1,000 volunteers sought as DLA unveils memorial

City firm DLA is to set up a memorial fund jointly with the Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG) in a bid to recruit 1,000 volunteers...City firm DLA is to set up a memorial fund jointly with the Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG) in a bid to recruit 1,000 volunteers over the next three years.The Paul Nicholls Memorial Foundation named after the former DLA managing partner who died in the City office last October was initiated last week with 20,000 donated by DLA, SPBG and an anonymous private donor.

It will enable a full-time employee based at the SPBG to start a recruitment drive for 1,000 volunteer lawyers over the next three years, and highlight worthy community projects for pro bono.

An annual DLA Paul Nicholls Memorial Foundation award will also be made each year to the pro bono community project that achieves the most in terms of lifestyle, facilities and services from the community.

DLA senior partner Roger Lane-Smith said: If each volunteer takes on just one small project a year over the next three years and devotes only five hours of work per year, it will provide 15,000 hours of lawyers time.

Costed at a reasonable figure, this will mean 2 million of free legal advice to deserving community groups, making a real difference to the lives of many people.Jeremy fleming