PILA is a project of FLAC (the Free Legal Advice Centres) working to promote public interest law in Ireland, particularly through engaging the legal community and social justice organisations in using the law to advance social change. That means NGOs and community organisations with a campaigning, advocacy or law reform arm that may benefit from more effective use or understanding of the law. We currently have over 20 partner law firms, 4 in-house legal teams, 300 individuals (mostly barristers) and 110 partner NGOs.
Our Pro Bono Referral Scheme is the means through which our partner organisations can obtain free legal assistance where they do not have the resources or in-house expertise. PILA works with organisations to understand the particular legal need and then refers the matter to a pro bono barrister, solicitor or law firm with suitable skills. The referral scheme is an easy way for lawyers and law firms to engage in pro bono work.
By signing up to the Pro Bono Referral Scheme, practitioners can get involved in:
When we assess a request from an NGO we either engage directly with a partner law firm or circulate to our register of individuals. This allows volunteers put themselves forward to take on a piece of work as they see fit.
If this may be of interest to you or your firm, email info@pila.ie with a short introduction as to your professional background and areas of expertise. You can also volunteer your time through FLAC at one of 81 advice centres around Ireland.