Is it time for a narrative shift on pro bono work? In this week's NLJ, Bea Rossetto, head of communications & community development at the National Pro Bono Centre, argues that pro bono work should be seen not as charity, but as a vital public service
Highlighting the Law Society’s new Reframing Justice toolkit, she argues that lawyers must tell better stories—ones rooted in fairness, shared benefit, and tangible outcomes like safer homes and secure jobs.
Rossetto warns that toxic narratives, such as the ‘lefty lawyer’ trope, undermine public trust and fuel hostility. She urges the profession to use accessible metaphors—‘rules of the game’, ‘level playing field’—to connect legal work with everyday life.
With record numbers on the Pro Bono Recognition List, the time is ripe to inspire more lawyers to join the movement. Justice, she insists, is a shared good—and pro bono is how the legal profession helps keep the system fair for all
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