ABSTRACT
This chapter considers several connected points, including, the concept of 'needs'; the scope of public legal services (PLS); and, the meaning of 'community legal education'. More basically perhaps, the low levels of knowledge of the law and legal system could be seen as a fundamental need which could be addressed by PLS. Law centres have featured very strongly in the development of PLS within the United Kingdom. The place of law centres within the wider range of available advice service providers is a feature of the needed concerted overview and analysis of PLS provision. The role of Citizens' Advice Bureaux (CABx) and Law Centres amongst many other advice agencies amply indicate that lawyers are not always needed for offering legal advice and assistance. The aims of the CAB service include the provision of advice and assistance in order to allow people to express their needs effectively, with a clear emphasis on the perceptions of the client.
