Student awards mark the start of pro bono week

The Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith QC, marked the start of national pro bono week last Monday by handing out the Solicitors Pro Bono Group student challenge awards.

The winners were students from the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, who worked with local agencies to create more than 100 volunteering opportunities for law students.

Students Brid Jordan and Kate Borrowdale won a ten-day trip to New York to visit pro bono projects and meet voluntary groups, law firms and law schools.

The runners-up were Bournemouth University students, who developed a pro bono bus initiative which travelled the area dispensing advice.

In third place were students from BPP law school, who set up a mediation centre.

Lord Goldsmith praised the 'overwhelming' numbers of lawyers and students who carried out pro bono work.

Meanwhile, Lord Goldsmith's recently appointed pro bono envoy - former Law Society President Michael Napier - warned the launch event for the week that pro bono work, however important it was, should not be seen as a substitute for publicly funded advice.

Mr Napier, the senior partner of Irwin Mitchell, said: 'Pro bono should always be seen as an adjunct to properly funded free legal advice.'

He added, though, that pro bono work was fast becoming an integral part of many lawyers' lives: 'Recent research by Westminster University has recognised the resurgence of commitment by lawyers to pro bono work, and through my role, I hope to encourage it further.'

Law Society President David McIntosh spoke at the launch of the many different types of pro bono contributions that lawyers and students could make.

'Whether it is a City firm with a meticulously planned pro bono programme or a sole practitioner finding the time to help out, society values all free legal advice work.'

National Pro Bono Week was launched with an exhibition of pro bono projects at the Law Society.

Among the exhibitors were City firms such as Allen & Overy, and charities such as Justice.

Events are being held throughout the country this week to highlight the wide range of pro bono work, encourage more to join in, and connect needy groups with solicitors, barristers and legal executives.

LINKS: www.probonogroup.org.uk

Victoria MacCallum