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Pro bono Initiatives

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Pro bono work is both an important way of providing vital services to people in real need and an excellent way to gain legal experience. Below is a list of pro bono and volunteering opportunities, but it is by no means definitive – if you’re aware of a scheme that isn’t listed, please email us at [email protected].

A4ID
Advocates for International Development is an international charity that provides legal support to help communities fight poverty and improve their basic services and amenities. The charity offers a range of legal work opportunities including various internships.
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Advocate
The Pro Bono Protocol, developed jointly by Advocate and LawWorks, sets out how pro bono work should be delivered. It has been signed by a wide range of those involved in provision of pro bono services including the Bar Council, Advocate, sets of chambers, law firms and law schools.
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AIRE Centre
The AIRE (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) Centre is a London-based charity set up to uphold the rights of marginalised individuals in the field of European human rights law and EU law. The centre has a long-running internship programme for aspiring lawyers to use their skills to provide free legal advice to those who need it.
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Amicus
Amicus provides legal representation for the most vulnerable death row inmates in the US penal system. It trains and places 20-30 interns to help defend capital cases every year, filling many of these places with aspiring lawyers from the United Kingdom. You can apply for an internship in the US on the Amicus website.
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Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)
ATLEU is a groundbreaking charity that provides legal advice and support to survivors of trafficking and slavery.
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Apex Charitable Trust
Apex Trust supports individuals to move away from a lifestyle which may encourage offending or re-offending. They provide information, advice and guidance through face-to-face outreach. A major barrier to finding work for people with a criminal record is overcoming employer resistance and Apex Trust provides specialist advice and support to help individuals to deal positively with the disclosure of criminal convictions. 
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Aspire Foundation
The Aspire Foundation actively campaigns to promote the rights, conditions and aspirational potential of women and girls across the world. It also operates a pro bono mentoring program, which brings the wisdom and advice of successful women from the business and professional world to aspiring women in the charity sector so that their expertise and inspiration can be spread to other women and girls. There is more information about how to become a mentor, or indeed a mentee, on their website.
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Asylum Support Appeals Project
The Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP) seeks to uphold the rights of asylum seekers to food and shelter. It provides free representation to those appealing UKBA decisions and advises agencies and campaigns on changing policy. It's always in need of duty barristers to voluntarily represent those in asylum support appeal hearings (this is not open to law students).
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BarLink
This programme is a part of Southampton Law School. Aspiring barristers can be paired with a local barrister specialising in criminal, employment, family or housing law. Spending time assisting a barrister is a great way to learn about the realities of the Bar and pick up some tips from those who have made it there.
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The Baroness Hale Legal Clinic
York students can take part in the clinic as an assessed elective toward their LLB. There are also plenty of opportunities for students at the University of York to get involved on a more part-time basis.
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Birmingham Employment Rights Advice Line
The Birmingham Employment Rights Advice Line offers free preliminary advice to employees on employment law issues. Advice is given by fully qualified specialist employment law solicitors who work on a voluntary basis. 
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Birmingham Free Legal Advice Group (FLAG)
Birmingham FLAG is operated by students at the University of Birmingham, working under the supervision of qualified legal professionals. It offers free advice on a wide variety of legal issues.
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Birmingham Legal Advice Centre
This law clinic advises on consumer, contract, housing, and welfare benefits. It opens Tuesdays from 5.30pm - 7.00pm with the exception of bank holidays
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Blackfriars Settlement
Running a multitude of different projects and initiatives, the Blackfriars Settlement’s work also includes a legal advice clinic. It advises on contract disputes, debt, employment and housing, supported by students from City Law Schoo.
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BPP Legal Advice Clinic
BPP legal advice clinics are based in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester and cover a variety of areas of law (but not all areas of law are covered in every location). 
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Brightside Trust Online Mentoring
This is a mentoring programme which pairs volunteer mentors from university and professional backgrounds with young mentees, such as teenage parents and children in care. Mentoring takes place “in a secure online space” with a view to helping mentees reach their employment potential. Students and professionals can volunteer through the website.
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Child Law Advice Service
The Child Law Advice Service provides legal advice and information on family, child and education law affecting children and families.This service is provided via the website packed with how-to guides and information pages.
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Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice Bureau aims to improve the policies and practices affecting the lives of UK citizens while offering advice to those who need it. There are volunteering opportunities for a wide range of roles, including legal positions, at the above link.
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Communicare (Reading)
Commuicare work with Shoosmiths Solicitors and Reading University Law School to offer free legal advice when needed. Students at the university are able to volunteer in the pro bono clinic.
