Pro Bono Commitee

ELA has long recognised the importance of pro bono work in the employment law field and has played a significant role in developing pro bono services in the field. Through the Pro Bono Committee, we have helped to establish a more co-ordinated approach between existing pro bono schemes. The Pro Bono Committee’s aims are to encourage and make possible pro bono work in the field and to help ELA members who want to do more pro bono work.

Pro bono work offers a way of giving something back to the community. It is particularly important in employment law cases which often raise issues of great importance for individuals who cannot gain access to advice or representation and where legal aid is not available.

Pro bono cases often extend the range of a lawyer’s work, keeping him or her in touch with interesting and challenging areas which their paid practice may have moved away from.

Providing advice and representation which enables otherwise unrepresented parties to present their cases efficiently and effectively helps the whole system to run more smoothly, and brings public benefit. Many test cases, some of which have become household names in the employment world, would not have happened if the lawyers had not acted pro bono.

Pro bono work in the employment field can be done in many different ways. The schemes ELA has developed and support, along with details of how to get involved, are outlined here.

Bar Pro Bono Unit and Free Representation Unit Project

Both the Bar Pro Bono Unit (BPBU) and the Free Representation Unit (FRU) provide employment case work to those with deserving cases who cannot otherwise afford to access proper legal assistance.

ELA, BPBU and FRU have established a unique partnership whereby ELA has funded the work of the BPBU and FRU for a number of years, contributing to the costs of running the two units including the funding of the employment caseworkers at each of the Units

In return for ELA’s financial support, we have developed a joint project specifically structured to maximise pro bono case work opportunities for ELA members.

Visit the BPBU and FRU websites.

ELA Employment Advice Clinics

These are fortnightly evening clinics which we are piloting in several regions and which we are working to roll out to more regions. Advice clinics are currently operating in Cardiff, Birmingham, Bristol, Bury (South Manchester).

They are manned by ELA members. These clinics offer members an opportunity to gain valuable pro bono experience, thereby expanding their experience and enriching their own practice. At the same time, it allows those who could not otherwise afford it access to specialist employment law advice.

New Advice Clinic

ELA is currently assisting LawWorks to set up a new clinic in Kentish Town, London offering advice in, amongst other areas, employment law.

Find out more about ELA Employment Advice Clinics.

ELA Joint Projects with LawWorks

LawWorks (the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group) is a national charity which aims to provide free legal advice for individuals and communities in need which cannot afford to pay for such help. To help LawWorks further their aims, ELA supports a variety of their projects, through which ELA members have a variety of pro bono work to choose from.

Find out more about ELA Joint Projects with LawWorks.

ELA Annual Conference for the Voluntary Sector and Trade Unions

Each year, the Pro Bono Committee organises an up-dater conference tailored specifically for, and free of charge to, those who work in the voluntary sector and trade unions. Unlike other ELA training events which are only available to members, this conference is open to anyone who works in the voluntary sector or a trade union.

The 2008 conference will be on Monday 30th June in London. Programme details are available here.

The lecture notes from the 2007 conference, which had the theme of low paid workers, are available here.

Age Discrimination and Pay-Related Benefits

Whistleblowing

The National Minimum Wage

Equal Pay

Pro Bono Committee 2007-08

Caroline Stroud, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Chairman)

Caroline Dunne, Paul Hastings

lare Hockney, The Equality and Human Rights Commission

Julie Morris, Jones Russell Walker

Laura Collignon, Thomas More

Naomi Cunningham, Farrars

Paul Goulding, Blackstone Chambers

Paul Quain, Linklaters

Susan Belgrave, 9 Gough Square

Tom Croxford, Blackstone Chambers

Victoria Speed, BPPLawSchool