23rd annual event’s theme this year is ‘The Power of Pro Bono’
The 23rd annual Pro Bono Week takes places next week, providing an opportunity to recognise and support the voluntary contribution made by the legal profession across the UK in giving free legal help to those in need.
It will include a push for Pro Bono Expert Support (PBES), a litigation support service launched during last year’s week that now has four costs firms on board – County Costs Consultants, Kain Knight, Masters Legal Costs and OP Costs Drafting – and the costs team at well-known law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper.
They offer other pro bono lawyers help to obtain pro bono costs orders, and assist with preparing schedules of costs. PBES wants to broaden awareness of the availability of pro bono costs orders, and also encourage more volunteers.
Organisers said that while pro bono was vital to making sure that everyone has access to justice, “it is also a key tool in professional development and wellbeing for lawyers, as well as playing a role in staff recruitment and retention”.
This year’s Pro Bono Week theme is ‘The Power of Pro Bono’, with a focus on three specific topics:
- Barred from justice – the powerful, everyday stories of the impact of lawyers and law students who give their time to protect the rights of those most disadvantaged in society.
- Embedding pro bono in your organisation and career – placing pro bono at the heart of everyone’s practice and hearing from those at the forefront of establishing business structures for pro bono within law firms, chambers, in house, universities and charities.
- How technology can enhance access to justice – existing and new tools to ensure pro bono is innovative and effective.
The official launch event, which for the first time is taking place simultaneously in London and Edinburgh, and can also be watched online, is on Monday 4 November.
The Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC, and the Advocate General for Scotland, Catherine Smith KC, will give keynote speeches and be followed a panel sharing their pro bono life stories. Networking receptions will follow for those attending in person.
Full details of Pro Bono Week, including a calendar of events happening around the country, can be found here.