Everybody loves a good story. Writing and collecting them is essential for providing examples of and celebrating the hard work of pro bono professionals and helping to garner both media attention and funding. The NPBC can provide a freelance story writer to organisations that do not have the capacity to write and collect their own.
When Althea’s* mother abducted her two younger siblings and took them to the Philippines with a convicted sex offender, she knew she would need specialist help to get them back. Dads House provided all the free legal advice she required to return them and claim custody.
When Sammy’s* ex-partner stopped him from having any contact with this son, he wasn’t sure where to turn. Finding Dads House legal clinic meant that he received years of free legal support to re-establish their relationship.
Thiraviyarajah is a Tamil who was persecuted and tortured in his home country of Sri Lanka. He sought sanctuary in Australia in 2013 but was captured trying to enter. Held for years in various detention centres, he ended up on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, which was reported to have appalling conditions, and a huge self-harm and suicide rate among the refugees held there.
When Robert and Nathan Gale had some good news, they headed to town to celebrate. However, their night out in Glasgow came to abrupt end when they were refused entry to a nightclub they had visited many times before because the venue said it not accommodate wheelchair users.
Crisanta lived in a quiet farming community of indigenous Mayan people in Guatemala, close to a gold mine. In 2005, the gold mine operator erected a powerline which local families claimed was installed on their land without consent.
John had made enough National Insurance contributions for Siobhan to be entitled to a bereavement payment and a widowed parent’s allowance. However, because they had never married or entered a civil partnership, the Northern Ireland Department of Communities told Siobhan that she was not entitled to the money.
After fleeing domestic abuse, Samantha* and her three children were housed by the council in a two-bedroom temporary flat. Samantha’s eldest son suffers from Pompe disease, a deteriorating muscle condition that means he requires constant care. The accommodation did not meet his needs, and he was unable to use his wheelchair or frame there.
Joely* is a child with complex sensory needs and autism. When her local authority allocated her to a school that wouldn’t be able to meet her needs, her parents wanted to appeal the decision, but knew they would need help.
*Liam, a young man in his early 20s, was the driver of a car involved in a fatal accident. When he turned up at Coroner’s Court to give evidence about the death of the other driver, his behaviour was erratic and he had trouble recalling the accident.
After Ava* moved abroad with her husband and young daughter, her husband became financially and psychologically controlling and abusive. He would drink and take drugs, while Ava was working three jobs to support the family.
It is not only seasoned lawyers who can take on pro bono cases. Law students are keen to help vulnerable clients and gain valuable legal experience by volunteering and being supervised by qualified lawyers.
Back in 2012, Drumragh was the only integrated Catholic/Protestant post-primary school in the district of Omagh, Northern Ireland. There were so many people who wanted to send their children there that Drumragh submitted a development proposal to the Department of Education. It was denied.