The pledge aims to encourage at least 25 percent of lawyers to engage in pro bono work annually
General counsels from leading UK firms have announced an initiative in support of pro bono legal work, The Law Society Gazette reported.
Major companies, including Airtel Africa, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, GSK, ITV, London Stock Exchange, Ocado Group, Taylor Wimpey, The Goldman Sachs Group, United Utilities, and Whitbread have all signed the UK in-house pro bono pledge, a commitment to increase the participation of their legal teams in pro bono activities.
The pledge states, “We recognise the importance and value of legal pro bono work to individuals, employees, our company and most importantly, to wider society. It forms part of the contribution we make as an employer, demonstrating our commitment to be a responsible and caring contributor to society. Our legal team commits to the UK In House Pro Bono Pledge and will fulfil its key undertakings. We hugely look forward to using our skills to improve access to justice for all and to play our part in making a better world.”
The pledge, initiated by the In House Pro Bono Group, National Pro Bono Centre, and GC100, aims to encourage at least 25 percent of their UK-based lawyers to engage in pro bono work annually, with the target rising to 35 percent in the following year and reaching 50 percent the year after. This initiative highlights the role that legal pro bono work plays in the legal community and in contributing positively to society.
The signatories of the pledge have committed to actively encouraging pro bono work among their legal staff, emphasizing its impact on individuals, employees, the company, and, most importantly, wider society. They have also agreed to request that their external law firms and chambers provide details on their pro bono activities and express clear support for such initiatives.
The pledge's framework allows for flexibility in how these commitments are fulfilled. The National Pro Bono Centre, In House Pro Bono Group, and GC100 plan to work with the signatories over the next year to showcase examples of successful pro bono engagement.
Additionally, the pledge addresses the need for a designated “pro bono champion” within each company to integrate pro bono efforts into the broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) or Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies. This approach includes the potential allocation of CSR funds to support pro bono activities, ensuring that legal teams can contribute effectively to the company's ESG goals.
