Law Works set to expand

Pro Bono: solicitors extend group's work to the midlands as first stage of national campaign

The Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG) is extending its operations to the midlands, with a view to further nationwide expansion within the next year.Law Works, the SPBG's partnership with the Law Centres Federation - aiming to to promote partnership between law firms and law centres - is this week being launched in Birmingham with a reception at the offices of Pinsent Curtis Biddle.

The Birmingham offshoot intends to replicate the work currently being done by the London branch of Law Works, launched in June 2000 by the Lord Chancellor.

This includes the ongoing development of Law Works Web, which will eventually deliver on-line legal advice and representation.Claire Gardiner, the Law Works project manager at the SPBG, said: 'There is a lot of pro bono work currently going on in Birmingham on an ad hoc basis, and we are testing the water, trying to bring the different projects together and ensuring that all firms know about the pro bono opportunities available to them in the area.'Birmingham firms such as Pinsent Curtis Biddle and Wragge & Co have appointed pro bono officers, and Ms Gardiner hopes that the launch will act as a trigger for more firms to become involved.'Birmingham's circumstances are very different from London's - for example, London has 30 law centres where Birmingham has one - and the expansion will not happen overnight, but we are very excited and confident about the future growth of a pro bono culture.'Birmingham is the first step in the SPBG's plans to become a nationwide force.

An awareness-raising event is being held at the Tate gallery in Liverpool later this month, and a meeting with law firms in Cardiff has been arranged for April.'Birmingham is the first step in our ongoing project to spread the pro bono culture out of London as far as possible and as quickly as possible,' said Ms Gardiner.

The Law Society and the SPBG have teamed up to launch a national pro bono week from 7-13 June.l For more information contact the SPBG, tel: 020 7929 5601.

Victoria MacCallum