We felt it was important to hold an event focussing on student pro bono to reflect the significant contribution of students and law schools. Last year over 2,600 students volunteered in law clinics across the LawWorks clinics network, receiving over 16,000 enquiries, with law school clinics consisting of just over a third of the network.
Dinah Crystal introduced the first session of the day which showcased current pro bono initiatives in Manchester. Delegates heard from a range of speakers highlighting the breadth of pro bono activity and initiatives, including the response to the Manchester terror attack, BPP’s Calais Aid Refugee project, the Manchester Public Law Pro-Bono Scheme, and the University’s Legal Advice Centre (LAC), based in Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre.
Edgar Cahn then gave the keynote speech drawing on his unique experience in clinical legal education from the USA, such as piloting youth courts and involving students in community engagement, and called for law schools to be teaching co-production approaches that enable clients to exercise power as active citizens.
The second panel of the day explored ‘New Frontiers for clinic legal education and student law clinics’ in which leading academics shared innovative approaches to involving students and delivering services. The session also highlighted the influence digital and block-chain technologies, mobile apps and digital design principles will have on the delivery future legal services.
A round of workshops gave delegates the opportunity to learn about Innocence projects [or the Innocence project, human rights clinics, the delivery of public legal education through Streetlaw projects; and the advocacy and tribunals workshop where attendees learnt how the Free Representation Unit and other schemes enable students to develop their advocacy skills.
In the afternoon, Parissa Najah, Bar Pro Bono Unit and Justice First Fellow talked about her experience of entering law through the Legal Education Foundation Fellowship scheme, her work at the Unit and some of the social mobility challenges, as well as the opportunities, in working with the Bar.
The conference was closed by Joe Egan, President of the Law Society who highlighted and thanked the contribution to Pro Bono that Law School staff, academics and students make.