Andrew joined the firm in 2022 as our first Counsel, Head of Pro Bono for EMEA. Here he discusses what the role involves, the growing focus on pro bono at commercial firms, and his aspirations for the Norton Rose Fulbright practice.

Tell us about your background and how you came to be in a full time pro bono role

I trained and qualified at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP as a Real Estate Associate before joining their pro bono team in 2017. At the time, HSF already had two full time pro bono lawyers and a very active pro bono programme. This was an opportunity both to spend more time supervising and advising on pro bono matters, and also to lead on the strategic side, applying my understanding of life as a commercial lawyer to develop projects which were exciting, inclusive and (of course) sustainable alongside a fee-earning workload. 

How common are pro bono roles and why are they needed?

There are now over 70 full time pro bono legal roles in London compared to maybe one or two twenty years ago. Most are former commercial lawyers who have been pro bono volunteers and decided to make the step across. Not unlike a Partner leading any practice group, these lawyers build relationships and networks with potential clients to create opportunities; scope projects and instructions; supervise the delivery of the work; and help to communicate successes through internal and external channels. 

There is no one reason for this rush to invest and professionalise law firms’ approach to pro bono. Certainly, the demand for pro bono services has grown, in particular in the wake of the legal aid cuts in 2013 which have decimated the sector and put huge pressure on legal aid suppliers. Whilst pro bono is no substitute for these services, it can help to plug gaps and build capacity where possible. At the same time, there is more appreciation of the so-called ‘business case for pro bono’, arising from the demands of stakeholders – fee-paying clients, staff, future joiners, the public – that we are living our values and demonstrating a sense of purpose through this work. The clamour for pro bono from all quarters saw 7 more new pro bono roles added in London last year – including mine! – and that growth is not showing any signs of slowing down.

What are your aspirations for the Norton Rose Fulbright pro bono practice in 2023?

For the past twenty years or more, our practice has been built on a bedrock of two Law Centre partnerships in London – many of our alumni may recall these from your time here. My hope for the year ahead is to expand that base of opportunities in London and across EMEA, with new charity partnerships addressing a cross-section of issues which are important to our stakeholders, such as systemic racism, environmental justice, the migration crisis and more. 

At the same time the focus will be on raising awareness: for the charities we support and the lawyers who spend their time on this work. In 2022, the first full year of our EMEA strategic partnership with Save the Children, we delivered over 1,000 hrs on a range of pro bono initiatives, some of which were award-winning. We should proudly recognise that achievement and all the teams who contributed and we look to build on it this year, including through a new associate secondment which we have established with Save. 

We would love for our alumni to have the opportunity to be involved in our pro bono programme in the future.  If you would be interested in learning more, please contact Andrew.