Publications
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2025). Report of the Pilot Victorian Legal Understanding and Lawyer Use (V-LULU) Survey. Melbourne: Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., McDonald, H.M. & Sandefur, R.L. (2024). The Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS) Volume 3: A New Perspective on Legal Need and Legal Capability. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., McDonald, H.M. & Sandefur, R.L. (2024). The Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS) Volume 2: Understanding and Capability. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., McDonald, H.M. & Sandefur, R.L. (2023). The Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS) Volume 1: Everyday Problems and Legal Need. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Denvir, C., Mant, J., Grant, G., McDonald, H.M. & Balmer, N.J. (2023). Pricing Practice. Exploring Costs in Victorian Legal Services: A Report for the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Kutin, J. J., McDonald, H. M., Balmer, N. J. Hagland, T., & Kennedy, C., & (2022). Working in community legal centres in Victoria. Results from the Community Legal Centres Workforce Project: Building and maintaining a sustainable workforce. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Law Foundation.
Kutin, J. J., McDonald, H. M., Okraglik, J. Hagland, T., Kennedy, C., & Balmer, N. J. (2022). Working in community legal centres in Victoria. Results from the Federation 2020 Workforce Survey. Legal education and becoming a community lawyer. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Law Foundation.
Kutin, J. J., McDonald, H. M., Hagland, T., Kennedy, C., & Balmer, N. J. (2022). Working in community legal centres in Victoria. Results from the Community Legal Centres Workforce Project: COVID-19 experiences and lessons. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Law Foundation.
Kutin, J. J., McDonald, H. M., Hagland, T., Kennedy, C., & Balmer, N. J. (2021). Working in community legal centres in Victoria. Results from the Community Legal Centres Workforce Project: Workforce profile. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Law Foundation.
Denvir, C., Sutherland, C., Selvarajah, A.D., Balmer, N.J., & Pleasence, P. (2021). Access to Online Courts: Exploring the Relationship Between Legal and Digital Capability. Available at SSRN.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Hagland, T., & Denvir, C. (2021) The Perceived Inaccessibility of Courts (PIC) Scale: Measuring Legal Capability. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Hagland, T., & Denvir, C. (2021) The Perceived Inaccessibility of Lawyers (PIL) Scale: Measuring Legal Capability. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Kutin, J., McDonald, H.M., Hagland, T., Kennedy, C., & Balmer, N.J. (2021). Working in Community Legal Centres in Victoria: Results from the Community Legal Centres Workforce Project. Technical Report. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation and Federation of Community Legal Centres.
McDonald, H.M., McRae, C., Balmer, N.J., Hagland, T., & Kennedy, C. (2020) Apples, Oranges and Lemons: The Use and Utility of Administrative Data in the Victorian Legal Assistance Sector. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Hagland, T., & McRae, C. (2019). Law...What is it Good For? How People see the Law, Lawyers and Courts in Australia. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
OECD/Open Society Foundations (2019). Legal Needs Surveys and Access to Justice. OECD Publishing, Paris. (Authors -- Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Chapman, P.)
Forell, S., Wilson, A., Coumarelos, C., Balmer, N., Wei, Z., Karras, M. & Hinton, E. (2019) Data Insights in Civil Justice: New South Wales Supreme Court. Sydney: Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales.
Mokal, R., Balmer, N.J. & Nocilla, A. (2018) Contractualised Distress Resolution in the Shadow of the Law; United Kingdom National Findings. Florence, Italy: Universita Degli Studi Firenze.
Balmer, N.J., & Pleasence, P. (2018). Young People and Legal Problems: Findings from the Legal Problem Resolution Survey, 2014-2015. Cambridge: PPSR.
Balmer, N.J., & Pleasence, P. (2018) Mental Health, Legal Problems and the Impact of Changes to the Legal Aid Scheme: Secondary Analysis of 2014-2015 Legal Problem Resolution Survey Data. Cambridge: PPSR.
Pleasence, P., & Balmer, N.J. (2017). Legal Confidence and Attitudes to Law: Developing Standardised Measures of Legal Capability. Cambridge: PPSR.
Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2017). Legal Confidence and Attitudes to Law: Baseline Measures and Social Patterning. Cambridge: PPSR.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2016). Conducting Legal Need Surveys. Cambridge, PPL.
Moorhead, R., Denvir, C., Sefton, M. & Balmer, N. (2016). The Ethical Capacity of New Advocates. London: UCL Centre for Ethics and Law.
Genn, H. & Balmer, N. (2016) Court of Appeal Time and Motion Data Analysis. London: UCL Judicial Institute.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2015). The Legal Problems of Renters. London: The Legal Education Foundation.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Kenrick, J. and Hagell, A. (2015) Health Inequality and Access to Justice: Young People, Mental Health and Legal Issues. London: Youth Access.
Lee, M., Ellis, J., Balmer, N. & Clancey, G. (2015) Perceptions of Crime and Safety: Survey Design and Implementation. Sydney: Institute of Criminology, University of Sydney.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Denvir, C. (2015). How People Understand and Interact with the Law. London: The Legal Education Foundation.
Paskell, C., Rahim, N., Kerr, J., Jago, N., Keeble, J. & Balmer, N. (2014). Civil Legal Advice Mandatory Gateway. Findings from Interviews with Users. Crown Copyright: Ministry of Justice.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2014). How People Resolve 'Legal' Problems. Cambridge: PPSR/Legal Services Board.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Sandefur, R.L. (2013). Paths to Justice - A Past, Present and Future Roadmap. London: Nuffield Foundation
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2013). In Need of Advice? Findings of a Small Business Legal Need Benchmarking Survey. Cambridge: PPSR, Legal Services Board.
Balmer, N.J. (2013). Civil Justice in England and Wales: Report of Wave 2 of the English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Panel Survey. London: Legal Services Commission
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Moorhead, R. (2013) A Time of Change: Solicitors' Firms in England and Wales. London: Law Society, Legal Services Board and The Ministry of Justice.
Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2012). The Legal Problems and Mental Health Needs of Young Advice Service Users: The Case for Advice. London: Youth Access.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Blackburn, R. & Wainwright, T. (2012). A Framework for Benchmarking Small Business Consumers' need and use of Legal Services. London: Legal Services Board.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Patel, A. Cleary, A., Huskinson, T. & Cotton, T. (2011). Civil Justice in England and Wales: Report of Wave 1 of the English and Welsh Civil and Social Panel Survey. Legal Services Commission and Ipsos-Mori.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2011). Discrimination in England and Wales. Cambridge: PPSR.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2011). Housing Problems in England and Wales: A Report to Shelter. Cambridge: PPSR.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Patel, A. & Denvir, C. (2010). Civil Justice in England and Wales: Report of the 2006-2009 English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Balmer, N.J., Buck, A., Patel, A., Denvir, P. & Pleasence, P. (2010). Knowledge, capability and the experience of rights problems. London: PLENET.
Balmer, N.J., Patel, A., Denvir, C. & Pleasence, P. (2010). Unmanageable Debt and Financial Difficulty in the English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey. London: Money Advice Trust.
Buck, A., Smith, M., Sidaway, J. & Balmer, N.J. (2010). Community Legal Advice Centres: A Survey of Clients in Reception Areas. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Balmer, N.J. & Patel, A. (2009). The Experience of Money and Debt Problems in Rural Areas. London: LSRC.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2009). The Consequences of Rights Problems that Characterise Recession. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Kemp, V. & Balmer, N.J. (2008). Criminal Defence Services: Users' Perspectives. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Tam, T., Buck, A., Smith, M. & Patel, A. (2008). Civil Justice in England and Wales: Report of the 2007 English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey. London: Legal Services Commission.
Tam, T., Christian, J. & Balmer, N.J. (2008) Justice for All? A Study of Those Living on the Brink of Homelessness, Roof, June 2008.
Thomas, C with Balmer, N. (2007). Diversity and fairness in the jury system. Ministry of Justice Research Series 2/07. Crown Copyright.
