The National Pro Bono Centre exists to support lawyers who want to volunteer their time, and organisations that provide legal help to the public for free through volunteer lawyers.

We do not offer legal advice to individuals, but we may be able to help you find organisations that do.

What we do

The NPBC exists to support charities and organisations that enable and broker pro bono legal work. We do not offer legal advice to individuals.

Our work extends beyond those charities that have pro bono at their heart, to include any organisation that provides help to the public for free by using lawyers who volunteer their time and expertise.

We also want to encourage lawyers to undertake pro bono work, so we provide guidance on how to get involved, whatever branch of the profession you are in.

In a nutshell, we are a virtual hub that:

Connects and provides support and resources for charities that deliver free legal pro bono advice to members of the public all over the UK.
Helps solicitors, barristers and law students find ways they can use their skills through pro bono groups and organisations.
Encourages professionals, organisations and educational institutions to set up their own pro bono programmes.
Hosts searchable volunteering opportunities on our website.

About us

Do you need help for yourself, friends or family?

We do not offer legal advice to individuals, but we may be able to help you find organisations that do.

One of our charity partners, Advocate, provides a signposting page for individuals who are looking for free legal assistance.

Find help

Do you work for a charity that has volunteer lawyers?

We are here to support pro bono charities and organisations by working on projects that you’ve told us you need help with.

You can find out more about our current projects as well as advertise for legal and non-legal volunteers on our website.

Our projects Opportunities

Are you a legal professional who wants to volunteer?

We aim to make it easy to find out what opportunities are available to you whether you are a solicitor, barrister, in-house lawyer, or a law student.

We also advertise volunteering opportunities, which you can search to find something that suits your interests and skills.

How to volunteer Opportunities

Funded project:

Pro Bono Week

Pro Bono Week offers an opportunity to recognise and support the voluntary contribution made by the legal profession across the UK in giving free legal help to those in need. Law firms, chambers, legal societies, charities, in-house lawyers, law schools and universities publish communications and host events during the week. It is also an opportunity many use to publish reports or launch new initiatives to an engaged pro bono audience.

Website About PBW

Pro Bono Story

Refugee brings fraudster to justice and lands huge pro bono costs order: Fatima’s story

When local shopkeeper Derek* discovered that Fatima*, an elderly woman, was desperately trying to help her family emigrate to the UK from Afghanistan, he persuaded her that he could help them be granted an entrepreneurial visa if they invested in his business. Fatima believed him and gave him her savings but once they had been transferred, he denied receiving them – and denied making any promises of help to Fatima. Derek even said he did not know her. He ignored her phone calls, hoping that she would grow tired and simply give up.

Offer: Help to write your pro bono stories

A good story is essential for charities that enable pro bono work. Writing and collecting case studies, profiles and spotlights is a powerful way of delivering positive messages about the impact of pro bono work. It also helps garner much-needed media attention and funding, helping ensure future growth.

It is also an extremely useful tool for the often unrecognised lawyers who carry out repeated free legal work. Sharing the benefits is crucial for encouraging more lawyers to join in.

The NPBC can provide a freelance story writer/content provider to help organisations that do not have the time or resources to produce their own pro bono case studies.

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Featured Opportunities

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