Nerys Cookson-Williams - Justice First FellowshipJustice First Fellowship

Host Organisation: Greenwich Housing Rights

Nerys studied for her LLB at St Mary’s University Twickenham and the LPC and LLM at The University of Law. After completing her LLB, worked for private practice firm, Bison Solicitors, representing clients detained under the Mental Health Act. She was also instrumental in the development of Bison Solicitors successful Education law department, securing support for children with special educational needs.

Nerys has extensive charity sector advocacy and legal experience. Through METRO, a leading Woolwich equality and diversity charity, she provided advocacy support for members of the LGBTQIA+ community experiencing mental health difficulties with Brighton and Hove Mind, she provided advocacy to those with mental health difficulties living in the community. More recently, through St Mungo’s, Nerys became a OISC accredited EUSS and Welfare and Benefits Advisor, providing Lambeth residents with welfare benefits and homelessness advice and also supporting them to access Immigration advice.

Nerys firmly believes that everyone, particularly the most vulnerable in society deserves access to good legal advice, especially if they are at risk of deportation, homelessness or are being discriminated against due to their sexuality, gender identity or mental health needs. Nerys is therefore very much looking forward to joining Greenwich Housing Rights and continuing the fight for social justice and equality.

Project

Nerys is hoping to use the JFF Project to look at alternative ways to reach out to clients, particularly those who find it hard to reach out initially. Having worked with a number of clients who have found it difficult to access legal advice in the past; Nerys is hoping to develop a stronger digital presence for Greenwich Housing Rights and harness the power of social media to better reach out. Nerys is also hoping to look at alternative means of communication with clients other than the traditional face to face or over the telephone meetings, which have been difficult in respect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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