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Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre
There are 35 members of full-time staff and over 100 volunteers who run the centre for the benefit of asylum seekers and refugees in Coventry. 
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Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
The CICA, or Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, is a government compensation scheme which pays money to victims of violent crimes who have suffered physical or mental injuries  
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Disability Law Service
The DLS is a registered charity run by and for disabled people, their families and carers. It provides a quality service in public and social welfare law, as well as in-house training courses in these fields.
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Environmental Law Foundation
The Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) runs a number of pro bono university clinics throughout the country which are supervised by local ELF professional members.
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Essex Law Clinic
A law clinic run by the University of Essex, which gives its students the chance to practise advisory work and team up with qualified lawyers.
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Fair Trials International
A human rights charity which represents those arrested extra-judicially and works to protect the right to a fair trial. 
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Families Need Fathers
Families Need Fathers (FNF) is a charity that ensures that parents and grandparents maintain access to their children during and after family breakdowns. Volunteering opportunities include assisting at FNF’s London office, working as a helpline adviser and becoming a telephone contact for a client.
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Free Representation Unit
The Free Representation Unit is a charity that provides individuals with representation that they couldn’t otherwise afford and gives junior lawyers a valuable opportunity to get practical advocacy experience.
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Hertfordshire Law Clinic
Hertfordshire Law Clinic operates in conjunction with leading local law firms to improve access to justice by providing free legal advice to the local community.
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Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance
The Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance brings together the bereaved families of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
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The Howard League for Penal Reform
This organisation campaigns for reform to reduce prison numbers and crime statistics. It works with government, the media, students and other members of the public to achieve this through fundraising, publishing reports and lobbying. Check the vacancies page for relevant legal opportunities.
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Independent Custody Visiting Association
The Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA) promotes the rights and conditions of people held in police custody by working with police forces and the Home Office. Training in key transferable skills is delivered by local police forces.
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Innocence Project London
The Innocence Project is a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. The UK branch is called The Innocence Project London. 
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i-Probono
i-Probono is an online forum for lawyers and law students to register interest in pro bono projects – organisations can survey the information and contact the most relevant individuals in involvement in projects. Registration is free and does not automatically oblige you to accept any offers of project work.
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IPSEA
Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) is a registered charityoperating in England. IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). 
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The Jeanie Project
The Jeanie Project is a charity, backed by LawWorks and the Legal Education Foundation, that utilises technology to help community groups and charities provide free access to the law.
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LawWorks (the Solicitors Pro Bono Group)
LawWorks is the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group. Established in 1997, it’s a charity providing support for local independent pro bono advice clinics and supporting the pro bono work of our members – largely law firms and in-house legal teams – and others.
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Lawyers Without Borders
A transnational alliance network which seeks to bring lawyers and judges wishing to carry pro bono work together with rule of law and access to justice projects.
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Liberty
The National Council for Civil Liberties campaigns to uphold basic human rights and freedoms through the courts and parliamentary lobbying, as well as by working with communities. Volunteers with a law degree generally respond to written queries from members of the public about their rights.
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London Legal Support Trust (LLST)
The trust works to support the survival of London-based legal advice centres and agencies through fundraising initiatives and providing financial guidance. You can get involved with events (eg, the London Legal Walk) and awareness-raising activities. There are also some internship opportunities which are advertised online when available.
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The Manuel Bravo Project
Based in Leeds, this project helps find legal assistance for those seeking asylum. It does not provide legal advice itself, instead it coordinates referrals to local solicitors and immigrant specialists. Volunteers support this process through research, case coordination and court support.
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Mary Ward Legal Advice Centre
The Mary Ward Legal Centre provides free, independent advice to people who live and work in London to help them access their legal rights and entitlements. They provide specialist advice in housing, welfare benefits and debt. 
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Medicinema
Medicinema brings the enjoyment and magic of cinema to those in UK hospitals, they reache those who would otherwise be unable to watch films while in treatment centres.
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Migrants Resource Centre
In collaboration with its partner countries, the Silk Routes project establishes and operates Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) to help people make informed decisions when considering migrating. They provide outgoing, intending and potential migrants with information on a broad range of migration-related challenges and opportunities.
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National Appropriate Adult Network
The National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN) does not provide appropriate adults directly but advises and supports all trained volunteers in this important field. You can volunteer for training to become an appropriate adult through the website.
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The National Pro Bono Centre
In July 2010 this central ‘hub’ in Chancery Lane was created to bring together the legal profession’s pro bono work, helping individuals and community groups within England and Wales. 
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Oxfam
A UK charity that is involved in the provision of aid and development projects internationally, with the goal of ending poverty. Hosting fundraising events, volunteering at festivals or volunteering at shops are all worthy opportunities.
