Pro bono opportunities

LawWorks develops and supports the delivery of a number of pro bono programmes and initiatives. There are many other pro bono opportunities across England and Wales.

Programmes

Depending on your particular interest and capacity, there are a range of programmes we support which solicitors from member firms can get involved with: 

The Not-For-Profits Programme connects small not-for-profit organisations in need of legal support with the skills and expertise of lawyers, to support the continuation and expansion of their services to people in need. 

Secondary specialisation is a programme to support lawyers in firms and in-house teams to develop expertise in areas of social welfare law and employment where need is significant and supply increasingly limited. 

If you would like to support our work by becoming a member do get in touch. Please contact our membership officer (membership@lawworks.org.uk).

Clinics Network

LawWorks runs a Clinic Network, which supports and develops independent pro bono clinics across England and Wales. 

Clinics on the LawWorks Clinic Network are independent, locally run and provide free initial advice to individuals, predominantly in the area of social welfare law on either a drop-in or appointment basis. Advice is delivered face-to-face, over the telephone and in some circumstances via Skype. Solicitors can volunteer at clinics as individuals or as part of a firm/in-house team initiative depending on the clinic and its needs. 

Legal and skills training is offered to clinics on the Clinics Network to give volunteer solicitors the confidence to provide advice at clinics.

Pro Bono Opportunities

Our listings of pro bono opportunities give an overview of current volunteering opportunities across the country. Please see below.

If you would like to learn about other ways to volunteer, please visit the Get involved section of the website or visit the National Pro Bono Centre website at: www.nationalprobonocentre.org.uk/volunteer-portal/.  

Islington Legal Advice Centre provides free legal advice at weekly drop-in sessions on Thursday evenings at 7pm in the Crypt of St Mary's Church on Upper Street. The service is available to Islington residents but individuals from other boroughs will not be excluded. An online service is also offered.
The Employment Law Advice Clinic was founded in 2015 and is a partnership between Speakeasy Law Centre, Eversheds Sutherland and the BMA. The clinic offers advice on areas of employment law such as discrimination, dismissal and disciplinaries to anyone living in South Wales via in-person and online appointments.
Chelmsford Law Clinic is based in Chelmsford, Essex. Established in 2018 offering 2 areas of law, the clinic has now grown to offer 10 different areas of law. The Clinic is part of the LawWorks Clinics Network and runs a fully remote national service.
The St James Legal Advice Centre has clinics at Muswell Hill and Wood Green, North London, on a walk-in basis on Saturday and Tuesday mornings, and Wednesday afternoons. The Advice Centre offers free legal advice and support on all areas of civil law, other than immigration advice, including benefits, housing, employment, consumer, debt, and property.
East Greenwich Legal Advice Clinic (EGLAC) provides free legal advice on a wide range of issues to people living in South East London who are unable to pay for legal advice.
Kingston University Law Department are looking to launch a fortnightly pro bono clinic, supported by student volunteers, offering free legal advice to the local community.
Shefford Housing Advice Clinic will offer monthly advice sessions to renters, homeowners and landlords to individuals based around Shefford and local communities in Bedfordshire.
With help from volunteer lawyers and law firms, the clinic is able to provide many of the most vulnerable in society with professional legal advice and representation on areas such as immigration, employment, housing, discrimination, gender recognition and defamation.
Founded by Cardiff & District Law Society, The Wallich and LawWorks, the service provides pro bono initial legal help and support to people experiencing (or at risk of experiencing) homelessness in Cardiff. The project is coordinated by the University of South Wales, with volunteers from a number of South Wales Law firms and USW. The clinic provides advice on housing, family law and welfare benefits.
The South Essex Law Clinic (SELC) offers a valuable pro bono service providing free telephone appointments with qualified Solicitors. This service is available to residents and individuals working in the South Essex local authority areas of Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Thurrock, and Rochford. As a satellite service of Citizens Advice South Essex, SELC has been dedicated to offering legal advice to the community since 2020.