Looking beyond the “codes of conduct” that bind the legal professions, with an introduction from Stephen Mayson, two panels discuss the moral principles and motivations of working to improve access to justice through clinics and clinical legal education. Speakers from across the pro bono sector reflect on the ethics of pro bono in clinics and the positive story that clinics have to tell. The panels address clinical practice in an ethical context, discuss the practical challenges within an ethics landscape, and consider how ethics, standards, regulation and education intersect.
Welcome: Stephen Mayson
Panel 1: Doing legal ethics
Every day pro bono clinics put ethics into practice – helping those needing legal advice for free, responding to a growing need, and serving the public good (“pro bono publico”). This first panel reflects on the ethics of pro bono, and the positive story that clinics have to tell.
Panel
- Victoria Channing, Simmons & Simmons
- Nathan Fitzpatrick, Law Centres Network
- Elaine Hall, Northumbria University
- John Peak, University of Bristol (Chair)
- James Sandbach, LawWorks
Panel 2: Clinical practice in an ethical context
Running clinics and other pro bono projects can be challenging, there are issues of regulation, reputation, governance, training, support and sustainability to navigate – ethics matter, clients matter, and volunteers matter. The panel discuss practical challenges within an ethics landscape; and consider how ethics, standards, regulation and education intersect.
Panel
- Tim Cave, East Greenwich Legal Advice Clinic
- Jane Jarman, Nottingham Trent University
- Omar Madhloom and Andrew Charlesworth, University of Bristol
- Richard Moorhead, University of Exeter
- Richard Pitkethly, LawWorks (Chair)
- Val Robertson, Law Society of England and Wales
Our thanks to everyone who participated in this event.