Arkbound Foundation (“Arkbound”) aims to improve wellbeing through providing opportunities for writing and getting published. The organisation also offers mentoring, health education and signposting. Its beneficiaries include those affected by homelessness, poverty, disability, crime, addiction and equality-related exclusion.
Arkbound applied to the Not-for-Profits Programme’s Honorary Counsel Service – whereby volunteer solicitors (the “Honorary Counsel”) are matched with applicants such as Arkbound to work together on a long-term basis.
Arkbound requested an Honorary Counsel team initially to assist it with formalising publishing arrangements; ensuring it on-boarded new staff with the proper procedure; looking over its draft annual report; and reviewing its existing policies.
Two lawyers from Reed Smith took on the role of Honorary Counsel. Arkbound is now in its second year of working with its Honorary Counsel and describe them as “our first point of contact for any problems and queries”, supporting Arkbound to “turn a new page”.
When one aspect of the work created a conflict of interest for Arkbound’s Honorary Counsel, Arkbound was able to reapply to our Casework Service. Help was quickly found from another law firm for that discrete matter – an example of how LawWorks’ Honorary Counsel and Casework Services can operate seamlessly to complement each other. (Beneficiaries can also rely on the Casework Service to supplement the Honorary Counsel Service where specialist advice is required).
Without the legal help received over the years via LawWorks and its members, Arkbound would not have been able to expand its staff and services as planned; would have faced potential litigation; and would have had to attempt claiming against a debtor without the legal knowledge needed for a successful claim.
Arkbound has stated that the assistance provided through the Not-for-Profits Programme “has given us the confidence and security needed to keep Arkbound Foundation alive and getting stronger as a small organisation, even in difficult situations”.
Jessica Tagg, a Pro Bono Associate at Reed Smith, states: “We are proud to be part of LawWorks’ Honorary Counsel Service. Taking on the role of Honorary Counsel allows our lawyers to use their commercial legal skills to help a not-for-profit organisation. Our lawyers particularly enjoy building long-term relationships with their clients over the course of the Honorary Counsel Service. We are delighted to be able to help these organisations with legal support, allowing them to put their (often limited) resources to better use in achieving the organisation’s objectives and maximising impact”.