I was saddened and surprised to see Terry Procter's letter (see [2005] Gazette, 20 October, 14). Pro bono work is not the sole preserve of the legal profession - plenty of plumbers and others give their time and their skills for free - though not of course to well-heeled persons. Nor do we in the Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG) expect lawyers to provide their services free to those who can afford to pay. And we know that there are many - too many - thousands of people who cannot.

No one forces lawyers to give their expertise on a pro bono basis. They do it for a variety of reasons, such as broadening experience, the feel-good factor, improving their CVs, and helping with a firm's corporate social responsibility policy.


At the SPBG, we try to link people (and organisations) who need and cannot afford legal help with the many thousands of lawyers who want to provide it. All our lawyer volunteers have signed our pro bono protocol, which ensures that all the work they do is covered by their firms' insurance.


For someone in desperate need of the right advice, the disagreement between lawyers and the Department for Constitutional Affairs over the coverage provided by legal aid is hardly helpful. Don't help if you don't want to - but please don't discourage those who do.


Robert Gill, acting chief executive, Solicitors Pro Bono Group, London