PROMOTING PRO BONOThe article 'Turn up the volume' rightly applauds the pro bono work carried out by members of the profession (see [2001] Gazette, 26 April, 32).

I am pleased to see that this year there will be recognition of pro bono work done by young solicitors in regions outside London.Your article infers that high-street firms find it difficult to do pro bono work in the current climate.

I suggest this is unfair to high-street solicitors of all ages.Leaving aside the time that many put in at Citizens Advice Bureaux and the like, many other solicitors do voluntary work for their local charities.

Could I suggest that the Law Society might carry out a survey of all solicitors in private practice on this topic? I think the results would be surprising.

The Law Society might even get a good response from the profession.If, as I believe to be the position, more than 50% of the profession indulge (if that is the right term) in pro bono work of some sort in their own locality, the information would enable the Law Society to do much for our image by way of publicity of that fact.Gerald Funnell, Funnell & Perring Solicitors, Hastings, East Sussex