An insight into Pro Bono at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

Pro Bono at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is part of our core practice. We are all encouraged to get involved, and there are a wide range of opportunities and projects to get involved with. 

I have been fortunate enough to do quite a lot of family law pro bono work over the last few years – from taking on clients on a pro bono basis to manning the pro bono legal advice clinics that the firm run on a weekly basis.  Legal Aid is rarely available in family law proceedings now, but I have had the opportunity, by being part of a firm that is very much committed to pro bono, to represent clients throughout the legal process where they are not entitled to Legal Aid and are also unable to pay for legal services themselves.

As this is a Christmas issue I highlight below some examples where our pro bono practice has really helped clients with their children and will not dwell on situations in which the law does not help some of the most vulnerable in our society – (like when I had to advise a cohabitee, as they headed into an uncertain future, that due to the fact that they were not married they were entitled to very little at the end of a 38 year relationship which bore two children (now adults)). That said, is it not better to know the law and your rights?

I have set out below some highlights of the pro bono work I have done this year where I feel our advice made a real impact for the client and their children (when otherwise they would have been unassisted):

Pro bono clinic

It is extremely rewarding to speak to someone at one of the clinics (for up to an hour only) and receive feedback at the end of the call that they feel empowered knowing the law and their rights. One such client could not have been more grateful when I suggested that she consider a 2/2/5/5 child arrangement during term-time. She had been grappling with how to divide the children’s time between her and her partner following their separation, it being agreed that the children would spend time with them both equally but them not feeling that a week on week off arrangement was appropriate. The 2/2/5/5 arrangement is well understood among family lawyers but not outside the family law world. That one piece of knowledge seemed to be a real light in a difficult situation for the pro bono clinic client. (For any non-family lawyers reading this – a 2/2/5/5 arrangement is when children spend, during term-time (holidays usually being dealt with separately), every Monday and Tuesday with one parent, every Wednesday and Thursday with the other parent and then weekends alternate each week Friday to Monday. The advantage being that there is consistency each week day and everyone knows where they will be on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during term-time). 

Holiday application

I have assisted numerous clients, on a pro-bono basis, where, sadly, it has been impossible to reach an agreement. One such client wanted to go on holiday with their children for two weeks over the holidays, as they did every year. The other parent, dug their heels in and said no without any discernible reason. Often, in such circumstances, the cost (both financial and emotional) of litigating such issues is too much to bear, and the person refusing is able to get their own way. In this case, and with the expert assistance of Counsel acting on a pro bono basis also, we were successful in obtaining a Specific Issue Order enabling the client to go on holiday with their children.    

I have learned a lot from the pro bono work that I have been part of, and look forward to doing more of it going forward.