Since insurance can sometimes be a barrier for in-house lawyers when doing pro bono, you can ask to partner with your external counsel who may have pro bono projects or casework that they need assistance with. Not only can you achieve more together, it is also a great and rewarding way to develop the client-law firm relationship.

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Most large law firms take pro bono work very seriously and have pro bono managers who source opportunities for their lawyers to participate in. Some may also be suitable for in-house teams to join in.

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We have many interesting examples of projects carried out with external law firms and charities here.

​LawWorks is a charity working in England and Wales to connect volunteer solicitors with people in desperate need of legal advice, who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay. Their opportunities are varied and open to in-house lawyers specialising in many different areas. Membership fees apply to whole in-house teams and vary depending on the number of people signing up. Projects include:

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• Not-for-Profits Programme. This brokers legal advice on a wide range of legal issues to small not-for-profit organisations meeting certain eligibility criteria. It matches a solicitor with a not-for-profit organisation, either for a one-off legal issue (like drafting a contract, reviewing a lease, updating a constitution/articles, or clarifying rights in a commercial dispute) or a longer-term basis (to carry out a review of the organisation's documents, identify potential legal issues, and be a first port of call for legal queries). 

• Free Legal Answers. Individuals on low income, and not eligible for legal aid, can request initial or brief advice about a specific civil legal issue from a volunteer lawyer via this online free service. All questions are standalone and require no further commitment once the advice is provided. Any advice and information provided by lawyers through the Free Legal Answers website is covered by professional indemnity insurance held by LawWorks. No fee is payable to participate in this.  ​

• Secondary Specialisation. The secondary specialisation programme enables pro bono solicitors from member in-house teams to support individuals beyond initial advice. LawWorks supports lawyers in member firms and in-house teams to develop expertise in areas of social welfare law, where need is significant and supply increasingly limited. Those volunteering with the programme build up knowledge over time through structured training, supervision and mentoring provided by LawWorks. 

• Clinics network. LawWorks has set up and maintains over 300 legal clinic partnerships between law firms, in-house legal teams, law schools and advice agencies to help address unmet legal need in the community. Clinics provide free initial advice to individuals, predominantly in the area of social welfare law on either a drop-in or appointment basis. 

Click here for an interview with the CEO about how LawWorks can provide pro bono work to in-house lawyers.

TrustLaw works with leading law firms and corporate legal teams to facilitate free legal support, research and resources for civil society organisations, social enterprises and non-profit independent media around the globe.​

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Signing up to become a member of TrustLaw is free and most projects involve either giving advice or conducting legal research for pre-vetted NGOs. Note that for any stand-alone advice, in-house legal departments would require professional indemnity insurance.

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Click here to learn more about Trustlaw's offering in relation to in-house legal teams. 

PILnet allows civil society organisations to not only obtain high-quality, free legal assistance when it is urgently needed but also to become aware of the full range of specialised legal assistance they can receive from corporate lawyers. ​

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Signing up to PILnet is free and it runs a number of clearinghouses around the world, which are curated lists of pro bono matters where a large network of lawyers, including in-house counsel, can volunteer to work with CSOs on discrete legal matters or deeper collaborations. It also produces multi-jurisdictional resources, which are particularly relevant to in-house lawyers as they do not require insurance cover.

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Click here to learn more about PILnet's offering in relation to in-house legal teams. 

A4ID’s international pro bono broker service brings its legal partners together with development organisations who require their particular legal expertise.​ A range of pro bono opportunities are offered to A4ID’s legal partners each week. Projects brokered by A4ID touch upon a range of legal issues that are suitable for lawyers at all levels and from across a wide variety of jurisdictions. ​

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It also connects in-house corporate lawyers with in-house NGO lawyers for peer-peer mentoring and support. This scheme has been developed by A4ID to bring together these two groups to share practical ideas about how to respond to the many and varied complex legal issues facing the INGO lawyers and does not involve providing legal advice.​

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Advocate is the Bar’s national pro bono charity that makes it possible for barristers to take on discrete pieces of pro bono work. They match members of the public who need free legal help with barristers who are willing to donate their time and expertise in deserving cases for those who are unable to obtain legal aid and cannot afford to pay. There is no fee to sign up.

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There are several ways to help including becoming any of the following:

• A panel member (taking on pieces of advice, drafting or representation).

• A reviewer (checking cases for legal merit and eligibility).

• A mentor (coaching younger barristers taking on work who are in need of support and encouragement).

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Barristers who are employed can also volunteer their time and insurance is provided by the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund when taking on work through Advocate. It also provides a useful Guide to Pro Bono for Employed Barristers.

