Research from the solicitors’ trade union – the Law Society – show the English profession provided 15 per cent less free advice in the past 12 months. The statistic will be embarrassing for the society, as it just launched its annual ‘Pro Bono week’, which is designed to promote the charitable work of its members across the country.
Redefinition
According to a report in the Law Gazette newspaper, Law Society officials maintain some of the decline is attributed to a redefinition of what qualifies as pro bono work.
The newspaper points out that the society’s survey shows that the percentage of practising certificate holders donating at least one hour of free advice over the past 12 months actually dropped only 1 point to 40 per cent compared with the previous period.
Lower value
But the Gazette goes on to report that the average number of pro bono hours solicitors worked fell by eight, from 55 in 2010 to 47 last year. Additionally, the value of that work dropped 1.5 per cent, from £518m to £510m, equating to 2.6 per cent of the total turnover of solicitors’ firms.
The newspaper also reminded readers of reports from last month showing that some of the biggest drops in pro bono advice came at the London-based global firms.
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