LawWorks announces shortlist for 20th Student Pro Bono Awards

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LawWorks has announced the shortlist for the 2025 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards, which celebrate pro bono activities undertaken by law students and law schools across the UK.

This year, LawWorks received more than 50 nominations from 37 law schools, universities and law clinics. Speaking of the nominees, chair of LawWorks, Alasdair Douglas, said: “It was humbling to read the nominations setting out what you have been doing over the last year. Doing pro bono work, in addition to studying, some of you having to work at the same time to make ends meet and fitting in a social life tells me that we have some very special people studying law. You all deserve wider recognition and praise for enabling those without means to have access to justice.”

The shortlisted nominees for the 2025 awards are set out below.

Best new pro bono activity

• Legal Advice Clinic, Bangor University
• City Welcome Immigration Service, The City Law School, City, University of London
• Emma Ritch Law Clinic, University of Glasgow School of Law
• Parole Clinic, University of Hertfordshire
• Windrush Community Law Clinic, Liverpool John Moores University

Best contribution by an individual student

• Julius Balchin, BPP University Law School
• Mia Beckford-Brown, University of Surrey School of Law
• Susie Brown, University of Dundee
• Eli Goldsobel, City Law School, City, University of London
• Megan McLennan, The Aberdeen Law Project
• Maddy Nicholl, University of Southampton
• Chintankumar Parmar, University of Hertfordshire

Best contribution by a law School (undergraduate and postgraduate)

• City Law School's Law in real life, City, University of London
• Community Law Clinic, University of Exeter
• Glasgow Open Justice Centre, University of Glasgow School of Law
• Pro Bono Network, Manchester Law School, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Justice Hub, University of Manchester
• Hallam Legal Advice Centre and Justice Hubs, Sheffield Hallam University
• The University of Law Pro Bono Team, The University of Law

Best contribution by a team of students

• BPP's Public Legal Education student team, BPP University Law School
• University of Derby CLAS, Refugee Law Clinic
• London School of Economics European Court of Human Rights Intervention Clinic, London School of Economics Law School
• Employment Law Clinic, University of Plymouth
• Bethan Lloyd and Elli Bainton, Support Through Court Cardiff
• School Tasking Student Team, Warwick Law School

In addition to announcing the nominations, LawWorks will also recognise the winners of the Advocate and LawWorks Law School Challenge 2024/2025. The Law School Challenge is a fundraising initiative created to raise awareness of pro bono and to raise money for free legal advice. To date, the teams taking part in the challenge this year have raised more than £13,000 to support free legal advice.

The top three teams are De Montford University Law School, Birmingham City University and Swansea University. Douglas recognised the “challenging and time-consuming task” that comes with choosing the nominees and thanked them for their time.

The judges for the awards are:

• I. Stephanie Boyce, former president of The Law Society;
• Marina Faggionato, joint chair of the Bar Council pro bono and social responsibility committee;
• Peter Farr, head of civil law policy, Ministry of Justice;
• James Harper, executive sponsor, rule of law and and corporate social responsibility for LexisNexis UK & Ireland;
• Deborah Smith, executive director and senior counsel, Goldman Sachs and LawWorks trustee; and
• Victoria Speed, formerly director of trust for London’s Employment Legal Advice Network and director of pro bono at BPP University Law School.

Harper added: "Access to justice is more crucial now than ever over that period of time, and it remains no less inspiring to see the dedication and passion of law students who are committed to making a difference. Their pro bono work not only supports those in need but also strengthens the fabric of our society by promoting fairness and equality. We are honoured to support these future leaders, and the fantastic institutions behind them, in their journey to uphold justice and serve the community."

The awards ceremony will take place at the House of Lords on Wednesday 23 April with the Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC.

Visit the LawWorks website to find out more.