Angiolini urges lawyers to give the needy free service

Published on Friday 14 May 2010 22:19

SCOTLAND'S top law officer has urged her fellow lawyers to give up their usual high-earning habits and provide free services to vulnerable people.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini said that by doing so, a "huge difference" can be made to the lives of others. Access to justice must not be limited to those who can afford to pay for it, she said.

Pro bono work, when lawyers work for no charge for people who cannot afford to pay, is "invaluable" in widening access to justice, she added.

The Lord Advocate spoke out as a conference on pro bono legal services got under way in Edinburgh yesterday.

It is an "unfortunate reality" that many people cannot afford legal advice when they need it most, she said.

"Housing, employment, health issues and other social problems can often pose significant challenges, and affording legal advice is difficult in the current economic climate.

"Pro bono legal services are invaluable in widening access to justice. The legal profession must respond to those in need to ensure that justice is not restricted to those who can pay.

"Although lawyers often get a bad name, most of us entered the legal profession through a genuine wish to help others."

"By putting aside a little time for pro bono work, they can make a huge difference to the lives of others and can get great personal satisfaction in return."