Pro Bono

If you’re researching a career in law, you’ll no doubt be hearing a lot about billable hours; how to track them, maximise them, and (occasionally) survive them. But tucked between the contracts, coffee runs, and client calls is something a little less talked about: pro bono. Of course, this kind of legal work doesn’t come with a price tag, but it can be some of the most impactful work a firm will take on. Pro bono matters can range from fighting for the rights of asylum seekers to climate work and advancing women’s rights. Pro bono work might not boost those infamous billable hours, but it does something arguably more important: it allows lawyers to use their legal skills where they are needed most. So, before you sign on the dotted line, it’s worth asking: what does your future firm do when there’s no financial incentive involved? Below, we pick out a few key examples of the kinds of work on offer and highlight which firms offer them.

Refugee and asylum work

As an opportunity to play a part at what can be an incredibly vulnerable time in people’s lives, refugee and asylum cases carry significant weight. Private client specialists Collyer Bristow, for example, are among those offering pro bono opportunities linked to refugee and asylum support. The firm works closely with Sebby’s Corner, a charity that supports families living in poverty, in temporary accommodation, those who have fled domestic abuse, refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. The firm holds fundraisers, sponsored challenge events, and volunteers at the collection hub, all with the aim to contribute to the charity’s mission - supporting hundreds of families by providing the basic essentials.

Another firm that works on refugee pro bono matters is DLA Piper, who, as part of a refugee family reunion clinic, aids in the process of reuniting family members with those who have sought asylum in the UK. Lawyers at the firm work in teams to help refugees in the UK to bring over their family members by assisting with family reunion applications to the UK Home Office.

Elsewhere, US firm Arnold & Porter works with Kids in Need of Defence UK (KIND UK), a charity that provides free legal advice to undocumented children, young people, and families, helping them make their applications for leave to remain in the UK. The firm doesn’t just play their part and move on either; they continue to assist the families they previously worked with through regular check-ins and offer support through processes such as permission to stay renewals. In one such example, the firm remains in contact with two families three years after the initial success of their applications.

Work with underrepresented communities

Supporting underrepresented communities is another important part of pro bono work for many firms, particularly through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives aimed at creating opportunities and tackling injustice. Firms like Greenberg Traurig, for example, have been involved in initiatives supporting families with children with special educational needs, providing them with access to clear and reliable legal information. The firm is partnered with Support SEND Kids, offering assistance from GT volunteers reviewing and improving AI generated answers to legal questions submitted through the charity’s website.

If LGBTQ+ advocacy is something you’re particularly interested in, McDermott works to help protect online privacy for LGBTQ+ communities. They even partnered with The Trevor Project and LGBT Tech to submit an amicus brief to the California Supreme Court defending the privacy of LGBTQ+ individuals online.

Female-focused work

There is also scope at some firms for female-focused pro bono work. Farrer & Co work closely with EmpowerHER UK, a charity that seeks to empower, support, and connect girls and young women who have experienced the loss of a mother. The firm provides safeguarding legal advice, where volunteers at the firm have assisted with drafting a safeguarding policy for the charity.

If matters focusing on reproductive rights are close to your heart, you may be interested to know that Arnold & Porter has worked with the Centre for Reproductive Rights for many years. The legal organisation takes cases to courts and human rights bodies to protect reproductive health as a basic human right worldwide. The firm recently assisted with a complaint to the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) on behalf of a woman who was denied access to an abortion in Ireland after learning her pregnancy involved a fatal foetal impairment. The firm argued that Ireland’s abortion laws violated her basic human rights by subjecting her to severe mental suffering and anguish. The UN HRC agreed and ruled that the government must implement measures to redress the harm suffered and take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in the future – which ultimately led to a change in the law in the country.  

Death Penalty work

Pro bono work around the death penalty is just one example of a situation where evidence, procedure and safeguards matter enormously. Linklaters is one firm that has been involved with related work supporting death penalty reforms in Kenya. The firm has worked in collaboration with Reprieve, an international human rights NGO, and Lineal, a leading tech company, to support widespread reforms following the landmark Supreme Court ruling. You may be asking, what ruling? Well, in 2017, the Supreme Court of Kenya confirmed that the automatic handling down of a death penalty for crimes such as murder was unconstitutional. However, in 2021, the Supreme Court issued guidelines limiting the application of that decision, excluding certain offences like robbery with violence. As a result, mandatory death sentences continue to be imposed in some cases. Organisations like Reprieve are working to reduce the number of individuals on death row in Kenya.

The human rights charity also works closely with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) on death penalty pro bono matters. Volunteers at the firm undertake research and prepare reports to assist with the NGO’s death penalty projects in various jurisdictions. BCLP highlighted one recent project where the team has monitored media alerts and prepared weekly summary reports for the South Asia team at Reprieve, as well as maintaining a watching brief on the possible resumption of executions in the region.

Why does it matter?

Originally, the term given to free legal work was pro bono publico, meaning, ‘for the public good.’ The above work highlights a different side of law; one rooted in access, equality, and impact. For students exploring their future in the legal sector, it offers a reminder that some of the most meaningful work in law happens outside of billable hours, where support is offered not for profit but for those who need it most. Billable work will always matter of course, and in most cases, it will likely be a firm’s priority. But there is a great deal of sense in choosing a firm that creates room for its lawyers to put their skills to work where they matter most. So, has any of this got you feeling excited about a prospective legal career? Find out more about the firms that offer scope for trainees to get involved here: The True Picture: your path to becoming a solicitor