Pro Bono Week 2022: Stepping up for Pro Bono in Wales: Pro Bono Committee for Wales

The newly formed Pro Bono Committee for Wales, Legal News Wales and LawWorks Cymru are collaborating to host the first in-person Pro Bono Week event for Wales in some years, focused on bringing the free legal advice sector, legal professionals and legal practices together.

This is a great chance to get to know what’s going on in the local legal advice area and to ask those already volunteering and leading Pro Bono activity what it’s really like and why and how solicitors, CILEx lawyers and barristers should participate.

We are delighted to announce that the Counsel General for Wales, Mick Antoniw MS, will make opening remarks.

Our panel discussion with a diverse range of speakers will explore:

– What ‘Pro Bono’ looks like post pandemic– what are the opportunities for practitioners in and from Wales and how can you fit these into your busy professional lives

– The business case for Pro Bono: The real-time benefits and value for you, your organisation and, importantly, for local communities in Wales

Speakers

– Dr Ola Olusanya, Veterans Legal Link & Director of Learning and Teaching (Department of Law and Criminology) at Aberystwyth University

– Jonathan Rhys Williams, Solicitor at Watkins & Gunn & volunteer at Cardiff Lawyers Care

– Hussein Said, Consultant, Asylum Justice

– Samuel Bass, Associate Solicitor at Newfields & volunteer at Asylum Justice

– David White, Clinic Support & Development Officer (Wales) at LawWorks Cymru

Panel chaired by Emma Waddingham, Editor, Legal News Wales.

Networking

Our panel dicussion will be followed by informal networking and drinks, with the chance to ask further questions and legal professionals, law clinics, free legal advice centres and charities.

We will also provide signposting to the Pro Bono opportunities and network in Wales.

Registration can be found here

Our Pro Bono Week 2022 event ‘Stepping up in Wales’ will be hosted at The Law Society Wales Office: Capital Tower, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff CF10 3AG.

Our sincere thanks to The Law Society Wales team for their support.

In person only event

Lawyers coming to the rescue: Pro Bono’s role in Global crises: Kings College London Pro Bono Society (For students only)

Every day we hear about tragedies happening all over the world, so how can you help if you choose a career in law? Join our panel event with solicitors, barristers and Pro Bono organisations discussing their projects aiding the Ukraine and Afghanistan Crises, the aftermath of the pandemic, and more. Learn how you can start playing a role now!

This panel event will be followed by networking.

Speakers:

Olivia Clark – Pro Bono Senior Associate, DLA Piper

Raihan Islam – co-founder and co-organiser of Everything Will Be Ukraine

Peter Saban – Associate, Arnold & Porter

Venue: To be confirmed

Registration can be found here

In-person event

Launch of the new Liverpool John Moores University School of Law Legal Advice Centre (Invitation Only)

This event celebrates the opening of the Liverpool John Moores University School of Law’s Legal Advice Centre in its new premises at 15-19 Hardman Street.

The new location for this pro bono service means that we can now advise much larger numbers of staff, students and members of the public. It is a space for the local community to get help accessing justice, and in which we use innovative methods for teaching our law students and conducting research.

Speakers

Dr Tim Nichol, Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Business & Law;

Rachel Stalker, Clinical Legal Education Programme Leader

Venue: 15-19 Hardman Street, Liverpool, L1 9AS

Invitation only

For more information about this event, contact r.stalker@ljmu.ac.uk

Pro Bono Week Events 2022: Cayman Islands Legal Assistance Clinic

The Cayman Islands is taking part in Pro Bono Week with events and communications to showcase the new Cayman Islands Legal Assistance Clinic, and to encourage law students and attorneys to volunteer.

The Clinic represents a cooperative initiative between the Department of Legal Aid, the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association and the Truman Bodden Law School under the direction of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie. The mandate of the clinic is to provide greater access to justice for eligible members of the community through the provision of free (pro bono) legal advice and assistance as a complement to the provision of legal services by the local bar and the formal legal aid system. Students at the Truman Bodden Law School have the opportunity to take part in hands-on legal work for the benefit of the wider community.

For more information about the Cayman Islands Legal Assistance Clinic visit https://cilac.ky

If you are a Cayman attorney and interested in taking part in Pro Bono Week please contact the Facilitators of the Clinic, Darlene Oko Darlene.Oko@judicial.ky and Andrew Perkins Andrew.Perkins@gov.ky

Roundtable to discuss pro bono in the North East

A roundtable meeting convened by Designated Civil Judge Jeremy Hudson and Designated Family Judge Rachel Hudson, to share information on the need for and current delivery of pro bono in Newcastle and the wider North East, and to discuss opportunities and challenges.