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Paddington Legal Advice Centre
Another member of the London Law Centres, volunteers interested in becoming involved should apply through the Law Centres Network.
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Plan International
Plan is an international development charity working mostly with children to end child poverty. Fundraising, supporting campaigns and promoting Plan through social media are all important ways to contribute. There are often specific project volunteer roles, based in the Old Street office, which demand a commitment of two to three days a week, for three to six months. These are advertised online when available.
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Prince’s Trust
The trust works with young people aged 13 to 30; it enables them to move into work, education or training with its financial support and programmes. Volunteers are always needed - positions available will depend on the relevant regional projects taking place.
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Prisoners’ Advice Service
The PAS provides legal advice to UK prisoners about their rights and conditions, and takes up prisoner complaints. The organisation is reliant on volunteers to help its small number of caseworkers. Volunteers are given responsibility and training in prison law and human rights. You can apply through the website.
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ProHelp
The ProHelp service connects businesses and people with local voluntary and community groups to share their skills, professional advice and services, and help to strengthen the vital services that they deliver for our local communities in the South West.
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Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre
Run by Queen Mary University, the centre provides legal advice and can offer referrals to providers who can offer representation. Applications to become student advisors are only open to QMU students and are made through the centre’s website.
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Red Cross
The British Red Cross provides services both within the UK and assistance in the response to emergencies overseas. UK activities include running first aid training, providing health and social care and refugee services. You could get involved by volunteering in a shop, in the head office or participating in a fundraising event. 
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Refugee Council
The Refugee Council is a leading charity which provides direct support to asylum seekers and refugees in the United Kingdom. Opportunities include face-to-face advice sessions with clients as well as fundraising and other financial work. Apply online for an application pack.
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Reprieve
Reprieve provides legal advice to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves all over the world, including inmates of Guantanamo bay and those facing the death penalty. Reprieve advertises vacancies for volunteers to work in its London, Lahore and American offices in the ‘Get involved’ section of its website.
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The Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau
The RCJ Advice Bureau is part of the Citizens Advice Bureau and also provides free legal advice to those who cannot afford it.Information about how to get in touch for training is available on the website.
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Save the Children
Working in around 120 countries, Save the Children seeks to protect children’s rights and lives by facilitating development programmes and providing emergency relief. 
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South West London Law Centres
South West London Law Centres is an independent registered charity, giving individuals and communities free legal advice and support on issues related to money and debt management, employment, housing, and immigration and asylum.
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South Westminster Legal Advice Centre
A busy legal advice centre helping those who live in or are employed in the City of Westminster.The service requires volunteer lawyers in probate, employment, family and litigation law.
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Talking Money
In providing debt advice and financial education, the centre hopes to help people out of financial hardship and stay in their homes. Volunteer positions are advertised on the website when available.
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Tower Hamlets Law Centre
This advice service provides a daily diagnostic drop in centre, casework support and court representation to residents of Tower Hamlets. There is also an outreach service to Somali residents. Volunteers can provide support as administrative assistants or supporting legal caseworkers.
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Toynbee Hall Legal Advice Centre
Evening and weekend legal advice centre for those who would ordinarily not be able to afford such support – it holds the title of oldest surviving free legal advice centre in the world.
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TrustLaw Connect
Part of the Thomas Reuters Foundation, this is a community of lawyers and law firms forming a ‘go-to’ directory for beneficiary NGOs and social enterprise groups. 
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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
In the UK, UNHCR provides guidance on refuge and asylum policy and takes up cases or intervenes in court proceedings where it is appropriate. Internships are available in a number of departments, including the legal protection team.
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The University of Exeter Community Law Clinic
In an effort to fill the gap left by legal aid cuts, the Community Law Clinic opened its doors in September 2017.
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University of Manchester Legal Advice Centre
With one on-campus centre and a second based in The Settlement, East Manchester, this initiative provides free and confidential legal advice to members of the public during teaching semesters. Its secondary aim is to provide practical experience for current law students who volunteer at both locations.
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UnLtd
A Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, this charity seeks to support the role of social entrepreneurs through funding and practical guidance. UnLtd Connect has information on a number of volunteer roles that are available in different social entrepreneur projects.
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Victim Support
A national charity with offices across England and Wales providing free, confidential support to victims and witnesses of crime, as well as families, friends and other affected people. 
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Youth Justice Board
The YJB is a public body established to coordinate the youth justice system in England and Wales. Its activities involve working to reduce and prevent offending by those under 18 years old and ensure that custody is both appropriate and safe. 
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