Barristers & solicitors work together on fee-paid work, so why not provide the same service to pro bono clients, asks Eleanor Campbell
Taking on pro bono work in the litigation context can be daunting. For a barrister it means doing all the work a solicitor would do, in addition to advocacy. A solicitor may find themselves drafting pleadings and appearing at hearings, in addition to liaising with the lay client, preparing the case and conducting correspondence. These difficulties can mean that lawyers may be more reluctant to do pro bono work in the first place—at least where there is the prospect of litigation.
This was the experience of Jamie Goldsmith, barrister at One Essex Court and founder of Pro
