Law graduate leaves a legacy of helping domestic abuse survivors

Chloe Lewis, who will graduate from the University later this year with a Law degree, acted as a student project manager for the Reach Out to Survivors: Domestic Abuse project. She won the University’s Volunteer of the Year award 2025 for her work in this role. 

The work by Chloe and the Law students also won the prestigious national LawWorks and Attorney General's Student Pro Bono Award at the House of Lords for Best New Pro Bono Activity 2024 and the project was shortlisted for the 2025 LexisNexis Legal Awards, held to celebrate the remarkable achievements of those making a difference in the legal field. 

The University of Chester Law School operates several student-run pro bono projects under the umbrella of Chester Community Law Project (CCLP). Each ‘Reach Out’ project is led by a student project manager and operated by student volunteers from the undergraduate Law degree. 

Chloe credits her experience in this role in helping her land her first job in the Law field as a medical negligence paralegal. 

The Reach out to Survivors project provides legal support to survivors of domestic abuse in the Chester area. Students attend weekly open access groups for women run by Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) from Cheshire West and Chester Domestic Abuse Intervention and Prevention Service. They provide on-the-spot legal information, guidance and moral support to attendees needing assistance because of being in an abusive relationship. 

Chloe worked with Associate Professor of Active Citizenship, Andy Todd on the project as well as her fellow students. 

She said: “My time as project manager has been one of the most rewarding and impactful aspects of my university journey. I first applied for the role in my first year when Andy introduced the opportunity and I was very fortunate to remain in the position until the end of my degree. I started my role by attending open access sessions run by Cheshire West and Chester IDVAs, supporting both women and men who had experienced domestic abuse. I continued to attend these sessions throughout my three years as project manager and they quickly became something I looked forward to each week. I was always made to feel welcome and the experience gave me invaluable skills from developing confidence in public speaking to learning how to engage sensitively with individuals who have faced significant trauma. These skills now directly support me in my current role as a medical negligence paralegal. 

“Another highlight was leading a team of student volunteers in creating accessible information sheets and leaflets to support survivors. These resources explained legal orders, pathways to accessing help and the processes of obtaining legal assistance which are not always easily found online. The materials were used in open access sessions across Cheshire and we were very grateful to be able to prepare a presentation on legal order for Tomorrow’s Women, a local charity supporting women aged 18 and over. 

“Through our volunteering we were given the opportunity to take part in trauma-informed training and events such as White Ribbon Day, campaigning against violence towards women and girls. We have also been incredibly honoured to have been nominated for awards by our extremely supportive tutors Andy Todd and Megan Cowan every year that the project has been running. A particular highlight was accepting the LawWorks and Attorney General’s Award for Best New Pro Bono Project 2024, a truly memorable experience marked by a ceremony in the House of Lords.” 

Chloe chose the University after working in a bar in Chester city centre and loved the city. She said the supportive nature of the Law team made her feel reassured as she returned to study in her mid-20s.  

She said: “My time at Chester has given me access to so many incredible opportunities and I have always felt encouraged and supported in everything I have chosen to pursue. 

“All of the experiences I have had and the support I have been given has helped me through my degree feeling more confident and prouder of my abilities than I ever thought possible.”   

Andy said: “Chloe managed a team of nine students driven by a desire to empower those experiencing domestic abuse. She has built this project from a standing start to a thriving project providing a suite of support interventions to survivors of domestic abuse across Chester and the wider region. 

“Without Chloe, the hundreds of survivors who have been assisted would not have had the benefit of legal guidance and support and the project would not be in the strong position it currently is. Chloe is leaving a significant legacy as she graduates this year, but leaves behind her a strong, well-established project with well trained volunteers to take up the mantle and continue her good work into the future.”