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University of Liverpool Research.
The University of Liverpool are one of our founding partners, and we're proud to work with their academics to commission and deliver pivotal research and reports. We also work with students within the School of Law and Social Justice, publishing their outstanding reports.
Theatre Informed Policy Making
April 2026
University of Liverpool
Dr James Organ
Theatre Informed Policy Making is a new, innovative approach to participatory law and policy making. Building on the methodologies of participatory democracy, Theatre for Social Change, and Legislative Theatre, it uses creative methods to enhance the participatory and deliberative process, and increase impact on policy decisions. The film documents the whole project that established Theatre Informed Policy Making as a participatory methodology in its own right, and how it was used to influence Liverpool City Council’s strategic approach to free legal advice. The film explains the aims of our project: 1) to develop the use of theatre and other creative methods within participatory democracy, and 2) to understand and develop the free legal advice ecosystem in Liverpool.
The impact of LASPO on routes to justice
September 2018
University of Liverpool
Dr James Organ and Dr Jennifer Sigafoos
The report reviews and identifies the reality of access to advice for many people following the introduction of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) in 2013.
Following interviews with over 100 people in and around Liverpool facing problems in the areas of family, employment, and welfare benefits law, this research report details the emotional, social, financial, and mental health impacts for people who have attempted to resolve their legal issues without legal aid.
With the changes to Legal Aid brought in under LASPO, those seeking to resolve their legal issues are faced with either paying for legal representation themselves, trying to find free support, or navigating the problem on their own – resulting in considerable impact on people’s access to justice.
Increasing Access to Justice in Liverpool Project: Preliminary Findings
July 2020
University of Liverpool
James Organ, Jennifer Sigafoos, Sophie Wickham, Gordon Dim and Iqra Mazhir
The Access to Justice Project, an innovative partnership based project, was initially funded in 2019 by Liverpool City Council, and worked with the University of Liverpool’s School of Law and Social Justice, and Citizens Advice Liverpool (who won the tender to employ the project’s network development manager).
The report outlines the background to the project, changes that were made to the project delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the project findings to date (July 2020).
Responding to COVID-19 in the Liverpool City Region
October 2020
University of Liverpool
Dr James Organ, Dr Jennifer Sigafoos, Dr Sophie Wickham and Dr Gordon Schenwi-Dim
The Policy Briefing Report outlines the impact of COVID-19 on access to legal advice, particularly highlighting the barriers for people to access advice (including the increase in demand for advice that COVID-19 has resulted in), the need for innovation and collaboration in the delivery of advice, and the need for investment in the advice sector to increase the level of advice available.
Access to Justice: Network Development and Visual representation of advice provision in Liverpool
October 2020
University of Liverpool
Sophie Wickham James Organ Jennifer Sigafoos
As part of the Access to Justice Project (2020 to 2022), the development of an advice network, and the mapping of free legal advice provision in Liverpool were two main project objectives.
Research was undertaken to map the provision (and gaps) of free legal advice in Liverpool, in order to understand the advice ecosystem in Liverpool, and to develop the advice network, ensuring that it is relevant and inclusive.
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