Pro bono may be way ahead to help society and lawyers
Jun 24 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
A large number of junior lawyers believe pro bono work is suffering in the recession despite a greater need for free legal services, according to a poll by the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division.
Nearly 60 per cent of respondents to an online poll said they believed pro bono work carried out by solicitors would suffer during the recession.
However, with a greater demand for pro bono legal advice in relation to debt, employment and other finance related matters, the JLD is urging the profession to become involved in more pro bono initiatives.
Kevin Poulter, JLD Committee member and chair of the JLD Pro Bono Awards, said: “Pro bono support is a lifeline for people who simply cannot afford to pay for professional services and do not qualify for legal aid. Lawyers have a solid history of putting something back into the community and I hope the current economic climate does not deter the legal profession from continuing to participate in pro bono work, as the need is greater now than ever.
“For some lawyers, there are not enough hours in the day to find the time to add pro bono to their workload but, where possible, we urge junior lawyers to take part in these initiatives.”
The JLD said a commitment to pro bono work had a double benefit for junior solicitors. Mr Poulter added: “Pro bono work not only has the ultimate benefit of providing essential legal support to the community, it also gives junior solicitors an added edge to their experience.
“For lawyers out of work or having training contracts deferred ,pro bono is a good way to keep their legal skills and knowledge polished and provides opportunity to meet other lawyers of all degrees of seniority.
“At a time when all recruitment, not only in the legal sector, is limited, standing out when seeking employment is vital. Adding pro bono to your bow will not hurt junior lawyers’ career prospects.”
The Law Society has previously advised law students and trainee solicitors to get work experience through pro-bono work to enhance their CVs in a competitive jobs market.
