The Scottish Association of Law Centres (SALC) is the national body for the not-for-profit legal sector in Scotland, and in particular, for community-based law centres across Scotland.

We are an independent group, established to support our members to ensure the provision of free and accessible legal and related services to people, and communities, especially those who are marginalised and excluded, and who experience discrimination and disadvantage.

Our members are law centres based on communities of geography and location, as well as not-for-profit legal practices that focus on communities of interest.

We strive to be leaders in good practice, to advocate for justice and the promotion and protection of human rights, to respond effectively to the needs of the not-for-profit legal sector and to maintain and strengthen the collaborative networks that allow us to continue to provide holistic support our communities.

We Aim To

  • Advance and secure the interests of a thriving community legal sector in Scotland. 
  • Promote equal access to justice for everybody in Scotland. 
  • Strive to ensure that geographic/sectoral/structural areas of unmet public legal need in Scotland are provided for by SALC members or partners. 

Our Values 

Fairness: We believe in equity, social justice and human rights and work towards alleviating systemic disadvantage across the sector. 

Leadership: We work with our Members to build a strong, independent and innovative community legal sector. 

Collegiality: We assist and enhance the capacity of our Members and individual community legal centres and support their independence and autonomy. 

Collaboration: We build quality relationships to leverage combined resources, expertise, and knowledge for the benefit of organisations and communities that we collectively serve. 

What We Do

Advocate for the resources the community legal sector needs to provide essential legal services across Scotland on a broad range of legal issues. 

Strengthen our communities by enhanced collaboration between the legal sector and community members and stakeholders

Facilitate and support our members to build and maintain high quality and sustainable models for providing legal services. 

Take collective leadership role in ensuring the progressive development of the law, in particular on social justice issues that impact our communities. 

Affirm and adhere to the principles of human rights, equality, and fair representation.