Mary Mohan made contact with the then Coolock Law Centre when she was deserted by her husband and left alone with a mortgage and children.
"I was a bag of nerves," she told managing solicitor Colin Daly in an interview about first coming in to the centre, one of a series of interviews that will feature in an exhibition marking its 30th anniversary. "I was received very well, I was counselled."
She was seeking maintenance from her husband and security in the family home.
"Róisín [ Connolly, Colin's predecessor] followed up the maintenance order, and she saw we weren't going to get anywhere," she continued.
"I could prove that the [ financial] help for the family home was money from my family, so she kept going with it until she got the house back for me, and I was able to return to work and get the children through to education."
The centre gave her back her confidence, she said. "I felt very alone when I was left a deserted wife, which was a stigma in those days, and they guided me through everything to give me back my confidence, and I just threw myself into rearing my children."
The case concerning maintenance and the ownership of the family home went on for years, and was eventually successful. She said she went through three solicitors in the centre in the time it took.
Ms Mohan is now a member of Northside Community Law Centre's board. "Róisín asked me would I go on the board as I knew what went on - how [a person] will react going to court, being nervous, when looking for maintenance or your rights. That's how I became involved.
"The centre is a back-up for any man or woman in the community that is vulnerable, that doesn't have the money to go out there and get a solicitor and know their rights."
She said that community representation on the board is very important, especially in ensuring that it is accessible to the larger community.
Mr Tony Kelly is another community director and he is also chairman of the board. He stressed that this involvement from local people helps ease the fear and apprehension many in the community feel when confronted with a legal problem, not knowing where to go.
The board also has co-opted members, brought on for their relevant experience either in the legal world or in relevant areas, like credit unions.
Mr Turlough O'Donnell SC offered to join the panel of barristers serving the free clinics, but found himself co-opted on to the board instead.