The Pro Bono Committee for Wales was officially launched in July 2024 in the Senedd, along with a bilingual chapter for Wales in the new ‘Guide to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice’.
The event, hosted with sponsorship from Peredur Owen Griffiths, MS for South Wales (East); was opened by the then Counsel General for Wales, Mick Antoniw MS in the Senedd in July 2024.
The Pro Bono Committee for Wales aims to ‘further a joined-up approach to pro bono in Wales’ – to be a conduit between all those offering free legal advice across the nation to share best practice, opportunities and offer support between organisations and initiatives.
His Honour Judge Robert Harrison, Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee and designated civil judge for Wales, talked in more detail about the establishment of the Committee in November 2022, and the Committee’s priorities – including providing sign-posting information, encouraging more lawyers to engage in pro bono activity, and promoting the use of the Welsh language in pro bono activities.
HHJ Harrison thanked the Charities of Advocate and Law Works Cymru in their efforts to encourage more lawyers in Wales to take up the mantle of Pro Bono work.
Toby Brown, Chair of the national Pro Bono Week Committee, and a member of the Pro Bono Committee for Wales, introduced the new ‘Guide to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice’.
The guide is a comprehensive signposting guide designed to help MPs, MSs and other agencies signpost clients to the right place, first time. It features Pro Bono networks across England and Wales, with the Welsh Chapter available bilingually.
While the guide has always included organisations working in both England and Wales (for example, Mind and Shelter), the Pro Bono Committee for Wales has compiled a specific chapter that details specific Wales-based projects.
Bilingual copies of the Wales chapter can be found on the Pro Bono Week website.
The Committee would like to thank those involved in making the day a success, in particular the Counsel General, Mr. Owen Griffiths, all the speakers, and Clive Watkins (co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee for Wales) for compering. If you would like to learn more about the work of the committee or get in touch, click here.