Buck, A., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2007). Education Implications from the English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey, Annexe to the PLEAS Task Force Report, London: PLEAS Task Force
Balmer, N.J., Tam, T. & Pleasence, P. (2007). Young People and Civil Justice: Findings from the 2004 English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey, London: Youth Access.
Kemp, V., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2007). Crime, Social Exclusion and the Civil Society. London: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Briefing 5/2007.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. &Tam, T. (2007). Civil Justice in England and Wales: Report of the 2006 English and Welsh Civil and Social Justice Survey. London: Legal Services Commission, LSRC Research Paper No. 19.
Pleasence, P., Buck, A., Balmer, N.J. & Williams, K. (2007). A Helping Hand: The Impact of Debt Advice on People's Lives. London: Legal Services Commission.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Buck, A. (2007). Health Professionals as Rights Advisers: Rights Advice and Primary Healthcare Services. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Kemp, V., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2007). The Problems of Everyday Life. Crime and the Civil and Social Justice Survey. London: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.
Thomas, C. with Balmer, N. & Lane, A. (2006). Diversity and the Appointment of Deputy District Judges, London: Commission for Judicial Appointments.
Genn, H., Lever, B., Gray, L. with Balmer, N. and National Centre for Social Research (2006). Tribunals for Diverse Users. DCA Research Series 1/06. Crown Copyright.
Genn, H., Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Buck, A. & O'Grady, A. (2004). Understanding Advice Seeking Behaviour: Further Findings from the LSRC Survey of Justiciable Problems. London: Legal Services Research Centre.
Articles
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Nokes, K. (2025). New Vision for a New Future: Findings from the Pilot Victorian Legal Understanding and Lawyer Use (V-LULU) Survey. Melbourne: Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner.
Balmer, N.J. & McDonald, H.M. (2025). Access to Just This? Eligibility for Legal Aid in Australia and its Implications. Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation.
Denvir, C., Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P. & Hagland, T. (2025). Measuring Perceived (In)accessibility of Courts and Lawyers. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2019). Justice and the capability to function in society. Daedalus, 148(1), 140-149.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2019). Development of a general legal confidence scale: A first implementation of the Rasch measurement model in empirical legal studies. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 16(1), 143-174.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2018). Measuring the accessibility and equality of civil justice. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law. 10(2), 255-294.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Denvir, C. (2018). Why do I need a will anyway? Assessing the impact of a public legal education intervention imbedded in a longitudinal survey. Social Policy and Society.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N. & Denvir, C. (2017). Wrong about rights: Public knowledge of key areas of consumer, housing and employment law in England and Wales. Modern Law Review, 80(5), 836-859.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2017). It's personal: business ownership and the experience of legal problems. Justice Issues, 24.
Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2017). In need of advice: how business owners respond to legal problems. Updating Justice, 54.
Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2017). On the brink: how business owners experience business-related and other legal problems. Updating Justice, 53.
Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2017). From the frying pan to the fire: The impact of businesses' legal problems. Updating Justice, 52.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Sandefur, R.L. (2017). 'The Public's Experience of Law: Large-Scale Surveys of Justiciable Problems and Access to Justice Policy' in L. Sherida-Ferraz (ed) Access to Justice in Brazil, Brasilia: IPEA.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Reimers, S. & Sandefur, R.L. (2016). Apples and oranges: Methodological issues affecting comparative study of the public's experience of justiciable problems. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 13(1), 50-93.
Cleary, A. & Balmer, N.J. (2015). Fit for purpose: The impact of between wave engagement on response to a longitudinal survey. International Journal of Market Research, 57(4), 533-554 (winner of the 2015 IJMR Collaborative Research Award).
Patel, A., Balmer, N.J. & Smith, M. (2014). Geographical barriers to education law advice: access, communications and public legal services in England and Wales. Geographical Journal, 180(3), 211-223.
Denvir, C., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2014). Portal or Pot hole? Exploring how older people use the "information superhighway" for advice relating to problems with a legal dimension. Ageing and Society, 34(4), 670-699.
