Pro Bono Week

Pro Bono Week was first held in 2001. It’s endorsed by the Law Society, the Bar Council and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), who assist the pro bono sector by:

• publishing a guide to pro bono support (PDF 8 MB)
• raising awareness of initiatives and areas of concern
• organising events and giving support during Pro Bono Week

Find out how you can volunteer for pro bono work

Pro Bono Week 2020

The 19th Pro Bono Week took place from 2 to 6 November 2020, and recognised and supported the voluntary contribution made by lawyers across the UK in giving free legal help to those in need.

In a year of unprecedented challenges, for both the voluntary and legal sectors, pro bono legal help had never been more important.

The overarching theme of Pro Bono Week 2020 was 'Pro bono: Through the pandemic and beyond'.

Event organisers were encouraged to highlight and explore the role of pro bono in light of the pandemic. We saw events focusing on three key areas:

• celebrating pro bono – events celebrating those who give back and recent successes in pro bono
• pro bono pathways – events exploring different ways lawyers can volunteer throughout their careers
• effective pro bono – events sharing best practice and discussing what makes an effective pro bono service

With social distancing still be in place, a mixture of online and in-person events were planned.

Events for Pro Bono Week 2020 included:

• the launch of Pro Bono Week 2020: panel debate; beyond the pandemic
• the use of technology in pro bono (with our president David Greene as a panellist)
• our Pro Bono Charter Forum 

Contact us

If you have any questions about Pro Bono Week, email Valerie Robertson, our pro bono policy adviser or visit the Pro Bono Week website.

Follow Pro Bono Week on social media using the hashtags #wedoprobono and #probonoweek.