A STUDENT law office is offering students and the public more services after teaming up with the North-Eastern Barristers' Circuit.

Clients of the law office at Northumbria University, in Newcastle, now have access to more than 700 barristers practising in Middlesbrough, Durham, Newcastle, York and Hull.

They will provide free advice and representation in more complex cases.

The bar will also provide a free representation service if cases are fixed for hearing on days when students cannot attend.

The office has also applied for a provisional specialist quality mark from the Legal Services Commission for its advice on housing and employment law. This will allow students at the university to give publicly-funded advice to people with housing and employment problems.

Students will also offer legal advice on consumer and general contractual disputes, criminal injury compensation claims and small personal injury claims.