LATEST NEWS

Bridget Prentice hails students' commitment to pro bono

Pro bono work by law students at home and abroad enhances their legal education as well as bringing massive benefits for the public at large.

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INFORMATION

Welfare Benefits

Benefits and employment law information and links, especially for people with long-term physical or mental health conditions, carers and support workers.

Liberty

Liberty's online guide to human rights law for England and Wales.

RightsNet

LASA's rightsnet website provides support, and information about welfare rights to advice workers. It contains the latest information on legislative changes, policy & caselaw developments and more.

College of Law to donate £1.25m to underprivileged students as new charity law looms

The College of Law is to donate £1.25m over the next five years to widen access to the legal profession by attracting students from less privileged backgrounds, as incoming legislation on charities approaches. The College has teamed up with the educational charity, the Sutton Trust, which will contribute a further £250,000 and will manage the project dubbed ‘pathways to law’.

A4ID

Advocates for International Development(A4ID) works with development organisations and developing countries to facilitate the provision of pro bono legal advice and assistance from leading lawyers, law firms and chambers in the areas of international trade, debt and development.

Law Works Survey

The attached is the third LawWorks report on Pro Bono activity in Law Schools and Universities. Generously supported by international law firm DLA Piper, and devised and overseen by Professor Richard Grimes (Ex College of Law) on behalf of LawWorks the report gives an encouraging picture of the growth of student pro bono activity in England and Wales but highlights the need for more investment.

Lovells steps in to Second Life for pro bono fiesta

Lovells has embraced the power of technology to celebrate Pro Bono Week in cyberspace. From Monday (12 November) and running for a week Lovells will set up a stall in Second Life’s virtual world to mark a decade’s worth of pro bono work at Lovells.

Nominations wanted for Pro Bono Awards

The much anticipated Young Lawyer Pro Bono Awards 2007 have been launched.

The awards recognise projects supported by students and young lawyers, including participation in law centres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.

LPC students, trainee and junior solicitors are eligible to enter the awards. The pro bono work that is entered must have been undertaken between 21 September 2006 and 21 September 2007, which is the closing date for nominations.

The nominations for the awards, now in their ninth year, were opened following an evening of debate at BPP Law School on 7 June

President's Podium: Positive Attitude

Pro bono work is part of being a lawyer. It is a manifestation of that ‘can-do’ attitude once again, but in a social, not an entrepreneurial, setting. In a sometimes segmented profession, it reminds us of our common roots. It is a link between law students (who also make a valued contribution) and senior partners; and there can be no better example of the legal profession working in partnership with the voluntary sector.

Being proactive

Neil Rose sets the scene for National Pro Bono week - which will boast more than 40 events - and explains its role in influencing a new generation of lawyers It is a year of change for National Pro Bono Week, now in its sixth year. Moved from its traditional early June date to mid-November, there will be more than 40 events (compared to 12 in 2002), culminating in the first National Pro Bono Conference.

Solicitors’ pro bono work worth £338m

Private practice solicitors provided £338 million worth of work on a pro bono basis over the past year – around 2% of the profession’s gross fee income, research has estimated. A survey of 1,001 solicitors by the Law Society, timed to coincide with the sixth National Pro Bono Week, found that 51% had conducted pro bono work in the previous 12 months, compared with 45% in a similar survey in 2002. Two-thirds had undertaken pro bono work at some point in the past.

From Guantanamo to Rwanda

It’s the sixth national pro bono week – so who in the City is doing what for whom this year?

Bridget Prentice hails students' commitment to pro bono

Pro bono work by law students at home and abroad enhances their legal education as well as bringing massive benefits for the public at large.

Prime Minister's message

Gordon Brown's letter supporting National Pro Bono Week 2007.

Review Brochure

Pro Bono Matters

The seventh National Pro Bono Week will take place this year between 10 and 15 November 2008, when events across England and Wales will be held to celebrate the range and impact of pro bono activity. If you are planning an event during the week or would like to be involved, please contact kate.walmsley@lawsociety.org.uk

International Lawyers Delegation to Colombia

The Law Society International Division, The City of Westminster and Holborn Law Society, Peace Brigades International, Solicitors International Human RIghts Group, The Bar Human Rights Committee, Justice for Colombia, Human Rights Watch International and ICTUR Have joined to launch a call for lawyers to join an international delegation from as many jurisdictions as possible, to investigate and learn about the situation of human rights lawyers in Colombia and to support them.

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