It seems that relatively few UK lawyers appear to understand what pro bono actually is. Slashing a bill for a charity client is not pro bono. Nor is giving money to good causes. And, contrary to popular perception, nor is helping out at soup kitchens, schools or old people's homes. Cutting bills and giving money or time to worthy causes can never be decried, but where lawyers can really make a difference, Bucknall argues, is by giving legal advice for free.
Lawyers are lucky.
They've had this particular education, they've got this skills base that people out there in the community don't have. And if they give an hour of their time, an hour of their expertise, it's probably worth two or three hundred pounds. I don't particularly want them to give us the money. I'd rather somebody else gave us the money, some big businesses. What I want is lawyers to commit themselves to actually giving their time.