Contents. Individuals. Civil. Community Groups. Criminal. Cross Profession. International. Produced for

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3 Contents Quick reference grid...4 How to use this guide...5 Advice agencies...6 Bar Pro Bono Unit...7 Free Representation Unit...8 LawWorks...9 Law schools...10 Innocence Network UK (INUK)...11 Personal Unit...12 Pure Leapfrog...13 Advocates for International Development (A4ID)...14 Amicus...15 ISLP-UK...16 i-probono...17 TrustLaw Connect...18 Individuals Civil Community Groups Criminal Cross Profession International Produced for 3

4 Quick reference grid The grid below indicates which pro bono organisations offer support to individuals in the indicated areas of law. Area of law Bar Pro Bono Unit (pg 7) FRU (pg 8) Innocence Network UK (pg 11) LawWorks (pg 9) Consumer rights ü ü Criminal ü (does assist victims with criminal injuries compensation) ü (convicted individuals maintaining innocence) Employment ü ü ü Family (including divorce, custody, and ü Housing / Landlord and tenant Immigration Personal ü ü injury ü ü ü ü Tax (including tax credits) Welfare ü (does assist with tax credits) ü ü ü 4 Guide to Pro Bono

5 How to use this guide Pro bono legal services are not, nor can they ever be, a substitute for a properly funded system of legal aid. However for those falling outside the scope of public funding but without the means to pay for legal help, free advice and representation provided voluntarily by lawyers is often the only means of access to justice. With solicitors alone donating over 500m worth of pro bono services each year, the added contributions of barristers, Chartered Legal Executives and law students make the collective contribution of the legal profession through free professional help unparalleled. Pro bono help can be accessed through legal advice clinics, online and by telephone. It supports individuals, community groups, NGOs and social enterprises. It may take the form of initial advice, detailed specialist advice, in-depth casework and representation before a court, tribunal or mediation. It is delivered across England and Wales and to support communities in the developing world. Where a civil case is won with pro bono help, Section 194 Legal Services Act 2007 enables courts to make pro bono costs orders to the Access to Justice Foundation to provide additional funding for pro bono services. This guide has been produced to help MPs, the Judiciary, advisers and others to identify and access pro bono services which may be of help to their constituents and clients. Due to the huge range of activity and variation at a local level, it cannot and does not seek to provide an exhaustive list of all the organisations involved in delivering pro bono. Instead it provides information about the main agencies operating on a national and international basis which broker pro bono work. The coloured tabs on the edge of the page indicate the type of support available from each organisation for easy reference with contact details and further information about how to access their services. The main source of information about pro bono including a calendar of events taking place during National Pro Bono Week and throughout the year is In addition to advice and representation, the profession freely gives time to prevent legal problems from occurring and escalating by helping people learn about their rights and responsibilities. Public legal education is delivered through a variety of media from websites and on this kind of help, visit Produced for 5

6 Civil Individuals Advice agencies Advice agencies, for which the main umbrella bodies are listed below, are vital in ensuring that limited pro bono resources are used to help those who do not qualify for legal aid. Initial advice and assessment of eligibility for legal aid Referrals to pro bono agencies Many and various pro bono clinics and voluntary advisers Advice UK T: W: E: Citizens Advice T: W: E: Law Centres Network T: W: E: 6 Guide to Pro Bono

7 Individuals Bar Pro Bono Unit Barristers for: Representation in a court or tribunal Specialist advice Help at mediation All legal areas All tribunals and courts in England and Wales Chartered Legal Executives to support barristers acting pro bono Not covered Cases where legal aid is available or a barrister can be paid for Individuals exclusively by referral from a solicitor, MP or advice agency using referral form available online Applications must be submitted at least 3 weeks before help is needed Applications from charities, community groups, companies and other organisations via application form available on website. T: W: E: enquiries@barprobono.org.uk Civil Community Groups Criminal Produced for 7

8 Individuals Free Representation Unit (FRU) Civil Representation in tribunals and pre-hearing settlement negotiations in: Employment Social security benefits Criminal injuries compensation Not covered Cases without a date for a tribunal hearing Tribunal venues more than one hour from London or Nottingham Exclusively by referral from partner advice agencies as listed on website. T: W: E: admin@thefru.org.uk 8 Guide to Pro Bono

9 Individuals LawWorks LawWorks supports lawyers to volunteer their professional skills to assist individuals and community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal help and who are unable to access legal aid or other forms of financial assistance. Civil Clinics Free legal advice clinics network throughout England and Wales providing initial advice on various areas of law. Details can be found on the website - for Community Groups Small not for profit organisations, including social enterprises, can apply for assistance with legal problems and support setting up via W: Community Groups Produced for 9

10 Individuals Law schools Civil Community Groups More than 70% of law schools in England and Wales have pro bono programmes. Many of them involve clinical legal education, enabling students to learn about the law while responding to real legal needs under supervision. (depending on individual institution) Legal advice clinics Innocence Projects (see Innocence Network UK) Provision of information about legal rights and responsibilities through interactive Streetlaw presentations Telephone helplines Tribunal and court representation Find out which pro bono services are offered by individual law schools using the searchable database at the website below. T: W: E: 10 Guide to Pro Bono

