In the course of the year, the firm’s London office delivered over 27,300 hours of pro bono work – an impressive 24% increase on 2020, when the hours were 21,900, and up from 16,720 hours in 2019.
In London, the firm averaged 84 hours per lawyer, a 25% increase from 67 hours per lawyer in 2020. 86% of the fee earners in the London office participated in pro bono work.
Michael Skrein, Reed Smith’s Responsible Business Partner for EMEA, said: “We are immensely proud of this achievement, and of the impactful pro bono work that the office provides year on year. To have increased our pro bono hours by 24% in London, while having a stellar year for the business, is a huge accomplishment and is testament to the culture of the firm. Pro bono is hugely important to us.”
Reflecting the impact made by Reed Smith’s pro bono practice, the Statelessness Project in partnership with Asylum Aid and other City law firms was named as winner for Excellence in Pro Bono at the Law Society Awards 2021, and the partnership with Maternity Action and other City law firms won the Best New Pro Bono Activity Award at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2021.
In addition, Reed Smith has been named among the top five law firms in the UK by Law.com International for its commitment to providing pro bono legal assistance.
2021 highlights
- Across its EMEA offices, Reed Smith provided over 35,500 hours of pro bono support to charities, not-for-profits, and low-income individuals, representing a 23% increase of the firm’s pro bono hours.
- The firm established the Napier Barracks Refugee Project to assist asylum seekers in relocating from inappropriate accommodation in Napier Barracks. This was in partnership with Humans for Rights Network, Care4Calais and DPG Law. It created a unique opportunity for a London associate to be seconded to the pro bono team to lead this project on a full-time basis for three months.
- In response to the situation in Afghanistan, Reed Smith:
- Set up the Afghanistan Working Group, consisting of 50 lawyers across EMEA who are scoping and setting up long-term, coordinated responses to support Afghan individuals.
- Partnered with Safe Passage and Ashurst to conduct an urgent emergency response in providing vital legal information to individuals in Afghanistan, or with family in Afghanistan, on evacuation and resettlement options.
Long-term pro bono partnerships, clinics and projects
Reed Smith’s London office continues to work with long-term partner organisations to support them and their beneficiaries with legal work, which includes:
- Helping children and their families regularise their immigration status in partnership with Kids in Need of Defense UK.
- Partnering with the National Centre for Domestic Violence to help individuals obtain emergency injunctions against their abusers.
- Helping individuals appeal against the denial of their disability benefits to the First-tier Tribunal, through our Disability Benefits Advocacy Project, in partnership with University House (Legal Advice Centre).
- Supporting not-for-profit organisations to register as charities with the Charity Commission through the Charity Registrations Project, in partnership with LawWorks, charity specialist law firm Bates Wells and another City law firm.
- Supporting Amicus on three new cases in 2021, representing individuals facing the death penalty in the U.S.
- Working closely with Reprieve on its work to end the death penalty and extreme human rights abuses. Reed Smith assisted Reprieve with its legal and advocacy strategy, advice on Freedom of Information requests, and with filing an Amicus Curiae brief in Florida for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Find out more about Reed Smith’s pro bono work.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters. Now celebrating more than 140 years of service, our firm spans 30 offices with 3,000 people, including 1,700 lawyers.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
