Best contribution by large firm
In its profile, LawWorks states: “Reed Smith continued to have a significant impact on the sector in 2022 by supporting 18 long-term access to justice projects, providing commercial legal advice to over 200 charities and non-profit organisations, supporting seven long-term human rights projects and working on 12 pieces of human rights research.
Lawyers from Reed Smith successfully challenged the UK Home Secretary’s push back policy for migrants crossing the channel on behalf of Channel Rescue; they supported the NGOs Safe Passage and Refugee Legal Support to help Afghan and Ukrainians in dire need of immigration assistance. Reed Smith also sent five lawyers to Warsaw for two weeks to provide legal support to Ukrainians fleeing the conflict and looking to settle in the UK.”
Voirrey Blount
Blount is trainee solicitor in Reed Smith’s Transportation Industry Group. She deals with marine casualty work from initial response through to assisting lawyers preparing for litigation. She is also the co-champion of Reed Smith’s pro bono work with the Prisoner’s Advice Service, which provides free legal advice and advocacy on prison law matters for adult prisoners in England and Wales. Thanks to her efforts, there are now more than 50 lawyers signed up for this project.
She also introduced the charity Human Rights at Sea to the firm. This is an organisation which raises international awareness of human rights abuses at sea and delivers social justice through legal and policy development.
As a result of this link, a cross-practice team of lawyers helped to launch the Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea. Blount also introduced and is leading on the firm’s relationship with Refugee Rescue, which carries out Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean, particularly on the stretch of water between Turkey and Lesvos.
Best international pro bono award
Reed Smith shared a Best International Pro Bono Award for supporting the Rule 39 Pro Bono Initiative. Reed Smith collaborates with the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD) and seven other international law firms to support the Rule 39 Project. The project supports vulnerable individuals, and the NGOs working with them - preparing and lodging applications before the European Court of Human Rights, including requests for interim measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court. These are urgent measures to prevent irreparable harm to fundamental human rights such as the right to life or the protection against torture. At Reed Smith, this work is led by partner Daja Apetz-Dreier and associates Dimitris Athanasopoulos and Katrin Gerceker, with support from Jessica Tagg from the EMEA Pro Bono team.
Most effective pro bono partnership
Reed Smith shared “most effective pro bono partnership” honour for contributing legal services to Kids in Need of Defense UK (KIND UK), which was Highly Commended in this category. Through our work with KIND UK, we provide free legal help to vulnerable children and their families as they navigate immigration and nationality procedures to regularise their status. Partner Mark Pring and associates Corina Lefter and Georgia Crossman lead on this work at the firm, with support from counsel Becca Naylor from the EMEA Pro Bono team.
The Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA) was also shortlisted. Reed Smith is one of the founding member firms of this multi-firm advocacy alliance which is the largest pro bono project ever assembled in this jurisdiction to provide end-to-end representation and advocacy support for domestic abuse survivors seeking protective orders against their abusers. At Reed Smith, the team leading DARA is made up of partner Sally-Anna Underhill and associates Alia Khalil, Alfred Perkins and Louisa Martac, with support from counsel Becca Naylor.
The annual LawWorks Pro Bono Awards celebrate the best legal pro bono activities undertaken by organisations and individuals and the positive impact they have had. They are sponsored by Lexis Nexis.