11 Individuals Innocence Network UK (INUK) Research into cases of convicted individuals maintaining innocence Applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission Royal Prerogative of Mercy cases that have evidence of factual innocence but no legal grounds for appeal Criminal Not covered Cases involving allegations of technical miscarriages of justice (eg: that murder convictions should have been manslaughter) Preliminary questionnaire downloaded from website and sent to: School of Law University of Bristol Wills Memorial Building Queens Road Bristol BS8 1RJ W: E: Produced for 11

12 Individuals Civil Personal Unit (PSU) Practical and emotional support for people without representation in civil and family proceedings in courts and court offices Signposting to relevant agencies and resources online PSU offices in major court centres. Sheffield opening planned for October 2014, and possibly more in 2014 and Attending court with LIPs. Not covered Legal advice or representation in advance by telephone or . also W: See website for telephone, address and details for individual Birmingham Civil Justice Centre Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre Canolfany Llygoedd Gifil Caendydd / Cardiff Civil Justice Centre Leeds Combined Court Liverpool Civil and Family Court Manchester Civil Justice Centre London Central Family Court London Royal Courts of Justice (base) Wandsworth County Court (Phone to book a volunteer to go to a hearing) 12 Guide to Pro Bono

13 Pure Leapfrog Pure Leapfrog is the leading provider of social investment and professional support to community energy projects in the UK. Our mission is to ensure that community energy becomes a significant part of the sustainable energy mix in the UK. Affordable finance for UK Based community energy projects UK Based carbon reduction projects UK Based low carbon entrepreneurs International carbon reduction projects Multi-disciplinary professional advice: legal; accountancy, business communications, environmental engineering and consultancy By . Full details of eligibility criteria on website. T: E: info@pureleapfrog.org W: Individuals Community Groups Cross Profession 13

14 Civil Community Groups International Advocates for International Development (A4ID) NGOs, Inter-governmental Organisations, developing country governments and social enterprises Advice and assistance for organisations working towards global poverty eradication or sustainable development in any part of the world All areas of law - from commercial legal needs, to legal research, advocacy and training By telephone or . T: W: E: info@a4id.org 14 Guide to Pro Bono

15 Amicus Individuals awaiting capital trial and punishment in the US Drafting of amicus curiae briefs to be presented to US courts Applications to the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in Washington about breaches of the American Declaration of Human Rights in death penalty trials Trained trial observers to report on individual cases Trained UK interns to assist in capital investigation and trial/ appeal assistance Training for UK lawyers and students in capital legal processes By . T: W: E: International Criminal Individuals Produced for 15

16 Civil Community Groups International ISLP-UK NGOs, Bar Associations, Law Societies, Institutes of Education and others Provision of experienced senior lawyers Training programmes on contentious and commercial areas of law, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and advocacy skills and a wide range of commercial and corporate topics By . T: W: E: shazledine@islp.org 16 Guide to Pro Bono

17 iprobono Charities, NGOs, advocacy organisations, social enterprises, All areas of law, legal research and internships Through website. W: E: International Community Groups Civil Produced for 17

18 Civil Community Groups International TrustLaw government agencies and community groups All areas of law and legal research Not covered Individuals Private litigation matters and disputes Full eligibility criteria on website Online or by referral from a partner organisations as listed on website. T: W: E: trustlaw@thomsonreuters.com 18 Guide to Pro Bono

19 PILnet: The global network for Public Interest Law PILnet runs five pro bono clearinghouses matching the legal needs of NGOS with pro bono lawyers. We do this through our domestic clearinghouses in Russia, China, Hungary and Hong Kong, and through our international, cross border Global Pro Bono Clearinghouse. Charities, NGOs, non-for-profit organisations, social enterprises and community groups Local and international legal research, advice, training and representation All areas of law including employment, contracts, tax, human rights, equality and public law Application form available on our website: International Community Groups Civil Produced for 19

20 Individuals Centre for Criminal Appeals Quick Reference Grid Criminal law (Prisoners seeking to overturn unsafe conviction) Criminal The Centre for Criminal Appeals is a new access to justice initiative, currently in its pilot phase, which will work to: Overturn unsafe convictions by providing investigation and legal advice and advocacy on criminal appeal cases in England and Wales, on a non-profit basis Share the lessons learned from this casework with criminal justice policy makers, the legal profession and the public, in order to improve the accuracy of the criminal justice system Until such time as CCA registers with the SRA and is able to successfully bid for its own Legal Aid contract, the solicitors who working on the launch of CCA, Sophie Walker and Emily Bolton, are working as consultants with the law firm SCOMO, under its Legal Aid contract. Please write a letter outlining reasons why the conviction is unsafe and send to: Emily Bolton Scott-Moncrieff & Associates Ltd Office 7,19 Greenwood Place London, NW5 1LB ebolton@scomo.com W: E: info@criminalappeals.org.uk 20 Guide to Pro Bono

21 Legal Aid If you need help with paying for legal advice, you may be able to get legal aid. By 'legal aid', we mean publically funded legal assistance, available through the Legal Aid Agency. The scope of legal aid has been reduced over the past few years; however, it is still available for certain civil and criminal cases. Where do I get help? Legal aid is dependent on your financial position, the area of law for which you require assistance, and the strength of your case. As the legal aid system is complicated and constantly changing you should always speak to an advisor first. You can find out more at: or by ringing Produced for 21

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