The national Pro-Bono Launch took centre stage on November 3rd, hosted courtesy of Simmons and Simmons. This event brought together various legal professions committed to promoting access to justice and strengthening the culture of pro bono work nationwide. This year’s theme, ‘Pro Bono in action’ celebrates how lawyers, law firms, and legal organisations are actively applying their skills to help the more vulnerable individuals and communities who otherwise cannot afford legal services. The theme marks a shift in focus, moving away from the discussions and progressing onto the tangible impact that can come out of pro bono. With a diverse line up of panelists, there is a show of how to contribute to pro bono work at different angles and at different areas of law:

• The Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, the Attorney General
• Lord Goldsmith KC, London Co-managing Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton, former Attorney General, Chair, LawWorks
• Nic Hart, London Managing Partner, Duane Morris
• Hannah Whitehouse, Barrister, Coram Chambers
• Matthew Gingell, General Counsel, Oxygen House; Chair, Chancery Lane Project

Lord Hermer addresses the keynote with an emphasis on how pro bono is actually situated at the heart of law, it is the “life blood” of the profession. A reminder of what it truly means to be a lawyer. For at its core, the law exists to serve everyone, no matter who they are. When individuals cannot afford legal services, a gap emerges in which access to justice is effectively denied. Here, individuals remain without recourse and injustices persist. The practice of pro bono, in fact, stands as a living testament to the rule of law.

“The law at its best belongs to everyone” – Lord Hermer KC

The different approaches to pro bono

Lord Goldsmith has been a great contributor being the founder of Advocate, the Bar’s national pro bono charity. His work focuses on not doing pro bono directly but rather structuring it so that other lawyers can contribute.

He found that there was not a lack of interest nor a lack of willingness within lawyers to practice pro bono. Instead lawyers did not know where to get cases and they did not want to be swamped with pro bono cases. Upon this realization, Lord Goldsmith took a leadership role in being the founder of Advocate which has rapidly grown from the 250 applicants seeking legal aid in 1996 to the 3,000 applicants by 2024. Celebrating their 30th year in 2026 with over 4,500 volunteer barristers,  the organisation has made a profound life changing impact.

Exhibiting their commitment towards pro bono work, panelists shared how they first got involved in pro bono and their personal approaches toward promoting it. Nic Hart is the managing partner at Duane Morris London office, where pro bono work is structured and proactive with associates being encouraged to contribute. Hart’s approach draws on lawyers’ competitive nature by setting a “pro bono playoffs” competition. According to him, this has proven to be effective and has created a friendly competitive atmosphere with the goal of undertaking and completing pro bono cases.

Going into the discussion of what motivates these lawyers, Matthew Gingell recalls a conversation with his young daughter where he finds himself unable to explain his corporate commercial role. Realising he had the skills, knowledge, and training in a profession that had the ability to make a difference, he became involved in pro bono. He is now the general counsel Oxygen House which works towards a sustainable future.

For Hannah Whitehouse, a barrister at Coram Chambers, her biggest motivator was access to justice. In the discourse of creating engagement with  pro bono, there is a tendency to gravitate towards the ‘sexy, glamourous cases’, as in cases that are reported on and sparks public interest. However, pro bono encompasses a far broader range of legal issues, like that of ordinary people in their day to day life “who have plumbing problems, problems accessing medical attention, or problems with their schools.” The need for pro bono is extensive across all areas of law and for that reason, engagement with pro bono does not always necessitate top lawyers, it is accessible to lawyers at every stage of their careers, including students.

If you are reading this article as a student or as a young lawyer, let it encourage you to see that there are countless opportunities to make meaningful contributions through pro bono work.

Michelle Sin is currently a second year LLB student at The City Law School. She is an aspiring barrister, aiming to specialise in international human rights law. Being from Myanmar, she is committed to advancing legal discourse through a distinct lens shaped by her background and a deep awareness of global human rights challenges. Michelle is a member of this year’s Lawbore Journalist Team.