NATIONAL PRO BONO WEEK

2006

5th - 9th JUNE

National Pro Bono week is a week of events which take place across the country - all with the same theme.  Each event centres on pro bono and a particular project or scheme happening around the UK and abroad.

The week serves as a meeting of minds and also allows pro bono to get into the public view.

This year's timetable was as follows:

Date	Venue	Event	Time	Further info	Hosted by
05.06.06	Law Society London	Media launch/opening of exhibition	8.30/10am	morag.goldfinch@lawsociety.org.uk chris.holland@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
05.06.06	Law Society London	Committee reception	12 noon	lindsay.brydson@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
05.06.06	Law Society London	President's lunch	12.45pm	lindsay.brydson@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
05.06.06	Harrogate	Phil Willis MP Surgery MP Advice Clinic	2hr slot	kate.bassett@lawsociety.org.uk	MP
05.06.06	Law Society London	YSG Awards	Evening	yvonne.treacy@lawsociety.org.uk	YSG
06.06.06	Hull (various locations)	"Seeing is believing" tour joint event with BITC	all day	Deborah.green@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
06.06.06	Bournemouth University	Contracts Law training event	10.30am	vrobertson@ilex.org.uk	ILEX
06.06.06	South Yorks	John Healey MP surgery	2 hr slot	MP advice clinic for further info admin@probonouk.net
06.06.06	Law Society	Launch of Pro Bono Clinic for hearing impaired/deaf clients	12.00/2pm	morag.goldfinch@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
06.06.06	Cardiff	Lunch to launch Cardiff University Pro Bono Clinic	12.30pm	geraint.williams@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
06.06.06	College of Law London	Law school clinics	7pm	sara.chandler@lawcol.co.uk	College of Law
06.06.06	Nottingham	Launch of Notts Law School/Trent University joint pro bono clinic	6.30pm	lindsay.brydson@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
07.06.06	BPP Law School London	Intellectual Property Pro Bono Projects	tba	karaIrwin@bpp.com	BPP
07.06.06	Lovells London	LawWorks conference	tba	am@probonogroup.org.uk	Law Works
07.06.06	Newcastle	Fundraising event for Rift Valley Youth Justice Project	8am	judith.mason@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
08.06.06	Leicester	Joint ILEX event	12noon	lindsay.brydson@lawsociety.org.uk	ILEX/Law Society
08.06.06	London	House of Commons MP's reception	3pm	rebecca.hilsenrath@lslo.x.gsi.gov.uk
08.06.06	Law Society London	Law Works Ball	Evening	info@probonogroup.org.uk	Law Works
08.06.06	Portcullis House London	Discussion regarding using the law to protect the environment	6.00/7pm	info@elflaw.org
08.06.06	College of Law Guildford	Launch of Guildford Legal Advice Centre Advisory Group	4.30pm	sara.chandler@lawcol.co.uk	College of Law
08.06.06	Bristol	Reception to celebrate legal volunteering in Bristol and recruit CAB volunteers	Evening	mary.jackson@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
09.06.06	Doncaster	Rosie Winterton/Caroline Flint MP surgery	2 hr slot	MP advice clinic kate.bassett@lawsociety.org.uk
09.06.06	Dewsbury	Shahid Malik MP surgery	2 hr slot	MP advice clinic kate.bassett@lawsociety.org.uk
09.06.06	Manchester University	LawWorks North event	lunchtime	joanne.mcleod@lawsociety.org.uk
09.06.06	St Philips Chambers Birmingham	Protocol signing & presentation of pro bono award	12.30	clive.black@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society
09.06.06	Law Society London	Street Law	all day	morag.goldfinch@lawsociety.org.uk	Law Society

Provisional Events

Date	Venue	Event	Time	Further info	Aimed at
tbc	Bury Law Centre, Bury	Launch of pro bono clinic	tbc	joanne.mcleod@lawsociety.org.uk
tbc	Cambridge	LawWorks Protocol	tbc	anna.donovan@lawsociety.org.uk
tbc	Cambridge	Working with children in care	tbc	anna.donovan@lawsociety.org.uk
tbc	Devon	Pro Help event	tbc	mary.jackson@lawsociety.org.uk

If you are interested or involved in pro bono work, the Week is a fabulous time to get involved!

National Pro Bono Week promotes the voluntary contribution made by lawyers in their communities and encourage more solicitors, barristers and legal executives to realise the benefits of pro bono.

It is important to remember that pro bono is not a replacement for a proper publicly funded system of legal services.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the above events - please feel free to email admin@probonouk.net

YSG PRO BONO AWARDS

This year saw the 8^th annual Pro Bono Awards Ceremony!

The TSG was proud to sponsor the brand new TRAINEE SOLICITOR Award at this year’s Pro Bono Awards. The TSG sponsored the award in association with its training partner, Altior. 

Altior is a company providing skills training, recruitment and consulting services to the legal profession. They have been in business for over 25 years, and are committed to providing high quality training and bringing out the best in all their students/clients. The company have been staunch supporters of the TSG - supporting us at our conference for the past 3 years and providing support to both this magazine and the website.

The Awards themselves were held during National Pro Bono Week, which this year fell between the 5 - 9 June 2006. This is a week when those who donate their time and effort to support those in dire need of legal assistance are recognised and rewarded. The Awards themselves are run by our “sister” group, the YSG (Young Solicitors’ Group) and are seen as the jewel in the crown of the Week’s festivities.

Last year, the event was attended by over 200 supporters.  The evening was held at the Law Society's Hall, and was very well received by the profession. 

Awards are made in the following categories:

• Best young solicitor at a medium firm
• Best young solicitor at a large firm
• Best team of young solicitors
• Best individual young solicitor working in-house
• Judges' special award for pro bono innovation
• NEW TSG/Altior award for trainee solicitor

The Award winner has been published on the Pro Bono Awards page of the site.