Blogs, Responsible business

For UK Pro Bono Week – a round up of the incredible causes we’ve partnered with this year- and a look ahead to 2024

This week is UK Pro Bono Week – it’s an event designed to recognise and support the voluntary contribution made by the legal profession across the UK by way of free legal help to those in need.

In common with so many law firms across the UK, our own legal clients deliver pro bono support across a whole range of fields: from support for immigrants and their families and work to combat human trafficking, to lending their expertise to free legal advice clinics. 

Like our clients, we are committed to using our professional skills, knowledge and networks to support causes that matter.

Every year we give away over 100 days of free consultancy time to charities and not-for-profits delivering work in fields we care about. This year has seen us wrap up our involvement with three long running projects, initiatives that we’ve been proud to support for more than 12 months:

Ginsburg Women’s Health Board an independent advisory board that brings together an inspiring coalition of activists and campaigners who are working to close the gender health gap. Providing support on content development and social media management we helped drive campaigns and build awareness of the board’s important messages with key audiences.

Bernie Hollywood’s Boat of Hope campaign, the culmination of which saw adventurer and charity guru Bernie complete a grueling 109-day solo row across the Atlantic, docking in the Caribbean in April this year, raised around £100,000 to support children and young people’s mental health. We were with Bernie every step of the way, from securing media opportunities with the likes of ITV and the BBC, to setting up events with Government ministers and local Mayors.

Environmental charity Communities for Nature was set up by Rhoda Phillips as a means to match corporate funders with communities working at the front line of conservation – with a focus initially on Danjugan Island in the Philippines. From developing website copy and social media content, to securing coverage in the charity press, we were proud to work with Rhoda as she launched Communities for Nature, supplementing our brief for her with additional pro bono support.

Working with GWHB, the Boat of Hope and Communities for Nature has been rewarding on many levels: in terms of satisfaction in knowing that the work we have done has given direct support to people making a real difference for those who need it, and for the opportunity to flex our creative muscles in different ways.

Farrer Kane & Co pro bono for 2024: the Felix Project and much more

Looking ahead we’re excited to share that a taster of our pro bono plans for 2024.

The Felix Project. Starting in January we’ll be working with the Felix Project, a London based charity that redistributes good quality, surplus food that would otherwise go to waste to charities, schools and organisations city-wide – so that it reaches the people who need it most. In 2022 the Felix Project served 29,000,000 meals to people across London.

We will be working with the Felix Project team to build on the success of this year’s inaugural Restaurants against Hunger campaign, providing communications support to help the 2024 campaign make an even bigger impact and combat hunger in our city.

As our pro bono commitments for the coming months firm up, we’re also in discussion with a charity that provides free confidential legal advice and information to women on the law; and a powerful campaign pushing for compensation for innocent victims of a heart-breaking injustice. Watch this space for more detail soon.

All this, and 2024 sees us continue our work for Support SEND Kids. SSK works to expand access to education and other key resources for SEND children and we provide ongoing help to boost the organisation’s profile with key audiences like educators and the legal press.

At Farrer Kane & Co we are firm believers in doing good, as well as doing good work. Our pro bono programme gives our people the chance to work with inspirational organisations delivering genuinely life-changing campaigns. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to support them.

Image: Our team Zara Abdullah, Catherine Winterton and Eleanor Toal on a recent visit to the Felix Project at its Poplar Depot.