National Pro Bono Week begins today with events marking the donation of hundreds of millions of pounds worth of free legal advice over the last 12 months.

Sponsored by the Law Society, Bar Council and Institute of Legal Executives, the NPBW highlights the broad range of pro bono activities undertaken by lawyers from their student days onwards.

This year’s NPBW sees the launch of Life After Law, a programme developed by pro bono charity LawWorks for retired lawyers seeking to continue helping the most vulnerable members of the community.

Law Society president Linda Lee said that solicitors alone last year contributed ‘£437m or around 2% of gross income’ through pro bono work. ‘However, it must be remembered that pro bono is not a replacement for a legal aid system adequately funded by government,’ Lee added.

Bar Council chairman Nicholas Green QC said: ‘The fact that over 2,500 barristers are registered with the Bar Pro Bono Unit emphasises the profession’s commitment to public service.’

Institute of Legal Executives president David McGrady said: ‘Although pro bono is not a substitute for legal aid, we will continue to encourage our lawyers and trainees to embed pro bono into their professional lives to ensure access to justice for all.’

The week will conclude with the 2010 LawWorks student pro bono conference in Birmingham on Saturday.