ProBono
What is pro bono?
What Is Pro Bono?
The goal of pro bono is to increase availability of legal services for individuals, their groups and interests, for which legal services are traditionally inaccessible due to lack of financial means such as victims of domestic violence, patients or consumers, children, refugees, victims of racial or other kind of discrimination, labor law disputes, protection of environment etc. Free legal services provided by advocates in public interest are traditionally called pro bono publico, pro bono.
For purpose of this project we understand ,,pro bono“ as legal services provided by advocates free of charge without expectation of any remuneration. Pro bono consists of providing legal services to following client groups:
- people with limited means,
- non-governmental organizations (civic associations, churches, foundations), in case they serve interests and needs of people with limited means)
- individuals and entities focusing on protection of human rights and public interests in strategic cases or other type of work with potential significant social impact (e.g. legislation)
- non-governmental organizations regarding their organizational matters.
In wider sense pro bono includes also other activities of advocates in public interest e.g. voluntary work different from legal services or financial contributions to charities. In general pro bono is manifestation of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Why Pro Bono?
By providing pro bono legal services advocates accept their share of responsibility for society based on rule of law. Advocates play irreplaceable role in ensuring rule of law. The part of the role should be also an effort to provide access to legal protection to all regardless of property or income as well as an effort to contribute through legal means to solution of social problems.
Although pro bono is strictly voluntary activity, the code of professional ethics might be quoted to support such activities. Article no. 18 states:
,, If asked , an advocated is obliged to adequate extent participate in projects for advancing or defending human rights and freedoms, also without the remuneration, unless he has serious reasons not to do so.´´
Pro Bono and Access to Legal Aid
Although target group of pro bono legal services are people with limited means, pro bono legal services should not substitute a state guaranteed system of legal aid. The state should not shift its responsibility to advocates. Such is still unfortunately the situation in the
Law Firms and Pro Bono
Pro bono program in portfolio of law firm might be perceived by public and clients as a manifestation of social responsibility and legal professionalism.
Pro bono work is also an outstanding opportunity for lawyers to gain experience in areas, which usually do not form part of lawyer’s everyday practice. This experience could be in turn beneficial to commercial clients.
Providing pro bono services can make lawyer’s work more fulfilling and therefore contribute to greater satisfaction and effectiveness in work.
It might be also expected that number of outstanding young lawyers will grow, for whom pro bono program will be a reason to choose to get employed by particular law firm.
