We are passionate about enabling access to legal advice and justice.
We work to connect people in need of legal advice with the skills and expertise of lawyers willing to meet those needs for free, by supporting a network of local independent pro bono clinics. We support charities and not-for-profit organisations by facilitating free legal advice and providing online information. We also seek to address barriers to accessing justice, including adding our voice to those seeking positive policy change.
LAWWORKS IN NUMBERS
- 150 members including large City and international law firms, corporate in-house teams, regional and small high street law firms, law schools and charities
- Over 69,000 client enquiries at independent clinics in the LawWorks Clinics Network in the period from January 2022 to December 2022
- Around 31,500 clients given legal advice at clinics in the LawWorks clinics network in the period from January 2022 to December 2022
- Over 11,000 individuals volunteered across the LawWorks Clinics Network in 2022
- 180 Not-for-profits cases supported on by member firms and in-house teams in 2021
- Over 50 social welfare and professional skills training sessions delivered a year
PROGRAMMES
We develop and support a number of pro bono programmes, including:
- Digital platforms and projects - technology driven tools to match unmet legal need with pro bono volunteers. Including: the Pro Bono Portal UK, linking firms and in-house teams to pro bono opportunities easily and quickly; and Free Legal Answers, enabling individuals to request initial or one-off legal advice.
- The LawWorks Clinic Network - which provides free initial advice to individuals, predominantly in the area of social welfare law - e.g., social security, housing, family and employment law.
- The Not-for-Profits Programme - which connects small not-for-profit organisations in need of legal support with the skills and expertise of volunteer lawyers, strengthening the capacity of those organisations to deliver their services.
- Our Secondary Specialisation project trains and supports lawyers to provide in-depth advice and representation in under resourced areas of social welfare law - focusing on representation at employment appeal tribunals and the legal needs for families and carers of children with life-limiting conditions.
- Legal and skills training to give volunteers confidence to advise at clinics and which can, where appropriate, contribute to ongoing CPD requirements.
NATIONAL POLICY
We use evidence from our work with members and partners to advocate for change to policies that hinder the provision of free legal advice.
Our previous work includes:
- The introduction of the Pro Bono protocol - working with the legal profession and professional bodies to ensure pro bono work meets the highest standards
We are building a 'policy voice' for pro bono, including:
- Providing support for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Access to Justice (previously the APPG on Pro Bono and Public Legal Education)
- Wider work on the regulatory landscape, including the SQE, new SRA Handbook, and regulations on in-house lawyers’ involvement in pro bono which restrict the scope of legal advice by in-house volunteers.