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Pro Bono Week 2025 Launch: Pro bono in action (Hybrid)

Event date: 3 November @5:30pm-8:30pm
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The national Pro Bono Week Committee are delighted to invite you to join the hybrid Pro Bono Week launch event in London. Doors will open at 5.30pm for registration and the event will kick off in person and online at 6.15pm. The event will take place at Simmons & Simmons, 1 Ropemaker Street, EC2Y 9SS.

We are pleased to be joined by the following speakers:

The Attorney General, the Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC;
Claire Butler (Pro Bono & Social Impact Manager; Co-Chair, AGO International Rule of Law Committee);
Lord Goldsmith KC (London Co-Managing Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton; former Attorney General; Chair, LawWorks);
Matthew Gingell (General Counsel, Oxygen House; Chair, Chancery Lane Project);
Nic Hart (London Managing Partner, Duane Morris);
Hannah Whitehouse (Barrister, Coram Chambers).

A networking reception will follow at 7pm with a valuable chance to meet people from across the legal and access to justice sectors with a shared interest in pro bono work of all kinds. The evening will come to a close at 8.30pm.

We hope to see you there for what promises to be an evening to remember, celebrating the outstanding contribution of pro bono work and access to justice every year!

Tickets are available to the legal profession, charity sector and other professionals with an interest in pro bono.

Those who are wishing to attend this event online will be sent MS Teams joining instructions nearer the time.

Our enormous thanks goes to Simmons & Simmons for kindly hosting this year's launch.

Burges Salmon has been an enthusiastic supporter of BLS for many years. BLS provides a valuable role in uniting and promoting the whole of the legal sector across Bristol to benefit both its members and the city. It facilitates collaboration across the sector to ensure that we can all make a difference. Whether that is driving important initiatives in, for example, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the use of new technologies, liaising with stakeholders and charities in our wider community or providing training to generations of lawyers, the service and support provided by BLS is invaluable. More recently BLS has taken a lead on promoting Bristol’s legal brand, encouraging legal and business services talent to come to the city, which in turn attracts clients and inward investment to our thriving and vibrant commercial community. BLS breaks down barriers and brings those in the profession together for the greater good. We are proud of our long-standing association with BLS.
Roger Bull - Managing Partner, Burges Salmon
Three things to say about my experience of working with Bristol Law Society. Their central team, council members and general hangers-on are just about the nicest, most generous group of people working in the legal sector today. The numerous events, awards, socials and conferences I’ve had the pleasure to attend over the years have been, without exception, top quality and supremely organised. And, thirdly, they consistently exceed and challenge the boundaries of what lawyers might assume a regional Law Society will restrict activities to – from a hugely successful charitable school meals drive to corporate social responsibility and diversity campaigns to being joint architects and coordinators of the region’s unique Bristol+BathLegalTech group, which it has been my privilege to co-chair for the last five years.
Chris Bull - Principal, Edge International
As one of the leading Insurance brokers for law firms in the UK and with a large presence in Bristol it seemed only natural for us to support the Bristol Law Society. Bristol Law Society is one of the oldest and most vibrant of the Law Societies in England and Wales. We are pleased to be working with them on important matters relating to law firms’ liability insurances and Risk Management. From Sole Practitioner to Top 20 law firms we are sure our two organisations can provide excellent support and assistance for the challenges faced by the legal profession.
Matthew Baker - Financial Lines Group, Howden Insurance Brokers Ltd
Joining BLS in 2013 and becoming President in 2018/19 has created many longstanding friendships and business relationships, whilst also unlocking doors to other opportunities in the City. BLS enabled a perfect balance of professional development and also opportunities to give back to the legal and wider community. I am pleased that my Firm has supported BLS in many capacities since 2013 and continues to do so.
Nicholas Lee- Managing Director of Paragon Costs Solutions and Past President of BLS