Mishcon de Reya Pro-Bono Week Panel

Are you curious about the impact of pro bono work and the motivations behind it? Join us for a panel discussion featuring Mishcon lawyers. This event will explore why they dedicate their time and expertise to pro bono work, the projects and cases they undertake, and share impactful stories from their experiences.

 

Don’t miss the chance to understand the significant contributions of Mishcon de Reya’s lawyers and the transformative effect of pro bono work. This event is suited for legal professionals and anyone interested in social justice, offering a glimpse into the rewarding world of legal philanthropy.

Internal event only.

Major Incidents Response Plan Pro Bono Event (Private Session) – The Law Society in partnership with Law Works

In celebration of Pro Bono Week, LawWorks – in partnership with The Law Society – will be holding a private roundtable discussion to discuss our Major Incidents Response Plan on Tuesday 5 November.

 

The discussion will take place in person at Clyde & Co LLP.

 

The Major Incidents Response Plan is a centralised online platform to help coordinate pro bono advice from the legal profession in the event of a major incident. Following on from a useful and informative roundtable last year, this year we will be focusing on practical examples from the past where pro bono work has been utilised to support the victims of Major Incidents, and what this tells us for the future. We will have representatives from the Law Society, LawWorks, stakeholders and our legal panellists to consider the issues raised and ongoing scenario planning in the event of a qualifying major incident.

Private event by invitation only

Increasing Pro Bono Reach: Remote advice and bridging barriers to justice (Slaughter and May, Clifford Chance, Covington & Burling and the Legal Advice Centre (University House)

Join Slaughter and May, Clifford Chance and Covington & Burling for a session with one of the oldest free legal advice agencies in London, the Legal Advice Centre (University House) focussing on the potentials for increasing the reach of remote specialist legal advice services.

 

Our panel of speakers, including practitioners at the Legal Advice Centre, will give insight into how they provide their specialist legal advice across a diverse range of areas to support individuals who would otherwise have limited resources. We will learn about how the Centre’s successful remote model enables them to increase their reach and provide expert legal advice to individuals in need and this may be applicable to you, whether you are an advice provider, a funder or a pro bono volunteer.

 

Please join us in-person or virtually to find out more and ask any questions you may have. For those attending in-person there will be a chance to network over breakfast starting at 09:00.

Location: Slaughter and May, 1 Bunhill, EC1Y 8YY

 

To register for this event, please RSVP here

Coram Chamber’s Takeover of Dads House Family Law Clinic (Day 2)

In collaboration with Coram Chambers we are doing an exciting event, the Coram Chamber’s Takeover of Dads House Family Law Clinic on Wednesday the 6th and 8th of November. Dad’s House are proud to run this event in its second year running!

 

During pro bono week we will have a different barrister for each client appointment at Dads House Family Law Clinic, where we advise single parents going through the family court with private child proceedings.

 

This means we will have six barristers providing over 6 hours worth of pro bono advice. This amounts to £1,600.00 worth of pro bono advice in just six hours! We have a range of practitioners ranging from Alison Easton, Coram Chamber’s joint head of Chambers, Dr Bianca Jackson and a junior barrister Hannah Whitehouse who is only 2019 call.

 

The full list of barristers advising during the pro bono takeover is: Alison Easton (Joint Head of Chambers), Ramajit Kang, Dr Bianca Jackson, Sharin Diegan, Sophie Kay and Hannah Whitehouse.

 

This event is invitation only.

Coram Chamber’s Takeover of Dads House Family Law Clinic – (Day 1)

In collaboration with Coram Chambers we are doing an exciting event, the Coram Chamber’s Takeover of Dads House Family Law Clinic on Wednesday the 6th and 8th of November. Dad’s House are proud to run this event in its second year running!

 

During pro bono week we will have a different barrister for each client appointment at Dads House Family Law Clinic, where we advise single parents going through the family court with private child proceedings.

 

This means we will have six barristers providing over 6 hours worth of pro bono advice. This amounts to £1,600.00 worth of pro bono advice in just six hours! We have a range of practitioners ranging from Alison Easton, Coram Chamber’s joint head of Chambers, Dr Bianca Jackson and a junior barrister Hannah Whitehouse who is only 2019 call.

