5RB Sponsors National Pro Bono Centre

Chambers continues support for Pro Bono work as Bronze Sponsor

5RB is proud to have become a Bronze Sponsor of the National Pro Bono Centre, located in Chancery Lane, after donating funds towards the Centre’s continuing work and development. Joint Head of Chambers Mark Warby QC said: “With public funding harder to come by, free advice and representation for those unable to afford it is ever more important in an increasingly complex legal environment.”

The National Pro Bono Centre is a hub for legal pro bono work in England and Wales, housing the Bar Pro Bono Unit, LawWorks (the solicitors’ pro bono unit) and the CILEx Pro Bono Trust; as well as The Access to Justice Foundation, the London Legal Support Trust and i-ProBono.

5RB’s Mark Warby QC, Christina Michalos and Felicity McMahon attended a reception on 30 October to mark 2 years since the establishment of the centre, hosted by Slaughter & May and addressed by Lord Judge, LCJ.

5RB has long been a supporter of pro bono work and is a member of the Friends on Law scheme run by the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Free Representation Unit. Chambers hosts an annual quiz to raise funds for both these organisations, with the 2012 quiz  raising a total of £4,000. Members of 5RB also took part in the London Legal Walk in May.

Members of Chambers regularly undertake pro bono work. Examples include: Jonathan Barnes is panel counsel and case reviewer for the Bar Pro Bono Unit and other members of the Unit include Christina Michalos and Richard Munden; Matthew Nicklin provides advice to the Islington Legal Advice Centre; Chloe Strong acts as a voluntary Tribunal Advocate for IPSEA; Ian Christie was nominated for the Bar Pro Bono Award in 2003 for his representation of the Claimant in Wainwright v Home Office. Felicity McMahon is a member of the Young Alumni Fundraising Group of the Kent Law Campaign.