Balmer, N.J., Denvir, C., Miles, J., Patel, A. & Smith, M. (2013). In scope but out of reach? Examining differences between publicly funded telephone and face-to-face family law advice. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 25 (3), 253-269
Denvir, C., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2013). When legal rights are not a reality: do individuals know their rights and how can we tell? Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 35(1), 139-160.
Miles, J., Balmer, N.J. & Smith, M. (2012). When exceptional is the rule: mental health, family problems and the reform of legal aid in England and Wales. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 24(3), 320-332.
Patel, A., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2012). Debt and Disadvantage: The Experience of Unmanageable Debt and Financial Difficulty in England and Wales. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 36, 556- 565.
Kemp, V., Balmer, N.J., & Pleasence, P. (2012). Whose time is it anyway? Factors associated with duration in police. Criminal Law Review, 10, 735-751.
Balmer, N.J., Smith, M., Denvir, C. & Patel, A. (2012). Just a Phone Call Away: Is Telephone Advice Enough? Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 34(1), 63-85.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2012). Ignorance in Bliss: Modelling Knowledge of Rights in Marriage and Cohabitation. Law and Society Review, 46(2), 297-333.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2012). On the Rocks: Recession-Related Life Problems and Relationship Stability. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 24(1), 39-59.
Denvir, C., Balmer, N.J., and Buck, A. (2012). Informed Citizens? Knowledge of Rights and the Resolution of Civil Justice Problems. Journal of Social Policy, 41(3), 591-614.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Reimers, S. (2011). What Really Drives Advice Seeking Behaviour? Looking Beyond the Subject of Legal Disputes. Onati Socio-Legal Series, 1(6).
Denvir, C., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2011). Surfing the web -- recreation or resource? Exploring the Internet as a rights advice portal for young people in the UK. Interacting with Computers, 23(1), 96- 104.
Kemp, V., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2011). Children, Young People and Requests for Police Station Advice: 25 years on from PACE. Youth Justice, 11(1), 1-19.
Pleasence, P., Kemp, V. & Balmer, N.J. (2011). The Justice Lottery? Police Station Advice 25 Years on From PACE. Criminal Law Review, 13, 3-18.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P. & Buck, A. (2010). Psychiatric Morbidity and People's Experience of and Response to Social Problems Involving Rights. Health and Social Care in the Community, 18(6), 588- 597.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2010). The Audacity of Justice: Recession, Redundancy, Rights and Legal Aid. Social Policy & Society, 9(4), 475-488.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2009). Mental Health and the Experience of Social Problems Involving Rights: Findings from the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 16(1), 123-140.
Miles, J., Pleasence, P. and Balmer, N.J. (2009). The Experience of Relationship Breakdown and Civil Law Problems by People in Different Forms of Relationship. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 21(1), 47-64.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2009). Job Loss, Divorce and Family Disputes. Family Law, 39, 502-505.
Pleasence, P., Balmer N.J. & Tam, T. (2009). Failure to Recall: Indications from the CSJS of the Relative Severity and Incidence of Civil Justice Problems, in Sandefur, R. (ed.) Access to Justice. Bingley: Emerald (Sociology of Crime Law and Deviance series).
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2009). Looking Through the Glass Ceiling: Projecting Women's Future Participation in the Solicitor's Profession in England and Wales. London: Legal Services Commission.
Buck, A., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2008). Do Citizens Know How to Deal with Legal Issues? Journal of Social Policy, 37(4), 661-681.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Buck, A. (2008). The Health Cost of Civil Law Problems: Further Evidence of Links Between Civil Law Problems and Morbidity and the Consequential Use of Health Services. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 5(2), 351-374.
Patel, A., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2008). Geography of Advice Seeking, Geoforum, 39(6), 2084- 2096.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2007). Mental Health and the Experience of Housing Rights Problems. People, Place and Policy, 2(1), 4-16.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2007). Changing Fortunes: Results from a Randomised Control Trial of the Offer of Debt Advice in England and Wales, Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 4(3), 651-674.
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Buck, A., Walker, H. (2006) Worried Sick: The Experience of Debt Problems and their Relationship with Health, Illness and Disability, 5(1) Social Policy and Administration, pp.39-51.
