Changes in pro bono work

Demand for pro bono work is increasing, according to the latest report from LawWorks, the solicitors’ national pro bono charity.

In the year to March 2016, clinics in the LawWorks Clinics Network responded to more than 53,000 enquiries, a 24% increase on the previous year. However, legal professionals have stepped up to the challenge—the clinics were staffed by more than 4,800 volunteers, a 5% increase on the previous year. More than 35,000 clients received legal advice as a clinic (25% more than the previous year), while a further 11,000 clients were given general information or referred to other services.

Family law overtook employment and housing law to become the most common area in which advice is provided. There was also a notable growth in asylum and immigration advice.

Martin Barnes, LawWorks CEO, said: “While pro bono is not an alternative to legal aid, a growing network of local clinics make a positive difference for thousands of people who would otherwise struggle to access advice and support. A legal problem does not have to be complex to be potentially life changing or to be daunting. Not every legal problem can be solved or solved satisfactorily, but the advice pro bono clinics provide can improve lives for the better.”