Tenet has been a partner of the University of Birmingham’s Law School and Pro Bono Group since 2021. The team have delivered education and support to students and postgraduates helping them develop their knowledge of how the law in relation to fraud and financial crime operates in the real world and offering legal insights on some of the most topical areas of law.
The central aim of the project is to make a complex area of law understandable to students and to help them learn the skills to unpick complex law and facts and develop interaction skills with those affected and to develop content. These efforts work to help make a positive impact for members of their own and a wider community who would not otherwise be able to access such advice or representation due to financial constraints and limited resources.
During 2023 guided by Tenet, law school students embarked on a project that involved creating and delivering interactive legal education through videos they created about a range of fraud subjects (including employee fraud, cryptocurrency and NFT fraud risks) to help them understand the law and raise awareness of their legal rights and responsibilities. Tenet delivered talks and workshops with the students and helped create a range of educational videos.
Tenet’s aim is to reduce the impact of fraud and financial crime not only for our clients but for wider society be that helping prevent or respond to fraud. Being part of the initiative supports this objective and has made a real difference. The partnership has gathered pace over the last year, and we are proud of the initiative which we believe is the first pro-bono fraud advice scheme established with a university in the UK.
Our experience tells us that collaboration is pivotal in the fight against fraud and the more awareness there is highlighting potential threats the less likely people are to become victims.
The scheme offers much more than just pro-bono legal work; it is an essential service that provides professional advice to those in need who may otherwise be unable to afford or access it, while also providing an opportunity for the next generation of lawyers to advance in their career. Consequently, this scheme not only strengthens the legal profession but also serves as an invaluable resource to those who need it.
Recognised benefits:
- Preventative education – raising awareness of different types of fraud (shopping, crypto currency, investment, bank fraud, etc.), how to avoid these and what to do when they think fraud has been committed.
- Responsive education – providing information on what to do if they think they may have been defrauded, what the bank’s duties are, options available via the Ombudsman, etc.
- Education to students – understanding how to deal with a complex yet an emotive subject of advice which can cause very harmful outcomes to consumers and small businesses.
Fraud is always personal. A crime that can impact anyone, regardless of their background or financial status. At our core Tenet is relentlessly focussed on doing the right thing for each other, our clients, our local community and across the fraud prevention and legal sector.
We take on the responsibility to help reduce fraud through collaboration and education, we have built a community on and offline and built a network of contacts that share that same vision.
The project has been nominated for CSR Initiative of the Year at The British Legal Awards 2022 and CSR Innovation in the Law.com Legal Innovation awards 2023 and won Outstanding Partnership at the 2023 Tackling Economic Crime Awards (TECAs). Rebeca Craig a solicitor at Tenet was also nominated as a ‘Legal Hero’ at the 2023 Law Society Legal Hero Awards, for the work she has carried out leading this project for Tenet.
Education remains at the core of our efforts, especially as fraud remains the most prevalent crime in the UK. We understand that not everyone can afford legal advice, and students thrive with responsive learning and working on real life cases. Tenet is dedicated to bridging this gap by sharing our expertise through our work with The University of Birmingham.
A statement from the University
‘Birmingham Law School was delighted to partner with Tenet and have the benefit of their legal expertise and enthusiasm to embark with us on something new and of huge importance. Projects like this are best done in partnership with external local lawyers who have specialist legal expertise and an awareness of the legal need that exists in our local communities.
It was beneficial to work with professionals to gain practical experience and see the lasting impact of the sessions on the students, many of whom emailed their thanks for the insights, and for sparking their interest in key fraud topics’.
Fraud Prevention Videos
These fraud prevention videos have been made by the University of Birmingham law students with the assistance and supervision of Tenet Law as part of a Pro Bono Group initiative.
If you would like to know more about our initiative and how you can get involved please contact Rebecca Craig for further information. Rebecca was nominated for a ‘Legal Hero’ award in 2023 by The Law Society. Legal Heroes is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the solicitors who have made the biggest difference to the lives of others, their local communities, and wider society.
Rebecca stood out from hundreds of applicants across England and Wales for the lasting and tangible impact she has made in authorised push payment fraud cases, supporting victims who have had their lives turned upside down as well as spearheading the partnership with the University of Birmingham Law School.
