A legal problem is never as simple as it sounds. A housing dispute, a benefits appeal or an employment claim can leave someone’s whole future hanging in the balance, and for many people, working out where to turn next is the hardest part. That is where pro bono lawyers step in.
As a barrister, and later as an MP and Chair of the Justice Select Committee, I have seen first-hand the pressures facing our justice system. Similarly, at the same time I have seen the commitment of lawyers who give their time freely to help others. They do it not because they have to, but because they want to make a difference to people’s lives.
That commitment is what we celebrate this week, as Pro Bono Week marks its 25th anniversary. It grew out of a small committee set up by the then Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, to make pro bono matter more. Twenty-five years on, it has become a UK-wide celebration of free legal help, bringing together City law firms, high street solicitors, barristers’ chambers, charities and university law clinics. As Solicitor General, I now chair the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee.
Pro bono takes many forms. In Sheffield, volunteer lawyers from the international law firm CMS are giving their time to Harmony Works, a charity creating a permanent home for music education in a long-empty heritage building. They helped set up the charity, advised on funding and worked through the property and heritage issues. The charity’s project director says it would never have got off the ground without them.
The scale of pro bono work is considerable. Last year, clinics in the LawWorks network, a charity that connects volunteer lawyers, supported 81,743 people through advice, information and referrals.
This year, the Pro Bono Recognition List named 5,550 lawyers for providing at least 25 hours of free legal assistance. For the first time, recognition also extended to 1,881 law students who contributed at least 25 hours through university clinics and similar programmes. Combined, that represents a remarkable commitment of time and expertise to helping others.
Pro bono can change the course of a life. Take the example of a woman who escaped the war in Ukraine with her young child, only to find herself trapped in an abusive marriage, far from support and unsure of her rights. A volunteer family solicitor, working through the charity FLAG DV, which gives free legal advice to people affected by domestic abuse, gave her time and clear advice, and helped her to leave. That is the power of pro bono.
It represents an extraordinary contribution of public service. We know how invaluable pro bono legal advice is, and we should congratulate and celebrate all of those lawyers across the country who take the time to provide it.
The 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week should be more than just reflecting on the last 25 years and the incredible contributions and support pro bono provides. We should also make sure to use this time to look ahead, and how we can encourage the next generation of lawyers and firms to get involved, so that pro bono can continue to reach the people who need it most.
So this week, I want to say thank you to the solicitors and barristers who give up their time, to the students taking their first steps in the profession, and to the charities, universities and volunteers who make this work possible.
Legal advice should not only be available to those who can afford it. Through the generosity of thousands of people across the legal profession, you are helping to make that a reality.
Andy Slaughter MP, Solicitor General
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