Guest blog: Bar Pro Bono Unit reports to each chambers for the first time
22 February 2017
Have you ever wondered how much your chambers contributes pro
bono? For the very first time the Bar Pro Bono Unit is shortly to
send an individualised overview to every chambers that supports us,
reporting all the ways in which they contributed to the Unit in
2016.
Heads of Chambers and Senior Clerks will receive a letter that
sets out what your chambers has given to the Unit (nothing will be
published publically by the Unit). We want every chambers to be
able to properly celebrate the incredible contributions you make to
access to justice through the Unit; whether that included financial
support, barristers volunteering their pro bono expertise or both.
This can then be used in chambers' own publicity materials or
corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting.
As 2016 marked 20 years of the Bar Pro Bono Unit we wanted to
get into the habit of celebrating the thousands of barristers who
helped with over 20,000 applications received, whether as a
reviewing barrister or by offering free legal services.
We are lucky enough to have a panel of 3,800 volunteer
barristers who have agreed to give three days of their time each
year pro bono, as well as a group of over 140 barristers who are
our volunteer reviewers. We now routinely receive well over 2,000
applications for assistance every year.
The volunteer reviewer provides a key step in the application
process; deciding whether or not the Unit should accept the case.
This important filter means that all cases for which we ask you for
help have been deemed meritorious and the applicant without
sufficient means. If you would like to join our panel please click
here.
It is now the time to renew your practising certificates through
Barrister Connect, during which there is an opportunity to donate
£30 to support the work of the Unit. In 2016 over 50% of the Bar
donated in this way.
The impact of this funding for the Unit cannot be overstated,
representing as it does around 50% of our annual income. For us to
continue streamlining and digitising our processes to ensure
support for volunteers and an efficient service to applicants,
please do remember the Unit and donate £30 when you renew your
practising certificate.
Thank you to all at the Bar for your continued support of the
Unit. Your impact is best communicated by one of our 2016
applicants who said: "My pro bono barrister gave me the voice I
desperately needed."
If you have any questions about the Unit, your donation or
volunteering, please don't hesitate to contact
me.
Jess Campbell, Chief Executive of the Bar Pro Bono
Unit