Pro Bono or Pro Bono Publico, to give it the full title, literally means “for the public good.” Work undertaken on a pro bono basis is undertaken as a public service, generally without payment. It ensures that organisations and projects requiring legal assistance or other support but lacking the means to pay for this are not disadvantaged and can still obtain the support they need.

In recent years pro bono work within the legal profession has become increasingly important. The Bar Pro Bono Group, Solicitors Pro Bono Group and other organisations have sprung up to match qualified lawyers with organisations needing assistance. Individual law firms and chambers have implemented schemes to provide help both in their local community and further afield.

Focus has now shifted to those at the earliest stages of entering the legal profession. Universities provide opportunities for law students to undertake voluntary work and projects during their degrees. Many professional courses now require a minimum number of pro bono hours to complete the BVC or LPC.

This site is intended to supplement that interest. For students at any stage of qualification, our database will hopefully suggest suitable pro bono work, so that even if your university has no pro bono scheme, you can still get involved from day one. For those undertaking the BVC/LPC who want to fulfil their pro bono requirement but not necessarily undertake their institution’s scheme, the database will offer further options for pro bono work. And for those who are qualified and looking for an opportunity to put something back into their community or to take time out from their daily job but still remain involved in legal work, the site should give you some ides of how you can do that.