Survey opens on solicitor pro bono work

Solicitors are being asked to take part in a survey of how much free legal work they do for their clients or others.

The Law Society of Scotland today launched a survey to assess the amount of time voluntarily given by its members in using their professional skills to help individuals and community groups who would otherwise be unable to obtain legal advice or representation.

It is also attempting to get a picture of what solicitors actually regard as pro bono work.

Stuart Naismith, convener of the Society’s Access to Justice Committee, said: “Scottish solicitors do an enormous amount of pro bono work for their clients and others in their local communities who would otherwise not be able to get the legal advice they need, but it has not been quantified before.

“We are clear that pro bono work can and should never be a substitute for a properly funded system of legal aid. However we are keen to establish how much pro bono work solicitors do, and also find out what they think of as being pro bono work. For example, we don’t know if solicitors view it as being solely legal advice and representation that they provide for no charge or a reduced charge, or if they include additional unpaid work such as legal education, in schools for example, or law reform work, such as being part of a Law Society committee, to benefit the public and profession.

“This short survey will help us gain a clearer picture of pro bono in Scotland and the work that solicitors do to help meet unmet legal need.”

Pro bono developments in Scotland include the recent establishment of the charity LawWorks Scotland, which connects lawyer volunteers with individuals and communities in need of legal advice, and has established clinics in Aberdeenshire, West Lothian, Edinburgh and Glasgow; and the growth of the student law clinic movement.

The Society's survey runs for two weeks, until Friday 21 November. Click here to take part.