UK Pro Bono Week launches 2023 programme
updated on 17 July 2023
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Details of the 22nd UK Pro Bono Week have been revealed, with the focus on bringing legal professionals together to make a sustained impact around three cross-cutting themes: changing lives through pro bono; maximising the impact of pro bono; and pro bono within environmental, social and governance (ESG).
Described as a “central point in the year for the legal profession”, the week, which will take place from 6 to 10 November 2023, will involve a series of events and discussions with leaders across the pro bono sector and legal community. It’ll explore:
- how and why lawyers and law students across the UK can transform lives through pro bono while discussing the business case for legal volunteering;
- how to measure pro bono and maximise its impact through collaborative projects responding to crises, for example; and
- how lawyers can tackle the climate crisis and how the sustainable development goals can be championed.
Talking about this year’s chosen themes, the chair of the national organising committee, Toby Brown said: “Our three themes this year will both celebrate pro bono and drive forward delivery of help in the most impactful way, whilst placing pro bono in the wider ESG context.”
He added that it’s an “opportunity for organisations to publish reports or launch new initiatives to an engaged pro bono audience”. The committee, made up of representatives from pro bono charities, law schools, law firms, in-house lawyers and the professional bodies, is encouraging law firms, barristers’ chambers, legal societies, charities, in-house lawyers and law schools to start planning events and initiatives ahead of Pro Bono Week later this year.
Last year’s Pro Bono Week saw around 5,000 attendees getting involved in 68 external and internal events that took place both online and in person. For more information on last year’s event, a report summarising the discussions has been published and is available to read.
There’s support available for organisations eager to get involved in this year’s Pro Bono Week via the official website.
