Guides to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice in England, Wales and Scotland

Published on 12 November 2024 The Guide to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice in England & Wales and the Guide to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice in Scotland are now available on a new website launched by the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee of England & Wales.

The Guide to Pro Bono and Other Free Advice in England & Wales, and in Scotland

These Guides include a combination of full-page entries supplied by certain charities that facilitate legal help, with brief details about others. A summary is provided about the charity, with their website, email & phone numbers including helplines (but not opening hours which may change).

Two different guides cover England & Wales, and Scotland, respectively. They signpost to:

• Legal aid i.e. legal assistance funded by the Government.
• Pro bono i.e. free legal advice or representation provided by volunteer lawyers to individuals and charities who cannot afford to pay but where legal aid is unavailable.
• Front line advice organisations, which provide assistance from general advice through to specialist legal support. Note some areas have regulatory restrictions in particular debt and immigration.
• Online guidance about legal issues and the legal process.
• Specialist charities providing general advice/support for particular groups or problems, reflecting that legal issues often occur alongside non-legal issues. Some of those charities may offer legal information or advice, or may be able to signpost to it

The guides are updated yearly and are available on a website launched by the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee of England & Wales, jointly with the network of regional pro bono committees in the jurisdiction.