How can students’ understanding of the importance of pro bono work & access to justice be improved, asks Oliver Low
An understanding of the importance of pro bono work and access to justice is a crucial part of any law student’s education. How could this be improved?
At last autumn’s introductory weekend at Middle Temple, Master Richmond explained to new students that one of a barrister’s bands represents paying clients, and the other represents pro bono clients. All law students are told of the importance of pro bono work throughout their courses of study, but the best lessons are learned by example, and the question is, what examples are set? Five years on from the coming into force of s 194 of the Legal Services Act 2007, the income of the Access to Justice Foundation from pro bono costs orders is surprisingly small (the latest accounts published by the Charities Commission (up to 31 Dec 2013) show an annual income of just £59,239 from pro bono costs orders). Perhaps students’ understanding of the importance of pro bono work and access to justice can be
