.

GLC's Principal Solicitor, Mike Dailly said:
"It's testimony to the first class legal team at GLC that most of our events will be led by our own award-winning solicitors and social care professionals.  Our relocation to the Orkney Street Enterprise Centre has given us purpose built in-house conference facilities, and the transport links to Central Govan and its Helen Street business corridor compare very favourably to other major UK cities.  This series of seminars represents the first stage in an ambitious and innovative legal educational programme".

The CPD seminar programme is available here (with links to the seminar booking page. Note: a limited number of ultra low cost seminar places may be made available under a GLC discretionary programme to be announced in due course).

GLC moves to Orkney Street Enterprise Centre

After over a decade on Burleigh Street, Govan Law Centre has relocated two of its offices to Govan's new Orkney Street Enterprise Centre (OSEC), 18-20 Orkney Street, Glasgow, G51 2BZ (view a location map here). All of our telephone, fax and minicom numbers remain unchanged, and any mail sent to our Burleigh Street address will be automatically re-directed.

Orkney Street was orginally Govan's Burgh Chambers in 1867, before serving as the local police and fire station, then as Govan's burgh court, jail with 36 cells and headquarters of Strathclyde Police 'G' Division.  The iconic listed building was redeveloped with a £3.5m budget, led by the Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency, and formally opened by Sir Alex Ferguson in February this year.

OSEC has full conference, business support facilities, and disability access. GLC can be found in Unit 4 and 6.  Unit 4 is a ultra modern open plan office on two levels, with unit 6 hosting our national Education Law Unit, and providing board room/meeting room facilities.  

Tommy McMahon, Chairman of GLC's Board of Trustees said:

"We're delighted with the law centre's relocation to Govan's Orkney Street Enterprise Centre. This development represents a major investment in our service and will enable us to deliver a more streamlined and effective service to our community and clients. Our larger premises also give us the capacity to develop a number of exciting new projects".

GLC 's Principal Solicitor, Mike Dailly said:

"Our new offices present fantastic opportunities to develop all of our services.  Because our partner agencies, including Money Matters Advice Centre are located in OSEC, the residents of Glasgow South West now have one of the best 'one-stop' shops in Scotland. A single visit to OSEC can provide citizens with free legal advice and representation, prevention of homelessness services, money and financial inclusion advice, help and support to get back to work or into further education, and access to social work services.  We aim to co-ordinate all of these services, so citizens in Glasgow South West will only need to make one appointment to receive a holistic, high quality service".