The Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales, which will be published annually, recognises barristers and solicitors who have given 25 or more hours pro bono legal assistance in the previous calendar year.

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The Pro Bono Recognition List was set up under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee, with support from the Access to Justice Foundation, Advocate, Advocates for International Development, the Law Officers, the Bar Council, the Clinical Legal Education Organisation, the In-House Pro Bono Group, the Law Society, LawWorks, the National Pro Bono Centre and TrustLaw.

The Lady Chief Justice of England & Wales, The Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill is the Patron of the Pro Bono Recognition List.

FAQ

1. Who can be included in the list? Any barrister or solicitor practising in England & Wales who has performed 25 or more hours of legal pro bono work in the previous calendar year. If other types of lawyers practising in the jurisdiction such as Legal Executives or foreign qualified lawyers would like to be included in future years, please provide feedback to contact@probonorecognitionlist.org.uk. Lawyers who are not yet qualified, including trainee solicitors, pupil barristers and paralegals cannot currently be included in the List.

2. How does the Recognition List define pro bono work? The Joint Pro Bono Protocol defines legal pro bono (and sets out expectations for how pro bono work is undertaken), with a more detailed articulation found in the internationally recognised TrustLaw definition.

3. How do you submit your details? Individual solicitors can submit their details using the links on the Recognition List's website. The entries for individual barristers are collated by Advocate. Organisations can make bulk submissions for all the barristers and solicitors they employ. Use the excel spreadsheet available on the web page and send it to contact@probonorecognitionlist.org.uk. Bulk submissions must be submitted in the template excel spreadsheet format. Any organisation making a bulk submission should obtain consent to be included on the Recognition List from those named in their submission.

4. What is the deadline for submissions? The closing date for submissions is Friday 24 May 2024. No late submissions will be accepted. After this deadline, please submit in the following year for next year’s List.

5. When will the list be published?  The Pro Bono Recognition List will be published within a month of the closing date for submission.

6. How will my data be used? Please see the data privacy policy on the website.

7. What if as an individual lawyer I worked for more than one organisation during the year? Please name the organisation that you were working for at the end of the year in question i.e. as of 31 December 2023.

8. What if I am making a bulk submission for my organisation and have some lawyers who worked for more than one organisation last year? If they completed 25 hours or more pro bono time while working at your organisation then please include them. Please note that if they undertook 25 hours or more pro bono work in more than one organisation but they did not complete 25 hours at either organisation they can still make an individual submission.

9. Who is responsible for the Pro Bono Recognition List? The Steering Group of the Attorney General’s Committee for Pro Bono is responsible for the operation and management of the Pro Bono Recognition List.

10. Who checks the submissions? Organisations that make bulk submissions are responsible for confirming the accuracy of the information submitted. Lawyers making individual submissions are similarly required to attest as to the accuracy of the information that they submit. The declaration that the relevant lawyers have undertaken the pro bono work is taken on trust. Inclusion in the Pro Bono Recognition List cannot be taken as a warranty as to the status of an individual as a lawyer or their pro bono work. The Steering Group reserves the right at its absolute discretion not to include, or to remove, an individual’s name on the Recognition List.

11. Can I complain about the pro bono work done by a lawyer included on the Pro Bono Recognition List? For complaints about solicitors, please see the Law Society’s Guidance on making a complaint about a solicitor. For complaints about barristers, please see the Bar Standards Board’s guidance on reporting concerns about a barrister.

12. Can individuals’ names be removed from the list? If an employer submits an individual’s name in error, or an individual wishes their name removed, the Steering Group should be contacted on contact@probonorecognitionlist.org.uk so that the error can be corrected. If an individual is removed from the Solicitors’ Register or suspended or removed from the Barristers’ Register, then once this is brought to the attention of the Steering Group that individual’s name will be removed from the Pro Bono Recognition List. The Steering Group cannot respond to any other complaints about the inclusion of an individual on the Pro Bono Recognition List.

13. What should I do if I need free legal advice? Lawyers and organisations listed on the Pro Bono Recognition List are not advertising that they are able to offer further pro bono assistance to new clients. If you need free legal advice, please see this web page for advice on accessing free legal advice. More detailed signposting information can be found in the Guide to Pro Bono & Other Free Advice.

14. Who can I contact if I have any questions or technical issues with submissions? Please email contact@probonorecognitionlist.org.uk

15. Media enquiries? Members of the media may contact contact@probonorecognitionlist.org.uk.