Lauren Francis - Justice First FellowshipJustice First Fellowship

Host Organisation: Family Rights Group

Lauren joined Family Rights Group as a trainee solicitor in April 2021. She studied Law at Westminster University graduating in 2013. Lauren gained experience in the charity sector prior to studying the Legal Practice Course and LLM at University of Law. While completing her studies Lauren worked part-time in the Legal and Welfare Services team at Freedom from Torture and volunteered as a housing paralegal at Islington Law Centre and a caseworker at JCWI.

Prior to joining Family Rights Group, Lauren worked as a Paralegal in the Public Law and Human Rights team at Irwin Mitchell with a focus on Judicial Review and welfare proceedings in the Court of Protection.

During her training contract, Lauren will complete a 6-month secondment at Goodman Ray solicitors.

Project

The main object of Lauren’s project is focused on law and practice concerning reunification – children returning home from the care system to their parents. The intended outputs from the project are: (a) a stocktake report summarising 'where we are up to with reunification'. That will include a review of the legal and practice framework; review of key research literature; review of relevant national level data and more. (b) Updated reunification content for the FRG advice website including a detailed but accessible advice sheet for families.

The 2020 Fellows

Abi Wood Alexander Sherman Catherine Dodson Cecilia Correale Claire Poppleton David Tully Elisa Jenkins Erin Stanbury Gary Steel Hana Cogingsford Hanna Nicholls-Findlay Hannah Moxsom Kajal Maisuria Krysta Yan Kulthum Dambatta Lauren Francis Nerys Cookson-Williams Rebecca Dooley Samantha Maher Sarah Campbell Shannon Thompson Suzanne Mahoney