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For an interview with Advocate's CEO, click here.

Many Universities run clinics that give preliminary legal advice to members of the public for free. 

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This opportunity is open to in-house lawyers because work is supervised by a solicitor employed by the university and the clinic will provide the necessary insurance cover. This sort of work does not require a secondary specialism because most of it involves early stage investigations into a legal problem. This is a great place to start when looking into developing a secondary specialism.

Contact your local law centres / legal advice clinics and volunteer your time and expertise. Visit the Law Centres Network website to find law centre near you.

The National Pro Bono Centre (NPBC) is a charity that exists to support lawyers who want to volunteer their time, and organisations that provide legal help to the public for free through volunteer lawyers. The NPBC plays a pivotal role in supporting pro bono work across the legal profession, including within in house teams. It is a key partner of the In House Pro Bono Group and has been instrumental in supporting the In House Pro Bono Pledge, which encourages in house lawyers to make a commitment to pro bono work as part of their professional responsibility. 

The NPBC also hosts a Volunteer Portal, delivers case study and Pro Bono Expert Support schemes, is integral to the delivery of the annual Pro Bono Week, and provides resources and guidance. The NPBC is a central hub for pro bono initiatives, helping to connect legal professionals - including in house teams - with charitable organisations and pro bono opportunities.

The In House Pro Bono Group recommends identifying mentoring opportunities, connecting lawyers with potential mentees, in the area of law. The following charities and organisations are worth contacting who have may have availability to participate in mentoring initiatives:

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• Aspiring Solicitors – https://www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk/

• Black Solicitors Network – https://www.blacksolicitorsnetwork.co.uk/

• Urban Lawyers – info@urbanlawyers.co.uk

• Urban Synergy – https://www.urbansynergy.com/

• Social Mobility Business Partnership - https://smbp.org.uk/

The following organisations came to speak to our members during our January 2023 roundtable event and encourage in house teams to get in touch to discuss ways they can assist:

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• Young Citizens supports leading companies such as Allen & Overy, Barclays, FTI Consulting, Sky and more to deliver inspiring sessions on the law, economy and media with state school students through Experts in Schools. These programmes offer impactful opportunities for top businesses to engage with young people supporting their corporate responsibility, youth and PLE impact. Employee volunteers deliver pre-designed lessons that allow their professional expertise to shine whilst discussing youth viewpoints on today’s biggest issues, from fake news to human rights. Find out how your in-house pro bono or wider CSR teams can work with their charity on volunteering or bespoke education projects by contacting their Partnerships Manager at Kirsty.Robertson@youngcitizens.org and mention that you are a member of the In House Pro Bono Group.

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• KIND UK provides free legal help to children, young people and families navigating the complicated UK immigration system. KIND UK provides a unique pro bono experience. KIND UK has expert supervising lawyers that train, mentor and support pro bono lawyers so that they can take on a case from start to finish.  Securing the status of these children is life changing. By taking a case, you are really making a difference! For more information, please contact Annie Cooper ann.cooper@centralenglandlc.org.uk and mention that you are a member of the In House Pro Bono Group.

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• Lawyers Against Poverty (LAP) is a growing movement of lawyers dedicated to harnessing the untapped potential within the legal community to build a world without the injustice of poverty. LAP members can get involved in a number of ways, volunteering as legal educators in partnership with refugee support organisations though our Community Legal Confidence Programme, getting involved in collaborative philanthropy by donating to LAP’s Justice Fund to support initiatives around the world using the law to combat poverty, and connecting with peers through one of our Thematic Groups on Women’s Rights, Refugee Rights, Land Rights and Ethical Business. To find our more, get in touch directly with LAP’s Director: emma.lough@lawyersagainstpoverty.org and mention that you are a member of the In House Pro Bono Group. 

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• Roots2Justice is a new legal empowerment initiative aimed at putting the power of the law behind social and environmental justice movements. We work in partnership with grassroots activists and communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia who are committed to protect the environment, advocate for environmental justice and to tackle negative business human rights practices. By connecting legal specialists across jurisdictions and grassroots communities on the ground we hope to build solidarity networks, share applied legal knowledge, identify best practice, and build more legally empowered and resilient communities. We are looking for legal specialists to collaborate and help facilitate interactive and bespoke training, capacity building, mentoring and informative sessions, as well as assisting with the design, research and production of training materials for our Resource Hub and Best Practice Forum.  If you wish to join – please get in touch with Susi Bascon at susi_bascon@yahoo.com and mention that you are a member of the In House Pro Bono Group.

Other helpful assistance on finding pro bono projects can be found in the in-house pro bono guide. Click here for further details.