London human rights firm Bindmans has unveiled what it has described as an ‘industry first’ fund which will allocate 10% of the firm's business client fees to supporting vulnerable people's access to justice.
In an announcement today, the 50-year-old firm said its 10% Social Justice Fund will improve the environmental, social and governance scores of Bindmans’ corporate clients, ‘enhancing their impact across the value chain through socially responsible legal services’.
The firm said the fund forms a ‘key pillar’ of the firm’s new corporate and commercial team, led by partner Gabrielle Plews.
Plews said: ‘When I envisaged this concept, it was with Bindmans in mind. Only a law firm with their vision and ethos could deliver this kind of change to the business world and legal services market.’
In its first year, fund payments will be split between the Access to Justice Foundation, which supports free legal advice, and Just for Kids Law, which provides legal advice and representation to children in the criminal justice system.
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Bindmans was set up in 1974 by human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC (Hon).
Appearing in the Gazette's My Legal Life section in 2013, Bindman said he was concerned about the 'increasing polarisation' between City commercial lawyers and those trying to provide a service to 'ordinary people'.
Bindman wanted to see 'a move towards greater equality within the profession, with those on massive incomes prepared to accept reduced pay cheques to help fund what used to be publicly funded services.
'When you see law centres closing and people unable to get legal aid, those £1m packages in the City are unacceptable. My advice to anyone wanting to become a lawyer is that while there are still opportunities in the commercial sphere where you can earn good money, serving the disadvantaged is becoming economically unviable. A solution to the funding problem must be found'.
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