If you are organising an event whether online or in person, please visit the event planning page or let Mary Dobson Smith know at mary@probonoweek.org.uk
Check out our event ideas and tips page for suggestions of what to do and to see the full list of all events that took place in previous years.
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Pro Bono in Wales: Opportunities for all
November 3, 2020 @ 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
To celebrate Pro Bono Week 2020 and the efforts of all those in the private legal and third sectors offering free legal advice to our local communities, this free online event will mark the achievements of the sector – and, importantly, highlight opportunities for lawyers to get involved in life-changing free legal advice during the pandemic.
As free legal advice clinics have started to reopen and offer support in new ways to communities in Wales – and with some new clinics opening – we thought Pro Bono Week 2020 was an excellent opportunity to showcase how lawyers can get involved – even if they only have the bare minimum of time to give to Pro Bono – and explain the benefits of getting involved, at any stage of your legal career. More on Pro Bono Week 2020 can be found at the foot of this page. #WeDoProBono.
This FREE event is hosted by Legal News Wales, LawWorks Cymru, AltraLaw and The Law Society Wales and will be facilitated via Zoom.
What to expect
My Pro Bono journey in Wales: We’ll hear from lawyers who have significant experience in Pro Bono work but with varied professional backgrounds and at different stages of their career. They’ll share how Pro Bono has enhanced and motivated them, both professionally and personally, and why all lawyers should consider this – at any stage of their career.
How legal advice clinics have fared during the pandemic and opportunities for all lawyers: A panel of Welsh legal advice clinics, charities and LawWorks Cymru will also join us to outline the Pro Bono initiatives and opportunities available to help you on your – or your colleagues’ – Pro Bono journey. This is especially important as there are new and perhaps less known clinics working hard to support local communities in Wales, and they need help.
Not all the opportunities involved clinic support, as LawWorks Cymru will explain. An unexpected outcome of the Coronavirus pandemic is the normalisation of remote support and guidance, which offers time-poor lawyers a way to help, and make a real difference while broadening their experience and skill sets.
Programme
- Welcome from Emma Waddingham, Editor of Legal News Wales
- Nathan Vidini, Founder of AltraLaw introduces our Keynote Speaker: Acting Regional Employment Judge, Sian Davies
- My Pro Bono Journey in Wales:
- Legal Advice Clinic Panel:
- Aberystwyth Uni Veteran’s Clinic: Dr Olaoluwa Olusanya, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Law and Criminology (clinic profile) (speaker profile)
- Swansea Law Clinic: Professor Richard Owen, Legal Studies, Swansea University (clinic profile) (speaker profile)
- Cardiff Lawyers Care: Clive Thomas, Cardiff & District Law Society and Managing Partner, Watkins & Gunn (profile), and The Wallich
- ELIPS (Employment Litigant in Person Support) (scheme profile)
- Rhondda Cynon Taff Citizens Advice: Ashley Comley, CEO (clinic profile)
- Alternative opportunities for Pro Bono in the pandemic: Martin Barnes, Chief Executive, LawWorks, joined by his colleagues Fatima Bhula, Pro Bono Connect, and Matt Hunt, Not-for-Profits Programme.
- Q&A
- Event close (6:45pm)