Pro bono: a law student’s guide

Volunteering pro bono has almost as many benefits for students as it does for members of the public in need of legal advice. Read our student guide to pro bono work to discover how it can propel your legal career.

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See this list of pro bono initiatives to find opportunities.

The phrase pro bono – or to give it its full title, pro bono publico – is one of the few remaining Latin phrases in law that’s still widely used. It means ‘for the public good’ and generally refers to legal work undertaken voluntarily and without charge for people or organisations that need legal assistance.

So, why do lawyers use their hard-won and expensive legal education for the benefit of people who aren't paying?

Here are the clear reasons why pro bono benefits not just the recipient, but also the person doing it – especially if you’re an aspiring or junior lawyer.

The work

What sort of pro bono work can students and junior lawyers get involved in?

Many of the definitions of ‘pro bono’ focus specifically on providing free legal advice. In many law schools up and down the country, students can get involved in pro bono work through student law clinics.

LawWorks

Solicitors' pro bono group LawWorks supports a network of more than 300 independent legal advice clinics across England and Wales, including clinics based in universities and law schools.

Street Law

As a student, opportunities to give legal advice independently are limited, as student legal work normally takes place under appropriate supervision. However, one option that requires less direct support from faculty staff or qualified lawyers is to get involved in Street Law or other forms of ‘legal-literacy’ projects.

The concept of Street Law was developed in 1972 at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC, when a small group of law students embarked on a programme teaching local school pupils about practical aspects of law and the legal system.

The programme has existed for more than five decades, during which Street Law has developed innovative programmes, training and educational materials to educate individuals and organisations on the law.

Read this LCN Says to help you find the right pro bono scheme.

Support Through Court

Another option for those who aren't giving legal advice is to volunteer with an organisation such as Support Through Court, which provides practical and emotional support to people facing court without representation.

The experience provides invaluable insight into how the civil and family courts operate, while also providing litigants in person with much-needed assistance as they prepare for court. At the same time, you’ll develop the sort of client-handling skills that are useful for a future career in law.

You can find out about the latest volunteering opportunities with Support Through Court via its website.

The benefits

There are many ways to get involved in pro bono activity, but why, as a debt-ridden law student, should you give up your spare time to work for free?

On top of developing essential skills, providing free legal advice can help you stand out from the crowd as an applicant or gain you external recognition in your law firm. It’s an important element of many law firms’ work and can help you gain invaluable experience while helping others.

Pro bono experience can also strengthen applications by helping you demonstrate your motivation for a legal career and providing concrete examples of the skills you’ve developed.

End of the article? Perhaps, but it would be sad if this were the only reason to get involved in pro bono. Employers are keen on those who’ve engaged in pro bono work but there are also other benefits to be gained – and not just those that employers are interested in.

We’ve noticed that those who commit to pro bono work find themselves developing vital personal organisation and time-management skills, teamwork and interpersonal skills – all of which will serve you well both at law school and work.

You’ll also develop legal writing and drafting skills, hone interview skills, carry out practically focused legal research and even, through organisations such as the Free Representation Unit, gain practical advocacy experience.

For example, legal-literacy and Street Law programmes help to develop several skills that are invaluable in a working environment, including:

• communication;
• public speaking;
• note taking;
• researching; and
• giving presentations.

Although students will begin to develop these skills while preparing for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar training, for example, working on a real client issue provides an opportunity to put them into practice and develop them further. Pro bono work can therefore make a difference to your career as well as to the lives of those you’re helping.

Discover how to find pro bono opportunities in this Oracle.

Bethany Wren (she/her) is head of content & events at LawCareers.Net.