Pro bono group expands to Wales

The solicitors’ pro bono group LawWorks has been awarded £180,000 of lottery funding to expand its service across Britain and set up LawWorks Cymru in Wales.

The charity heard last week that the Big Lottery Fund will provide the funding over the next three years enabling it to employ two staff to work to raise awareness of pro bono work in Wales and provide support to those offering it. It will also work with the Disability Law Services to give legal help to clients.

LawWorks chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath said the funding is the result of months of hard work and collaboration between a ‘broad coalition’ of stakeholders including the Law Society, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, the bar and Cardiff Law School.

She said the initiative is a response to the perception of a shortfall in legal services in Wales and a desire by the third sector and law firms for more pro bono support. ‘We will be working as soon as possible to make the project a reality and hope to set up a pilot that will lead to a sustainable project,’ she said.