Hana Suzuki - Justice First FellowshipJustice First Fellowship

Host Organisation: Norfolk Community Law Service

Hana Suzuki is currently a trainee solicitor at Norfolk Community Law Service (NCLS), an organisation she has been a part of nearly 10 years. Prior to undertaking her fellowship, Hana was an OISC Level 1 qualified immigration adviser at NCLS. Hana studied law and criminology at the University of Central Lancashire and completed her Legal Practice Course at the University of Law. In her spare time Hana enjoys playing touch rugby and is currently up for selection for the England Senior Mixed touch rugby team.

Through her work with NCLS Hana has seen the dedication, care and time advisers give to help clients. This has been a major influence and inspiration in the work she does and her keen interest in social welfare law. The work at NCLS has highlighted even more the need for the types of services NCLS runs to provide access to justice to those who are the most vulnerable in our society and the gaps that can be found in this area. Hana’s intended project as a Justice First Fellow hopes to address this issue, by enabling NCLS to provide a holistic service for victims of domestic abuse living in the UK that have no recourse to public funds.

Project

The aim of this project is to advance access to justice by addressing the gaps in the provision of legal advice and representation to those who are victims of domestic abuse and have the restriction of ‘no recourse to public funds’. No recourse to public funds can affect EU and non-EU nationals living in the UK. This restriction can prevent them from accessing benefits and local services, making it extremely difficult for those fleeing domestic abuse to seek refuge and assistance. Hana will be undertaking seats in the areas of immigration, welfare benefits, discrimination, employment, family and dispute resolution to address these issues, by streamlining the services NCLS already provide to enable clients to meet their needs by using one service.

The 2019 Fellows

Aaqib Javed Abdullah Khalid Alexandra Goldenberg Alyena Rahman Awen Gravell Hana Suzuki Hussein Said Josie Hicklin Lorin Sulaiman Louise Crouch Louise Herd Marie Franklin Misbah Mohammed Naomi Trewinnard Owen McCloskey Rabiya-Yasmin Khan Rachael Goddard-Rebstein Racheal Busingye Rachel Lovell Rupshana Uddin Sally Inman Shareen Din