Renfrewshire Law Centre


Renfrewshire Law Centre, or RLC, is a West Scottish local community-based charitable law centre that offers services to the people of Renfrewshire and surrounding areas of West Central Scotland, often free of charge. Established in 1998 as Paisley Law Centre, it relaunched in 2008 as Renfrewshire Law Centre. With its head office in Paisley, a large town forming part of the conurbation of Greater Glasgow, RLC has the largest geographical catchment area of any community law centre in Scotland, and takes cases from Paisley, Renfrew, Johnstone, Bishopton, Bridge of Weir, Brookfield, Elderslie, Erskine, Houston, Howwood, Inchinnan, Kilbarchan, Langbank, Linwood, Lochwinnoch, as well as from other areas beyond Renfrewshire itself.
A member of the Scottish Association of Law Centres, RLC is a progressive law project, active in social welfare, human rights and public law. Constitutionally, it is a democratic organisation, inviting other local organisations to propose members for appointment to its board of directors, all volunteers, who represent the interests of the community and steer RLC's casework in accordance with local needs.
In common with other law centres, RLC strives to reclaim justice for the people, rather than using the legal system for private profit. Operating under the banner of Meeting Unmet Legal Need, it puts the law to work in tackling issues of social hardship in contentious matters like housing, homelessness, consumer affairs, employment disputes, community care and children's rights. RLC also engages in legal education through various means, such as a volunteer program and free seminars.
The Scottish Association of Law Centres is the equivalent in Scotland to the in England and Wales, of which it is also an associate member.
Other prominent law centres in Scotland include , Dundee Law Centre, , East End Law Centre, , , , , and .
Source: Scottish Association of Law Centres.