ABSTRACT
To make it easier for you to get legal help and advice, the Community Legal Service is establishing Community Legal Service Partnerships (CLSPs). These Partnerships bring together organisations offering legal and advice services-such as solicitors in private practice, Citizens' Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, local authority in-house services and a host of other organisations. The Partnerships also include representatives of the Legal Services Commission, local authorities and other funders, and users, of legal and advice services. All the Partners act together to improve access to, and delivery of, legal and advice services in their local community. One of the ways they achieve this is by setting up and running referral networks. Effective referral is also one of the requirements of the CLS Quality Mark. The eventual aim is to have a Community Legal Service Partnership for every part of England and Wales, although in some areas they are not yet established. At the end of January 2001 there were 124 Community Legal Service Partnerships already active. Details of these CLSPs are available, and regularly updated, on the 'Just Ask!' website (www.justask.org.uk). Many more Community Legal Service Partnerships are planned and are at various stages of formation.
