I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend, despite the weather. The next couple of months look busy and exciting for LawWorks – the annual LLST sponsored walk is now less than two weeks away, and a month later is our annual awards evening. I hope to see you at one or both of these occasions. However, this summer’s most exciting development for us is the news, just broken, of the launch of the National Pro Bono Centre and our move to its premises in Chancery Lane. We are particularly looking forward to building on our already close relationship with the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the ILEX Pro Bono Forum to develop more effective partnerships and a better service for lawyers for the voluntary sector and for members of the public. If you are interested in supporting the Centre or simply want to know more about it, either get in touch or come to our Forum next Tuesday at White & Case – hope to see you then.

Rebecca Hilsenrath

National Pro Bono Centre
The identification of new premises for LawWorks was flagged up as an important issue to address two years ago. Issues included:

• the imminent expiry of our lease
• the fact that our Lovat Lane premises are scheduled for renovation
• the restriction on expansion caused by the lack of room at Lovat Lane
• the increasing collaboration between us and other charities and a shared desire to build on that
• the pressure on funds resulting from the recession and the advantages of sharing resources where possible

Accordingly, no small amount of time was spent during much of 2009 viewing potential premises and discussing options with partner charities. We learned a lot from this process – not least not to under-estimate timetables in relation to agreeing lettings!

Throughout the process, the site which we had identified as most attractive was in Chancery Lane, at the heart of the legal community, and we were really thrilled that we were eventually able to agree head of terms with the landlord. Our agents, CBRE, have been totally amazing and we have received really generous pro bono legal support from Macfarlanes who have negotiated the lease as well as working on the infrastructure of the National Pro Bono Centre itself.

Our thoughts are now focusing on financing fit out, which we hope to do largely through sponsorship. Some interest has already been expressed. Please let us know if you would like to know more about the Centre and about packages available.

We hope that being part of the Centre will help us to work with you even more effectively and we look forward so much to welcoming you to our new home.

LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2010 – Shortlist announced!
The annual LawWorks Pro Bono Awards celebrate excellence in and commitment to pro bono work through the LawWorks projects, and the positive impact on those helped.
The closing date for this year’s nominations was on 26th March and we received over 60 nominations in total across all of the categories. Thank you so much to everyone who nominated.
We are pleased to announce the full shortlist:

Best Contribution by a Law Firm

• Charles Russell
  
• Finers Stephens Innocent
  
• Eversheds
  
• Mayer Brown International
  
• Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker (Europe)
  

Best Contribution by a Regional Law Firm or other Member Organisation

• Muckle
  
• Clarion Solicitors
  
• Stamp Jackson & Procter Solicitors
  

Partnership in Pro Bono

• South West London Law Centres and Allen & Overy
  
• Account3 and Wragge & Co
  
• Unltd and Debevoise & Plimpton
  
• Birmingham Central Library, DLA Piper, Eversheds, Hammonds, Wragge & Co and College of Law (Birmingham)
  
• The Asylum Support Appeals Project, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, Clifford Chance and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
  

Best Contribution by an Individual

• Alex McPherson (Hogan & Hartson)
  
• Philip Watkins (Hogan & Hartson)
  
• Sarah McGinley (Clifford Chance)
  
• Bobby Kensah (Norton Rose)
  
• Andrew Skudder (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer)
  
• Dominic Robertson (Slaughter and May)
  

Best Partner Level Engagement Within a Law Firm

• Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
  
• Clifford Chance LLP
  
• Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

The Awards are being judged by an independent panel of Edward Fennell, Times Law Journalist, Des Hudson Chief Executive of the Law Society, and Rabinder Singh QC.
An Award will also be presented on the evening for the Most Outstanding Contribution to LawWorks, as nominated by LawWorks staff and trustees.
The winners will be announced at the annual LawWorks Ball which this year is taking place on Tuesday 15th June at Gibson Hall in London and has “A Night at the Movies” as the theme. For ticket information, please contact Anne Monk on 020 7090 7350 or anne.monk@lawworks.org.uk

London Legal Walk 2010
The London Legal Walk is very nearly upon us, taking place on Monday 17th May. It’s not too late to enter a team, so if you’d like to then contact Bob Nightingale at chair@londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk and let him know.
There have been some changes to the route this year, the most important one being the start point – the walk will now start from the Great Hall at Lincoln’s Inn. The route takes in more of London’s Parks now than in previous years. Thanks to Sarah Cox of LawWorks for planning this year’s route.
We’d once again like to thank the firms who are walking to raise for us – including Proskauer Rose, Covington & Burling, Vodafone, Cleary Gottlieb and Maxwell Winward.
We’ve also got a very strong team of our own, including a number of volunteers form our Choices project. If you’d like to join us, sponsor us, or just see how we’re doing, visit our page at www.justgiving.com/lawworks-walkers2010. Extra special thanks to Shoosmiths for their donation.
Finally, don’t forget there is a fun quiz hosted by the Law Society on Wednesday 12th May – only £2 a person to enter! Contact Bob on the address above to register.

Legal Advice Centre (University House) is on Facebook

LawWorks works in partnership with the Legal Advice Centre (University House) - one of the oldest legal advice agencies in London. The Centre, based in Roman Road, Bethnal Green, is contacted by up to 5,000 people each year seeking advice in a range of areas. Its Thursday evening advice session is a LawWorks Member Clinic. The Centre is keen to increase its engagement with users and supporters through social networking and has developed its own Facebook fan page. If you are in anyway involved with the Centre or would like to be, please visit their website www.legaladvicecentre.org.uk or contact them via Facebook – here.

