A Bill is due to be passed in the Cayman Islands which will require lawyers to offer pro bono services to those who need to avail of representation but cannot otherwise afford an attorney. The Legal Aid and Pro Bono Legal Services Bill 2012 has been released for public consultation and all lawyers must provide their services pro bono or pay an annual fee of $2,500.
The Bill had been met with some resistance from members of the profession and government. The law proposes to create a legal professional duty except for those lawyers who work for the government as they are exempt. There may also be a collective service for large firms where lawyers can pool their hours.
Click here to see an article by Cayman News.
In New York, Chief Judge Jonathon Lippman has formed an advisory committee to implement a new requirement for lawyers to complete at least 50 hours of pro bono work before they are admitted to the New York bar. Lippman commented “the new pro bono service requirement for admission to the New York bar serves to address the state’s urgent access to justice gap, at the same time helping prospective attorneys build valuable skills and imbuing in them the ideal of working toward the greater good.”
Click here to see an article from Thomson Reuters.
Meanwhile, the England & Wales Law Society president John Wotton has commented at an international conference that “pro bono work is no substitute for a properly funded legal system. “ John Wotton, said that legal aid cuts will “pose challenges in ensuring that the most vulnerable can obtain legal advice” and commented further that “pro bono is an important element in the provision of access to justice, with a long and venerable tradition that benefits the public and the profession.”
Click here to read John Wotton's speech.
Click here to see an article by the England & Wales Law Society Gazette.
In Australia, the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) has received AU$1.2 million in funding from the Victorian Government. PILCH is a Victorian not-for-profit organisation which works to further the public interest, improve access to justice and protect human rights. The funding is for its PilchConnect service, which provides free or low-cost legal information, training and legal advice to not-for-profit community organisations in Victoria. They also campaign on law reform issues to improve laws that affect the not-for-profit sector. The funding, which will be provided over a period of four years, will allow more not-for-profit organisations to get on with their core work, according to PilchConnect Director Juanita Pope. She said, “the Victorian Government’s support means we can keep helping the helpers so they can get on with what they do best”.
Click here to see an article by Lawyers Weekly.