Winners announced in student pro bono awards

The hard work, innovation, and commitment to pro bono initiatives by students and law schools has been celebrated at the LawWorks and Attorney General Pro Bono Awards 2015.

Students and representatives from UK law schools gathered in the House of Commons for the annual ceremony, where awards were presented by the attorney general, Jeremy Wright QC MP.

The University of Strathclyde won the award for best contribution by a law school. Students assisted 180 clients through advice and representation on a wide variety of civil matters, with financial successes totalling £63,564.37. In 90 per cent of cases which went beyond advice, client objectives were fully or partially achieved.

The award for best contribution by a team of students went to the University of Huddersfield's Legal Advice Clinic. Since September 2014, the team of law school students have advised 65 clients through appointments, assisted 85 clients in drop-in sessions, and assisted numerous clients through the county court triage scheme and volunteering at Kirklees Law Centre.

The University of Greenwich was awarded the prize for best new student pro bono activity. The university's Legal Advice Centre (LAC) is now the only pro bono service available in central Greenwich, advising on employment, family, IP issues for small businesses, and form filling for disability benefit.

Meanwhile, the individual award for best student contribution went to Helen Ingram of the BPP University in London. Ingram is a student director of the Legal Translation Service (LTS), which provides free translating and interpreting services, primarily to NGOs.

The attorney general presented the awards alongside LawWorks' chief executive, Nick Gallagher, the group's trustee and shadow attorney general, Lord Willy Bach, and the head of legal at LexisNexis, James Harper.

Wright also presented the prize for the Access to Justice Foundation's annual student essay competition to Dale Timson for his article 'Does the legal profession prioritise access to justice for all?'.

Dale told SJ that he was proud his essay had been recognised and spoke of the importance of providing free legal advice.

'The awards highlight the value of pro bono work and the positive impact it has on the most vulnerable members of society. Without such student-led pro bono work, many would be denied access to justice and be left unable to defend their most basic human rights,' he said.

Rule of law

In addition, King's College London was announced as winner of the Law School Challenge 2015, after its success in raising funds for pro bono charities LawWorks and the Bar Pro Bono Unit.

Commenting on the awards, Wright said: 'All students nominated across the four categories have demonstrated a tremendous amount of skill, initiative and selflessness of spirit which I hope will help keep pro bono a force for good in the future of the legal profession in the UK.'

The vice president of the Law Society and awards' judge, Jonathan Smithers, said he was impressed by the innovation displayed by students and universities in the development of pro bono projects designed to reach those communities that would otherwise have no access to legal assistance.

Meanwhile, Harper remarked: 'Access to justice for all is a fundamental part of upholding the rule of law in society. The role that pro-bono plays in this cannot be underestimated; and those that give their time to undertake this work should be praised. It is only fitting that we bring some well-deserved attention to the pro-bono projects nominated and celebrate their fantastic efforts.'

A recent LawWorks report found that at least 70 per cent of all law schools in the UK are involved in pro bono projects and that 45 per cent of clinics in the group's network were involved with a law school.

John van der Luit-Drummond is deputy editor for Solicitors Journal john.vanderluit@solicitorsjournal.co.uk | @JvdLD