Pro bono publico: for the public good

In this blog, Francine Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Law, and Director of the Open Justice Centre discusses Pro Bono Week 2023.

Welcome to the 22^nd Annual Pro Bono week which takes place between 6^th – 10^th November 2023. It is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the work individuals and organisations play in providing free legal information and advice across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. This year Pro Bono week focuses on three themes:

Changing lives through pro bono
Maximising the impact of pro bono
Pro bono within ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance strategy)

For any students interested in climate justice the fifth Student Law Clinics Global Day of Action for Climate Justice is on November 17^th, 2023. You can find out more here.

There are lots of ways you can get involved in Pro Bono week. You can join in on social media on Twitter @ProBonoWeekUK and @OU_OpenJustice. The Open Justice Centre will be tweeting everyday about pro bono. You can also follow Pro Bono week on LinkedIn.

There are lots of events happening through the week so you might consider going to an event. There are a mix of in person and online events from the Great Legal Bake 2023 to interesting legal technology discussions such as ‘Generative AI 101 for Charities and Not-For-Profits’ and ‘How can legal technology help maximise the impact of Pro Bono and provide access to justice?’.

If you are already involved in pro bono you could share your story for the Open Justice Blog - we would really like to hear more about your volunteering and why you do it.

If you are new to pro bono work, then Pro Bono week is a great opportunity to find out more. The Open Justice Blog is a great place to start, here you can find writings on law, pro bono, and social justice. You can read blogs from fellow OU students about projects they have been involved in and what they have gained from volunteering.

Pro bono work is done in lots of different ways from students and lawyers volunteering in advice clinics to barristers representing individuals in court hearings. You can read some of the case studies on the Pro Bono week website which demonstrate the range of different ways volunteers have made a difference. But Pro Bono week is not just something that happens in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, it is a global event. European Pro Bono week runs from 20^th to 24^th November recognising the work of volunteers across Europe to promote access to justice. In the United States, Pro Bono week was celebrated from 22^ndto 28^th October 2023.

There are lots of reasons why law students might want to get involved in pro bono work. There are opportunities through the Open Justice Centre and if you are an OU student or alumni you can also sign up for the Opportunity Hub on the Careers and Employability website where they post volunteer opportunities as well as job placements. Pro bono week is a celebration of all the incredible pro bono work that takes place both nationally and internationally. It is a great opportunity to find out what is happening in your community and if it is something you might be interested in, think about ways you can get involved. And if you are on social media use the hashtags: #ProBonoWeek and #WeDoProBono