 

The full list of barristers advising during the pro bono takeover is: Alison Easton (Joint Head of Chambers), Ramajit Kang, Dr Bianca Jackson, Sharin Diegan, Sophie Kay and Hannah Whitehouse.

 

This event is invitation only.

Accelerating Climate Action Through Pro Bono – A4ID

A4ID are proud to present an online Panel on 15 November (Climate Law and Governance Day) on “Accelerating Climate Action Through Pro Bono”, which emphasises the critical role lawyers can play within the climate justice agenda.

It will explore how the global legal community can bring about the large-scale transformations needed across all countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change, examining the various ways legal actors around the world can work with civil society to catalyse action, enhance transparency, and strengthen enforcement and accountability on climate action.

Panellists include:

Will Hooker –  Alston & Bird

Jake White – WWF UK

Roger Leese  – Clifford Chance

David Shipton – Global Witness

Pricila Aquino – Environmental Defender Law Centre

Elizabeth Wu – Client Earth (Chair)

 

Registration, including venue and timings of the event to follow.

MPs, Your Casework and Your Constituents – Take Your MP to Work – LAPG

Welcome to MPs, Your Casework and Your Constituents – Take Your MP to Work! Join us at the Commonwealth Room, Westminster Hall for an event celebrating the launch of the Take Your MP to Work Campaign and Pro Bono Week. Organised by Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Migrants Organise and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, speakers will include Andy Slaughter MP, Tony Vaughan MP, and Bell Riberio-Addy MP.

Resources will also be available on behalf of the APPG Access to Justice including:

  • A Guide to Pro Bono in England and Wales, and an update on Pro Bono
  • A Guide to MP Casework, produced by the APPG
  • Justice’s Law for Lawmakers

This event is an in person event only. Essential registration can be completed at the following link:

MPs, Your Casework and Your Constituents – Take Your MP to Work Tickets, Mon 4 Nov 2024 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

If you have any questions, please contact frances@migrantsorgansise.org or rohini.jana@lapg.co.uk.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Celebrating a year of Pro Bono Expert Support

Hosted by the National Pro Bono Centre at the IDRC, in collaboration with Pro Bono Connect and the Access to Justice Foundation.

Expert Support Breakfast, Wednesday 6th November, 8.30am registration for 9am start; 9- 9.45am – summary of year and speakers; 9.45-10.30am optional networking over breakfast.

We are delighted to invite you to join Pro Bono Expert Support for breakfast to soft launch the new Pro Bono Costs Order branch, delivered in partnership with the Access to Justice Foundation. Focusing on Pro Bono Week 2024 theme “the power of pro bono”, we’ll showcase innovative examples of the power of partnership working, celebrating strong outcomes and showing partnership working at its finest.

You will hear examples of partnership working with the litigation support sector throughout the past year, in addition to how Pro Bono Cost Orders benefit the free legal advice sector.

After a short panel we’ll gather for a buffet breakfast with the opportunity to network with Pro Bono Connect member firms, chambers, Expert Support companies and colleagues from across pro bono and litigation.

We are very grateful to the International Dispute Resolution Centre for hosting the Pro Bono Expert Support Breakfast.

Any questions relating to the Pro Bono Expert Support Scheme please email esherratt@nationalprobonocentre.org.uk

Hybrid event.

Registration link can be found here – Celebrating a year of Pro Bono Expert Support Tickets, Wed, Nov 6, 2024 at 8:30 AM | Eventbrite

Supporting & Empowering Clients in Distress

Join this unique hybrid panel event taking place during Pro Bono Week 2024 hosted by the National Pro Bono Centre, in collaboration with LawWorks and Advocate. Listen to our inspirational speakers share their personal journeys on supporting and empowering vulnerable clients including adapting ways of communicating with clients in distress and trauma informed lawyering, wellbeing strategies and boundary setting. We are delighted that Rebecca Wilkie, CEO of Advocate, will be moderating the event.

Registration and welcome drink from 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The panel discussion will run from 7-8pm with Q&As to round off followed by a valuable opportunity for networking over drinks and nibbles, finishing by 9pm.

