New UK law centre volunteer training initiative
A new charitable initiative has been set up by two trainee lawyers in the UK to provide training and accreditation for law students wanting to volunteer their time to Law Centres. Pro Bono Community aims “to address some of the [staffing] problems currently experienced by Law Centres …. by creating a centralised system of Law Centre volunteering, providing a tiered and structured programme of training, assessment and accreditation for law students, with the intention of developing a sustainable volunteer programme for the benefit of the public.”
The initiative is currently running a pilot programme, training 50 volunteers drawn from various London law schools. Volunteers will complete a course in basic skills, followed by a minimum volunteering requirement, and later a more in-depth course in welfare benefits. Applications are being accepted from people either on or who have completed a law degree or conversion course.
Click here to read a Guardian article about the new initiative.
Thomson Reuters Foundation launches pro bono index
In early November the Thomson Reuters Foundation held their third annual TrustLaw Connect Awards. A number of awards for pro bono and public interest law achievements were made at this event.
The event also launched the “TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono,” a first of its kind annual assessment of global trends in pro bono worldwide. This will be published in 2014.
Click here to read more information about the Awards event and the new Trustlaw Index.