Cardiff Law Students Overturn Murder Conviction

Dec 11, 2014

Written By Billy Sexton, Editor, AllAboutLaw.co.uk

Around 30 students at Cardiff University who were working for the Innocence Project, a form of pro bono work, have overturned a murder conviction.

Dwaine George was jailed in 2002 after Daniel Dale was shot dead. He denied involvement but was found guilty by a jury and was saw his appeal rejected.

Students at Cardiff analysed the case and this resulted in George having his murder conviction overturned. It marks the first success for a university Innocence Project.

Judge Sir Brian Leveson said, “We pay tribute to the work of the Innocence Project and Pro Bono Unit at Cardiff Law School, which took up the appellant’s case and pursued it so diligently.”

Over 30 students have worked on the case since 2006, with several going on to become qualified solicitors. Professor Julie Price said, “It demonstrates that universities are about more than research, and can show public impact from innovative teaching and learning.”

Pro bono work is a popular option for many law students as a means to get work experience before those all-important vacation scheme and training contract applications. And pro bono work doesn’t just stop there, we’ve previously chatted to Slaughter and May and Nabarro about the pro bono work they carry out as a firm.

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