header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
13 September 2024 / Clare Hughes-Williams , Sharon Glynn
Issue: 8085 / Categories: Features , Profession , Pro Bono
printer mail-detail

Pro bono: fee-free, but not claim-free

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
188813
Clare Hughes-Williams & Sharon Glynn on why lawyers should treat pro bono work & paid work equally
  • Unpaid work comes with the same liabilities as fee-paying work, as highlighted in a number of cases involving pro bono.
  • Sets out the steps lawyers should take when carrying out pro bono work.

Pro bono work is becoming a significant part of law firms’ practices, with some firms recording up to 80 hours per year per UK lawyer. It plays an important role in the value that law firms provide to their communities and their clients, and it is an issue that their employees also regard as important. But what is it?

The Law Society defines pro bono work as ‘legal advice or representation provided free of charge by legal professionals in the public interest. This can be to individuals, charities or community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal help and cannot get… any other… funding.’ This area has continued to evolve and grow, however, and retired partners

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

Commercial property and child law teams expand with senior hires

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Set expands London and Singapore offering with senior international disputes hires

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Firm strengthens real estate and litigation teams with partner promotions

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Uber’s legal shield faces scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic
Uber has built a formidable strategy for insulating itself from liability for drivers’ conduct, but the legal terrain differs sharply between the US and England and Wales
NLJ this week: Is it finally time to scrap Part III?
The Civil Justice Council’s review of Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974 could mark the end of what one commentator calls an ‘outdated’ and overly technical regime governing solicitor-client fee disputes
NLJ this week: Hereditary peers era finally comes to an end
The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026 marks a constitutional watershed by severing the centuries-old link between hereditary titles and automatic membership of the upper chamber
NLJ this week: Courts tighten scrutiny of AI and public power
Artificial intelligence, proportionality and public decision-making are under increasing judicial scrutiny, according to the latest public law round-up from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
NLJ this week: Why handshake property deals rarely survive court
Families relying on informal agreements over property ownership could face costly consequences if disputes arise, the High Court has warned
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll