Turn up the volume

In launching the third Young Solicitors GroupGazette Pro Bono awards, Jonathan Ames discusses pro bono's moral dilemmas.

Have lawyers got something to shout about?The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, may have been successful, through his civil justice reforms, in banishing most Latin terminology from the everyday practice of law.

But the phrase 'pro bono' still flourishes.The free provision of legal advice is an issue that stirs many passions among lawyers.

Indeed, the discussion swirling around the subject has been well aired over the past few weeks in the Gazette.

There are many subtleties and nuances to the arguments, but essentially the debate breaks down like this: a great many lawyers view the provision of pro bono services as a professional, ethical and moral duty.

As highly trained professionals they consider it effectively to be an obligation to give advice, free of charge, to those people in society who are considerably disadvantaged.But within that group there are divisions.

Some suggest that lawyers should be actively encouraged - if not obliged - to contribute pro bono services and that pro bono initiatives should be widely promoted.

Indeed, it is often argued that the promotion of pro bono endeavours by lawyers acts as a forceful riposte to the broadly held public perception that the legal profession is populated by nothing more than 'self-interested fat cats'.

However, others would suggest the issue is more complicated.

For example, could governments - regardless of their political hue - use the increasing provision of pro bono as a tool in any policy of further cutting state-funded legal services? There is also a strongly held view among some that highly-touted pro bono initiatives promote unhelpful dabbling by lawyers inexperienced in areas of social welfare law.

But nonetheless, lawyers in larger law firms and sets of chambers are much better placed to contribute pro bono time than their counterparts in the high street, as the latter have a difficult enough task in the current climate simply keeping their businesses afloat.

And recently, adding to the pot of controversy, it has emerged that the Inland Revenue can take a rather unhelpful approach to VAT and pro bono work.

Some would suggest quite simply that the provision of pro bono services is a matter for each individual lawyer and his conscience.

That tens of thousands of lawyers each year provide many hours of free legal advice to a variety of different sectors of society, but that shouting about that commitment is, to their point of view, almost undignified.

As one correspondent wrote to the Gazette recently: 'Why can't lawyers just get on with whatever pro bono work they want to do, without wasting so much time and effort talking about it?'It is probably fair to say that there is much validity in all those points of view.

There is a segment of society that falls between the stools and is being carved out of any meaningful access to justice.

Those lawyers who provide advice free of charge are all to be commended.

Those who co-ordinate the work and attempt to promote it more widely are all well intentioned and highly committed.

That correspondent to the letters page in the Gazette will now probably heave an exasperated sigh as we launch the third year of the Young Solicitors Group/Gazette Pro Bono Awards.

Many of those providing voluntary advice are younger solicitors and these awards are intended to give them recognition and encouragement.

Last year's winners (see box) provide some inspiring examples of dedication.

Richard Pierce, who is now only two years qualified at Clifford Chance, took the prize for work done by a solicitor at a large firm.

Both he and Clifford Chance are heavily involved with work at two London law centres, in Tooting and Hackney.

Mr Pierce also works with the organisation Foodchain, which provides meals to those housebound by HIV and Aids.

He confirmed that the 1,000 prize money from last year's award would have paid for about 3,000 meals.

In addition, Clifford Chance matched the award, with the money being contributed to the work of the law centres.

Likewise, Philip Cartin from London-based Ewings & Co - who picked up last year's award for work done by a solicitor at a small firm - was able to put the 1,000 prize towards investment in IT at the Youth Action 2000 Law Clinic, based in Anerley and known as Streetwise. Last year's YSG chairwoman, Sara Chandler, now heads the group's pro bono committee.

She says she is 'impressed by the variety of projects that get nominated each year, and the quiet dedication of the volunteers.

It is good news for the community as well as the profession that so many younger members are prepared to volunteer at the beginning of their careers when they have many pressures on them.'This year, 12,000 will go to the various winners.

The money, which will go to the voluntary projects associated with the winners, will be donated, as last year, by Eversheds and the University of Westminster in London.

In addition, a new donor this year will be City firm Ashurst Morris Crisp.

YSG/Gazette Pro Bono AwardsThe YSG/Gazette Pro Bono Awards ceremony will this year be held on 6 July at the Law Society's London headquarters in Chancery Lane.The four main categories are: work done by an individual from a large firm; work done by an individual from a small firm; work done by an individual from in-house either in commerce and industry or local or central government; and work done by a team of solicitors.In addition to the Gazette-sponsored awards, the YSG will also be making awards to six young lawyers from the regions - the north-east, the north-west, the midlands, Wales, the south-west and the south-east.

Those awards will be sponsored by the Law Society's Challenge Fund.Finally, two London local law societies - Holborn and the City - will sponsor an award f or a young solicitor from a firm in that area.

Nominations should be in by 25 May.For additional information on nominations for all the awards, contact Sharon Whittle, tel: 020 7320 5727.

LAST YEAR'S WINNERSRichard Pierce of City firm Clifford Chance took not only the prize for work done from a large firm, but also a special overall award for his outstanding contribution to various voluntary causes.

Primarily, gives time as a co-ordinator and adviser at the organisation Hackney People's Rights in London's east end, and at Wandsworth & Merton Law Centre in the south-west of the capital.

He also volunteers for the human rights organisation, Amnesty International, and for Foodchain, where he provides support for housebound people suffering HIV or Aids.Philip Cartin of south London law firm Ewings won the prize for work done from a small firm.

He volunteers at the Streetwise Law Clinic in Penge as well as for Youth Action 2000, a youth support centre.

He also does work for the Lewisham Irish Centre, St Stephens Roman Catholic Church, and the Shepherd's Bush and St Edmunds' Church.Yagazie Nwaigwe of Harlow Council took the award for work done from a position in central and local government or in-house in commerce and industry.

He volunteers as a duty representative at Woolwich County Court in south-east London, as well as doing work for Plumstead Community Law Centre.A group of 14 solicitors form City firm Simmons & Simmons took the prize for work done by a team.

The S&S lawyers volunteer at the Battersea Legal Advice Centre in south London, where they are responsible for organising and running the evening session.

The team comprises: Chris Barlow, Lisa Cristie, Simon Yates, NadiaAl-Aidarous, Stephanie Luxton, Robert Johnson, James Baird, Harriet Hohler, Louise Buczkiewicz, Camilla Barry, Alex Brown, Nick Metson, Caroline Hunter-Yeats and James Taylor.Belinda Moffat of City firm Ashurst Morris Crisp was awarded the Wig & Pen Prize by the local law societies of Holborn and the City of London.

She represents death row prisoners in the Caribbean and volunteers at the Toynbee Hall Community Law Centre in London's east end.