LawWorks Awards Ball – 2010
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!

There are only a few tickets remaining for the LawWorks Awards Ball on the 15th June 2010.
If you have not bought any tickets yet and would like to do so, please contact Anne Monk.
Don’t miss out on a great event!

Did you know that LawWorks… has over 150 accredited mediators on its Panel willing to work pro bono for our civil and commercial mediations

Norfolk Community Law Service – Celebrations at City Hall
In late April, Martin went along to Norwich City Hall to celebrate with Norfolk Community Law Service after they won the LawWorks Award for regional pro bono activity in 2009.
The event was hosted by the Sheriff of Norwich, Professor Tim O’Riordan, who spoke of his support for the work carried out by the local legal volunteers, which is run by NCLS. Ben Keane, the Chair of NCLS and partner at Overburys, led a series of presentations from the charity regarding the work they have carried out in the past year and their plans for the future.
The University of East Anglia were also in attendance. Their students have been volunteering with NCLS for some time and are also planning new activities for the year ahead.
Congratulations again to NCLS for their work in a region which is lacking in free legal advice support for its constituents. LawWorks took the opportunity to explain how we can support them in helping people locally, and also outlined the proposals for the Eastern Region Legal Support Trust, which is currently being set up.

Member Firm of the Month - Norton Rose LLP

What are the main areas of law practised at this firm?
We are a large city and international law firm - Corporate, Banking, Asset Finance, Dispute Resolution, Project Finance, Competition & Regulatory, Tax, Property.

When did the organisation start carrying out pro bono work?
We can not pinpoint that precisely although we are very proud to have been sponsoring Tower Hamlets Law Centre (together with Freshfields) since the late 1970s.

How are staff encouraged to become involved in pro bono work?
We sponsor and facilitate a wide range of pro bono projects both for our legal and non-legal staff.

What type of pro bono work does the organisation carry out?
We provide volunteers to Tower Hamlets Law Centre, Tooting, and the CAB at the RCJ. We also have a number of FRU volunteers. In addition, we undertake pro bono matters in Dispute Resolution and also Property, Employment and IP, often for charities with which we are involved but many are stand alone requests.

Please give details of a case that illustrates your organisation’s success with pro bono work?
One of our trainees, Bobby Kensah, is the Law Society’s Pro Bono Trainee of the Year.

To read about Patrick Farrell, the Pro Bono Coordinator for Norton Rose LLP, visit our website.


London Marathon 2010

A few of you may have noticed the thousands of crazy people pounding the streets of London on Sunday 25th April in their efforts to complete the London Marathon. Amongst them was a member of LawWorks staff – Alison Ingram. Alison struggled through the 26 miles of punishment in aid of Crisis – the national charity for homeless people. LawWorks assisted with the setting up of a legal clinic involving Crisis and Allen & Overy and this is how Alison came to know of their fantastic work. With enthusiastic encouragement from other members of the LawWorks team on the sidelines Alison managed a respectable time of 4 hours 33 minutes. Thanks to everyone who sponsored Alison – Crisis are hugely appreciative of your generosity.

Quiz Corner
Some people think that pro bono work never results in reward. But they clearly haven’t ever read the LawWorks Quiz Corner. After a brief period of respite, we’re back, offering you an outstanding choice of prizes for this month’s challenge. That’s right, not one prize, but a choice of two prizes on offer:

• a versatile vintage Solicitors Pro Bono Group vinyl satchel; or
• two second hand lever arch files.

The choice is yours.

So this month’s challenge…

Some people dislike the Latin term pro bono and go on ad nauseam about how it smacks of elitism. And anyone who’s seen Status Quo performing a cappella will know all about nauseam. But who doesn’t like a spot of nostalgia? So carpe diem and your keyboard and have ego at this.

Alison est in culina bibit. Kathie est in horto sedet. Martin est sub mensa.

Please e-mail your translations to Martin (martin.curtis@lawworks.org.uk) together with your translation prove to be correct!

General Enquiries		t: 020-7929-5601	send email
Chief Executive	Rebecca Hilsenrath	t: 020-7929-5601	send email
Administration & Finance	Alero Arueyingho	t: 020-7090-7351	send email
Membership	Anne Monk	t: 020-7929-5601	send email
Business Development	Kathie Clark	t: 020-7090-7365	send email
LawWorks Choices & ALLIES	Lorna Heselton	t: 020-7090-7368	send email
LawWorks Clinics	Richard Harrison	t: 020-7090-7356	send email
LawWorks Clinics	Sarah Cox	t: 020-7090-7361	send email
LawWorks for Community Groups	Alison Ingram	t: 020-7090-7352	send email
LawWorks for Community Groups	Liz Adebajo	t: 020-7090-7359	send email
LawWorks for Community Groups/Initial Electronic Advice	Ruth Thompson	t: 020-7090-7357	send email
Individual Casework	Tim Atwood	t: 020-7090-7355	send email
LawWorks Mediation	Lavinia Shaw Brown	t: 020-7090-7354	send email
LawWorks Mediation	Kristina Velcikova	t: 020-7090-7362	send email
LawWorks Students/Law Schools	Martin Curtis	t: 020-7090-7358	send email
LawWorks Training	Megan Pearson	t: 020-7090-7369	send email

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