Our vision
Nobody should live in fear of abuse, yet cuts to legal aid have made accessing legal protection orders impossible for many. Recognising the enormous need for end-to-end representation for victims of domestic abuse, a group of leading law firms have combined their resources to launch the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA).
DARA was founded by Sam Cottman, Director of Pro Bono at Travers Smith. The member firms that comprise DARA are Travers Smith, Debevoise & Plimpton, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Hogan Lovells, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Latham & Watkins, Reed Smith, Slaughter and May, Eversheds Sutherland, DLA Piper and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
DARA represents individuals in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, and Nottingham who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford private representation. DARA offers help, support, and representation from the outset through to the conclusion of court proceedings for those seeking protective injunctions against their abuser. By doing so, DARA provides an invaluable resource to help survivors who might otherwise be at great risk.
DARA sits as one of LawWorks' secondary specialisation projects and takes referrals from the National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) and Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors (FLOWS).
DARA is supervised by leading specialist family law firm, Beck Fitzgerald, under the guidance of Jenny Beck KC (Hon).