O'Grady, A., Balmer, N.J., Carter, B., Pleasence, P., Buck, A. & Genn, H. (2005). Institutional Racism and Civil Justice. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 28(4), 620-638.
Kemp, V., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2005). Incentivising Disputes: The Role of Public Funding in Private Law Children Cases. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 27(2), 125-141.
Buck, A., Balmer, N.J. & Pleasence, P. (2005). Social Exclusion and Civil Law, The Experience of Civil Justice Problems Among Vulnerable Groups. Social Policy and Administration, 39(3), 302-322.
Kemp, V., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2004). What Drives the Cost of Family Cases? Family Law, 34, 872-876.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., O'Grady, A. & Genn, H. (2004). Civil Law Problems and Morbidity. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 58, 552-557.
Pleasence, P, Balmer, N.J., Buck, A., O'Grady, A., and Genn, H. (2004). Multiple Justiciable Problems: Problem Clusters, Problem Order and Social and Demographic Indicators. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 1, 301-329.
Buck, A., Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., O'Grady, A & Genn, H. (2004). Lone Parents and Civil Law: Their Experience of Problems and Their Advice Seeking Behaviour, Social Policy and Administration, 38(3), 253-269.
O'Grady, A, Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P., Buck, A. & Genn, H. (2004). Disability, Social Exclusion and the Consequential Experience of Justiciable Problems. Disability and Society, 19(3), 259-272.
Pleasence, P., Buck, A., Smith, M., Balmer, N.J. & Patel, A. (2004). Needs Assessment and the Community Legal Service in England and Wales. International Journal of the Legal Profession, 11(3), 213-232.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Genn, H., O'Grady, A. & Buck, A. (2003). The Experience of Clinical Negligence within the General Population. Clinical Risk, 9(6), 211-217.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Maclean, M., Buck, A., O'Grady, A. & Genn, H. (2003). Family Problems: Who Does What and When? Family Law, 33, 822-827.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Maclean, M., Buck, A., O'Grady, A. & Genn, H. (2003). Family Problems: What Happens and to Whom? Family Law, 33, 497-501.
Pleasence, P., Genn, H., Balmer, N.J., Buck, A. & O'Grady, A. (2003). Causes of Action: First Findings of the LSRC Periodic Survey. Journal of Law and Society, 30(1), 11-30.
Books/book chapters
Balmer, N.J., Pleasence, P. & Denvir, C. (2013). 'Knowledge as Power: Public Understanding of Legal Rights and Civil Justice Problem Resolution Strategy' in J. Robins (ed) Waking up to PLE. Public Legal Education, Access to Justice and Closing the Justice Gap. London: Solicitors Journal.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2012). 'Caught in the Middle: Income, Justiciable Problems and the Use of Lawyers' in M. Trebilcock, A. Duggan, and L. Sossin (eds.). Middle Income Access to Justice. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J. & Reimers, S. (2010). Horses for Courses? Advice Seeking and the Stratification of Legal Services, in The Future of Legal Services, Emerging Thinking. London: Legal Service Board.
Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (2009). 'Understanding Advice Seeking Behaviour: Findings from New Zealand and England and Wales' in G Huang (ed). An Empirical Study of the Judicial System. Taiwan: Academia Sinica.
Buck, A., Pleasence, P. & Balmer, N.J. (eds.) (2009). Reaching Further: Innovation, Access and Quality in Legal Services. Norwich: TSO.
Pleasence, P., Buck, A. & Balmer, N.J. (eds.) (2007). Transforming Lives: Law and Social Process. Norwich: TSO.
Pleasence, P., Buck, A., Balmer, N.J., O'Grady, A., Genn, H. & Smith, M. (2004). Causes of Action: Civil Law and Social Justice, First Edition. Norwich: TSO. Also published in Japanese.
Pleasence, P., Balmer, N.J., Buck, A., Smith, M. & Patel, A. (2007). Mounting Problems: Further Evidence of the Social, Economic and Health Consequences of Civil Justice Problems, in Pleasence, P. et al. (eds.) Transforming Lives: Law and Social Process. Norwich: TSO.