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HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS
PRO BONO & CITIZENSHIP
Our pro bono initiatives represent some of the most significant, interesting and impactful work we do on behalf of individuals, charities and national governments. Last year our contribution in London including time, financial and in-kind support, totalled £6.9 million, with more than 21,000 hours of advice given. All our lawyers are encouraged to participate in our pro bono programme: time spent on these matters is treated in the same way as billable client work. Participation allows our lawyers to make a difference and build skills, including advocacy, leadership, case management and client interview techniques.
LONDON £6.9M 21,736 HOURSOF ADVICE CONTRIBUTION
PRO BONO
We engage in a number of different activities to encourage access to the legal profession and to Herbert Smith Freehills. We are a founding member of PRIME, an alliance of law firms across the UK, which aims to improve young people’s access to the legal sector and helps them to build skills and aspirations. Our ‘Networked’ scholarship scheme offers experience and guidance to students from comprehensive schools across London, as part of an innovative five-year programme. In conjunction with Rare Recruitment we implemented a contextual data recruitment system to better understand socio-economic and other factors that may have affected candidates during their studies. We are in the eighth year of our partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, building its capacity to manage inward investment. Closer to home, we run a weekly legal advice clinic in Whitechapel assisting local residents on issues such as housing and employment law. Collaborating with Goldman Sachs, we provide a video advice clinic to young people supported by the homelessness charity Centrepoint. CITIZENSHIP Our varied international and domestic pro bono programme focuses on four key areas: access to justice, international development, social impact investment and human rights (particularly anti-trafficking and anti-slavery).
“IT’S BEEN FANTASTIC TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY, MODERNISE ARBITRATION LEGISLATION FOR SIERRA LEONE AND INDEPENDENTLY MANAGE LEGAL AID CASES.”
JAKE SAVILE-TUCKER, TRAINEE SOLICITOR
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