Ioana Serbanoiu

Host Organisation: Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre 2022

Briefly explain your most recent educational background and any work (paid or voluntary) you were doing before you began your Fellowship?

I have completed my LPC and a MSc in Law and Business with a Pass award in June 2020. I started volunteering from July to December with Citizen Advice Camden. At the same time since July to December 2020 I also volunteered with Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network. In January 2021 LRMN offered me a full-time paid employment as an Admin Caseworker within the immigration team working with rough sleepers, temporarily accommodated under COVID-19 provision, and assisted on immigration matters related to clients in Lewisham. In December 2021 I became OISC Level 1 accredited. In July 2022 I began my position as a OISC Level 1 Caseworker within the immigration team working primarily with rough sleepers.

Why did you want to apply for a Justice First Fellowship?

I have also been interested in assisting people from our community who are disadvantaged, destitute and homeless. Due to poverty people do not always manage to access legal advice and assistance. I have applied to JFF as it offers training in all the social welfare areas of law I am interested in and which I would like to specialise in. I was also very impressed with the host organisations, their specialism in social justice, and the way they deliver it.

Complete the following sentence: ‘Outside of my legal interests, I enjoy…’

Outside of my legal interests, I enjoy reading.