Arrival from 5.30pm, coffee & networking

6:00pm roundtable meeting

7.15pm networking over light refreshments

Registration: representatives of the advice sector, pro bono projects, legal profession and law schools are welcome to request invitations – please email tobybrown@southsquare.com

Pro Bono Law Fair: University of Edinburgh Law School FLAC Committee

Pro Bono Week takes place this year from the 7th – 11th of November. There will be events happening throughout this week, but to finish of the week the FLAC Committee will be hosting a Law Fair on Tuesday 8th November in the Moot Court room, Old College.

The Fair will be an opportunity to recognise, learn about and discuss the voluntary contribution of the legal profession in giving free legal help to those in need, as well as a great networking opportunity. With keynote speakers, input from societies, committees and practitioners, it’s a date to save in your calendars!

For more information, contact Rebecca Samaras, Director of Clinical Legal Education and Pro Bono – rebecca.samaras@ed.ac.uk

In person only.

Advocate: Bar Pro Bono Awards 2022 (Invitation only)

The Bar Pro Bono Awards returns for another year and taking place just before Pro Bono Week.

Headline sponsored by LexisNexis, and supported by the Bar Council, these awards are an opportunity to highlight the outstanding commitment to pro bono work by barristers or chambers across England and Wales. This year, there will be nine awards handed out on the night out of the eleven categories.

All nominees, Chambers’ representatives and Chambers Pro Bono Champions are invited to the Awards evening on the 2^nd November.

Contact Amy for queries (ahughes@weareadvocate.org.uk)

Lawyers stepping forward when it matters – An event for young lawyers held in partnership with: LYLG, MTYBA, JLSLA, the YBC and Advocate

Join us, the Middle Temple Young Barristers’ Association (MTYBA), London Young Lawyers Group (LYLG), the Junior London Solicitors Litigation Association (JLSLA), the Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC) and Advocate on Tuesday 08 November between 6.15 – 9pm in The Princes’ Room at Middle Temple for a panel discussion (and hybrid on Zoom), followed by networking and refreshments.

The event will include a keynote address from the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson MP. The panel will share their experience of taking on pro bono both internationally and in the UK in response to crises, and explain more broadly how pro bono can be a beneficial part of the practice of junior solicitors and barristers. We hope this event will be an inspiring and informative event for young lawyers across the professions and hope to see you there!

Speakers

Keynote address: The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson MP
Chair: Nadya Rouben, Senior Associate, DLA Piper
Panellists:
Michael Polak, barrister at Church Court Chambers; Chair, Young Bar Committee
Marion Edge, Pro Bono Counsel at Dechert LLP
Catherine Meredith, Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers
Olivia Clark, Solicitor, DLA Piper

Registration can be found here (in-person is SOLD OUT! Please register for Zoom tickets)

Arrive: 6:15pm

Hybrid on Zoom: (18:30 to 19:30)

Networking: 19:30-21:00

Venue: Hybrid on Zoom (tickets available) and in person (sold out!): Middle Temple Hall (Princes Room), Middle Temple Lane, London, EC4Y 9BT

Welcoming in Pro Bono Week: Breakfast at No5. Barristers’ Chambers, Birmingham

Organisers: Birmingham Law Society Pro Bono Committee in collaboration with No.5 Barristers’ Chambers

Please join us for breakfast networking with an official welcome from Tony McDaid.

The President of the Birmingham Law Society, the Pro Bono Committee and No5 Barristers’ Chambers warmly invite you to an informal breakfast to launch Pro Bono Week 2022 in Birmingham.

Join incoming President Tony McDaid for a breakfast event to bring together our local legal community for a morning of networking and idea sharing for pro bono in the city. This event will be a celebration of the work done by members of our legal community this year, as well as a chance to reflect on the year and look forward to how we can best contribute to access to justice, here in Birmingham and beyond, as the needs in the city evolve..

Speaker: Tony McDaid; President of Birmingham Law Society and CEO and Director of Clerking at No5 Barristers Chambers

In person networking event

Venue: No5 Barristers’ Chambers, Fountain Court, 5 Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham, B4 6DR. In person

Registration link: https://birminghamlawsociety.co.uk/members/book_event.php?event=503

Pro Bono: Taking it to the next level – Slaughter and May with In House Pro Bono Group

Time: 12:30-1:30pm

The first half will run as a hybrid panel speaker event, followed by the second half being an in-person networking opportunity.

In a session aimed at both in-house and private practice lawyers, key speakers will cover the internal mechanics of developing your pro bono programme post launch for greater impact. The first half of the event will host a panel discussion for a virtual and in-person audience. The second half of the event will comprise an in-person networking opportunity to discuss ideas and internal mechanisms of pro bono programmes with other pro bono practitioners. The event is not intended to cover the basics of launching a pro bono programme, but is aimed at those at an intermediary level where pro bono programmes have been set up and you are looking at how to build to the next level.

Speakers: TBC

Registration Details: Please RSVP via email to probono@slaughterandmay.com

Places will need to be booked in advance and will be limited. A waitlist will run in case of oversubscription.

Venue: Slaughter and May offices, One Bunhill Row, EC1Y 8YY