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Pro Bono Guide Law Practices

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Pro Bono Guide Law Practices Pro Bono Guide for Law Practices Pro Bono Guide for Law Practices ISBN: 978-981-07-2484-9 Published by: The Law Society of Singapore 39 South Bridge Road Singapore 058673 Foreword In 2010, the Law Society published the Pro Bono Guide which highlighted to our members the many pro bono volunteer opportunities available in our legal landscape. The Pro Bono Guide served as a handbook for the new lawyer embarking on pro bono service for the first time or the lawyer seeking to fulfil the recommended minimum number of 25 hours per year of pro bono service. In 2012, it is my pleasure to introduce to our members the Pro Bono Guide for Law Practices. The Pro Bono Guide for Law Practices is a welcome reference for law practices seeking to establish, develop or expand their pro bono practices. With detailed practical advice to guide law practices at different stages of their pro bono programmes, it will assist our law practices to chart a steady course in serving the community by facilitating access to justice. In my 2012 Opening of the Legal Year address, I had mentioned that the Law Society Council is concentrating on making pro bono a pillar activity of the Society and the legal profession. I have no doubt that the Pro Bono Guide for Law Practices will serve as a firm foundation for the building of that pillar. Wong Meng Meng, Senior Counsel President The Law Society of Singapore PRO BONO GUIDE FOR LAW PRACTICES About This Guide This guide has been compiled for law practices to enhance and encourage the provision of pro bono legal services. Through a mixture of commentary, advice, precedents and background information, the guide aims to assist law firms wishing to establish, develop or expand their pro bono practices. It will also be of value to individuals who are seeking resources and ideas about pro bono. The guide is primarily directed to medium and large law practices although some of the resources will also be of use to small practices. Topics have, for the most part, been dealt with as stand-alone modules that will be helpful to law practices at different stages of their programs. Cross-referencing is used to identify other sections of the guide that are relevant to a particular issue. The first half of the guide (Parts 1 – 2) focuses on policy and procedural issues relevant to prac- tices providing pro bono services. The second half (Parts 3 – 4) contains precedents and pro formas and a resources section. Part 1 contains a description of current models of pro bono practice, providing a snapshot of the extent, variety and options for pro bono work together with information useful to practices establish- ing, operating or expanding structured pro bono programmes. Part 2 discusses issues in pro bono practice of particular relevance to practices’ casework practice and procedures. Part 3 contains sample precedents, including sample pro bono policies, procedures and letters of engagement, included to complement the commentary in the earlier sections of the manual. Part 4 contains infor- mation and resources for practices, including information about issues and services relevant to pro bono matters and clients, as well as lists of pro bono contacts and schemes and useful websites. This guide is substantially based on the Australian Pro Bono Manual published by the Australian National Pro Bono Resource Centre and The Victoria Law Foundation. It contains a number of ref- erences to the practice in overseas jurisdictions and such references must be read subject to the Singapore legal and ethical rules and regulations and case law. The Law Society of Singapore Pro Bono Services Office thanks the Australian National Pro Bono Resource Centre and The Victoria Law Foundation for their generosity in allowing us to use informa- tion and documents from the Australian Pro Bono Manual. i Contents PRO BONO GUIDE FOR LAW PRACTICES ....................................................... i About This Guide ..................................................................................................... i 1. Planning, developing & maintaining a program ...................................... 1 1.1. Planning pro bono for the law practice ..................................................... 1 Planning checklist .............................................................................................. 2 1.2. Current models of law practice pro bono ................................................. 3 In-law practice pro bono .................................................................................... 4 Outreach services .............................................................................................. 5 Secondments ...................................................................................................... 5 Specialist services ............................................................................................. 6 Volunteering for legal aid and assistance programmes ............................... 6 Some considerations ......................................................................................... 7 Multi-tiered relationships ................................................................................... 7 Other pro bono opportunities ........................................................................... 8 Joint responses to particular events ............................................................... 9 1.3. Defining pro bono parameters for the law practice ............................... 9 The Law Society’s definition of pro bono contributions .............................. 10 Specific criteria for the law practice’s pro bono work ................................. 10 Nature of the work .............................................................................................11 In-house matters ...............................................................................................11 Other work ..........................................................................................................11 The basis on which services are provided ................................................... 12 Client criteria ..................................................................................................... 12 Law practice-related criteria ........................................................................... 13 1.4. Promoting a pro bono culture .................................................................... 13 Motivations for and benefits of pro bono work............................................. 13 Strategies to promote pro bono ..................................................................... 15 Responding to concerns about pro bono ..................................................... 19 1.5. Surveying interest ......................................................................................... 21 What to ask ....................................................................................................... 22 Using survey data ............................................................................................ 22 1.6. Identifying needs and sources of work ................................................... 23 Unmet legal needs ........................................................................................... 23 Sourcing pro bono work .................................................................................. 23 1.7. Setting targets and budgets ....................................................................... 27 Law practice-wide budgets ............................................................................. 28 Other budgets and targets .............................................................................. 29 ii Guidelines, floors or ceilings? ........................................................................ 30 1.8. Coordinating pro bono work in the law practice ................................. 30 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 31 Approaches to coordination ............................................................................ 31 Pro bono partners ............................................................................................ 33 Pro bono committees ....................................................................................... 34 Pro bono coordinators or directors ................................................................ 35 Roles and functions ......................................................................................... 37 1.9. Involvement of all levels ............................................................................. 39 Partners ............................................................................................................. 40 Junior partners and senior associates .......................................................... 40 New employees ................................................................................................ 41 Paralegals ......................................................................................................... 41 Internship students ........................................................................................... 41 1.10. Counting and crediting time..................................................................... 43 Model 1 — Pro bono hours = billable hours ................................................ 44 Model 2 — Pro bono hours = billable hours ...............................................
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