We are very grateful to Sidley Austin for hosting this event.

Online attendees will be emailed a link to join the event nearer the time.

Speakers:

  • District Judge Lynda Nightingale
  • Ollie Persey, Barrister
  • Rebecca Norris, Barrister, Co-founder of Trauma Informed Law
  • Naga Kandiah, Solicitor
  • Louise McCarthy, Pro Bono Counsel

Any questions please email wendy@probonoweek.org.uk or Emily esherratt@nationalprobonocentre.org.uk

Meet the speakers

Lynda Nightingale

Lynda started her career with a City Law firm. As a newly qualified solicitor she established the firm’s first pro bono advice scheme, working with a Law Centre to set up an evening advice surgery to assist those struggling to get free legal help. Social welfare law lured Lynda away from the corporate world and she spent fifteen years working as a housing solicitor, firstly in a high street legal aid practice and then in a law centre. Lynda became a deputy district judge in 2003 and a full-time district judge in 2008. Lynda now spends her days hearing cases in the county and family court in Guildford, seeing, on a daily basis, litigants who have had no access to legal advice, who have no representation or support and many of whom are very vulnerable. She has worked as a course tutor for the Judicial College producing the first training module for judges in ‘open justice’ focussing on the needs of litigants in person. Lynda is the litigant in person liaison judge for Surrey.

Naga Kandiah

Naga Kandiah is a solicitor specialising in immigration and human rights law. Known for his tireless dedication to promoting human rights and advocating for migrant communities, he has received numerous accolades for his work. He often takes on complex pro bono cases, representing vulnerable clients, such as survivors of domestic violence and descendants of Windrush migrants. His commitment to his clients and the protection of their rights is evident in his hands-on approach, going above and beyond to achieve positive outcomes. His passion for justice and equality continues to drive his legal practice, making a significant impact in his field.

Louise McCarthy, Pro Bono Counsel, Sidley Austin LLP

Louise McCarthy is a Pro Bono Counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, based in the firm’s London office. Sidley’s pro bono program in London focuses on tackling barriers to access to justice, and volunteers participate in several access to justice projects which aim to bridge the gap that is continually widening for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Louise was previously an associate in the London office’s litigation practice, during which time she oversaw the welfare benefits appeals project, and she continues to work on these cases as part of her now full time pro bono practice.

Oliver Persey, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers

Ollie is a public law and human rights barrister at Garden Court Chambers. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Ollie won the Legal Aid Newcomer Award at the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) Awards 2024, and was a finalist for a ‘Junior of the Year’ award at the Legal 500 Awards 2022 for his work in his core practice areas. He is a member of the Equality & Human Rights Commission’s panel of preferred counsel.

Rebecca Norris, Coach, Consultant, Barrister, Co-founder, Trauma Informed Law

Rebecca is a certified coach, consultant and practising barrister. She specialises in training and supporting individuals, teams and businesses navigating trauma, distress, heightened emotions and overwhelm in connection with the legal system. With over 14 years of London-based legal experience, she has diverse experiences of supporting vulnerable clients – ranging from working in prisons with complex trauma-based behaviours to advising board-level commercial executives on the cusp of burnout. She has observed, and experienced, the profound impact that pressure, overwhelm, and trauma can cause, both personally and professionally. She is passionate about the need for trauma-informed practice in order to advance the safety and integrity of our legal system. Rebecca runs Coyra Coaching (coyra.co.uk) and co-founded Trauma Informed Law (traumainformedlaw.co.uk). Please visit the websites for further details of support available within all legal practice areas.

18:30 – 19:00 – Registration

19:00 – 20:00 – Panel discussion and Q&A

20:00 – 21:00 – Networking, drinks and nibbles

Hybrid event.

Registration for this event can be found here – Supporting & Empowering Clients in Distress Tickets, Thu, Nov 7, 2024 at 6:30 PM | Eventbrite

XXIV Old Buildings – Chambers seminar with Advocate

Advocate caseworkers will be delivering a short presentation about how and why to take on pro bono work, and how it can help with practice development and silk applications. Clerks and members invited to attend, from all levels.

Internal only event.