Corporate Social Responsibility
As a Chambers, Five Paper has a commitment to CSR and Pro Bono work. Following years of restrictions on the availability of legal aid and the increased expense of bringing cases to court, we recognise that the availability of free legal advice and representation to the most vulnerable and least fortunate in society is fundamental. We also want to play a key role in increasing diversity at the Bar as a whole, and believe that it is vital to educate students as early as possible about their potential for a career as a barrister.
CSR
Members of Chambers carry out a wide range of CSR activities, including:
- Speaking at a wide range of events, including those hosted by schools or universities, and as part of programmes such as the Inner Temple Schools Project and Urban Lawyers.
- Acting as mentors for students.
- Attending law fairs.
- Raising money or collecting donations for charity.
Recent examples of our CSR work include:
- Annual participation in The Bar Council’s Bar Placement Week, which links up a student from a non-traditional background with a barristers’ chambers for a week of work experience.
- Collecting donations for local charities Suited and Booted, Smartworks and Hackney Foodbank.
- Working with Resurgo Spear to help young people find employment.
- Raising money for the London Legal Support Trust by running a gruelling 10K assault course, and participating in the annual London Legal Walk.
- Talks with children from disadvantaged backgrounds, most recently at the Mulberry School for Girls in Tower Hamlets, and with a broad range of potential applicants to the Bar at Inner Temple’s annual Question and Answer Day.
Pro Bono
“Pro bono” work means providing the legal knowledge and expertise of our members at no fee to:
- Individuals who can demonstrate a need for legal assistance.
- Individuals or organisations whose matter raises an issue of public interest which would not otherwise be pursued.
- Charities or other not for profit organisations which work on behalf of low income or disadvantaged members of the community or for the public good.
Five Paper has an aspirational target of a minimum of 1,000 hours of pro bono work provided by Chambers each year. That equates to about 30 hours of pro bono work per member per year.
If you would like pro bono assistance, the following organisations can instruct barristers on your behalf:
If you would like further information
Our friendly and knowledgeable clerks will be pleased to direct you to the person best able to help. Email them or telephone: +44 (0)20 7815 3200.
We look forward to working with you.