Charles Russell Speechlys celebrates 89 lawyers recognised in the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List

Charles Russell Speechlys is pleased to announce that 89 of our lawyers have been named in this year’s Pro Bono Recognition List, celebrating those who have contributed 25 hours or more of pro bono legal work in the 2025 calendar year.

The Pro Bono Recognition List was established in 2024 by the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee and is endorsed by the Lady Chief Justice, with the support of the Law Society, Bar Council, CILEX and leading pro bono organisations across the sector. It highlights legal professionals who dedicate their skills and time to improving access to justice.

This year’s figures reflect the continued growth of pro bono across the Firm , up from 71 fee-earners last year, demonstrating the strong engagement of our people and the increasing importance placed on social impact, community value, and access to justice within our practice.

Hannah Owen, Senior Associate in our Family team, and shortlist nominee for the Stephen Denyer Pro Bono Award (Best Contribution by Individual) at the 2025 LawWorks Awards, comments:

“Being part of the Firm’s pro bono work has been a motivating and enriching experience. Working alongside colleagues from different practice areas and seniority levels has shown me how strongly pro bono is embedded across the Firm. It is inspiring to see how our collective expertise can directly support individuals and organisations who would otherwise struggle to access legal assistance.”  

Sarah Farrelly, Senior Pro Bono Associate, comments:

“We are incredibly proud of every colleague recognised on this year’s Pro Bono Recognition List, and of the many more who contribute to pro bono and community impact work across the Firm. Their commitment reflects our values, our culture, and the importance we place on using our skills to support people and communities who face barriers to accessing justice.”

“It is also vital to recognise the frontline community partners who make this work possible. We are deeply grateful for their expertise, collaborative spirit and daily efforts to address the access to justice gap.” 

Our impact

At Charles Russell Speechlys, we remain committed to widening access to justice by providing free legal advice to individuals who cannot obtain legal aid or afford private representation, and by supporting smaller charities, social enterprises and non profits working in social, humanitarian and environmental fields. This work is delivered through our Foundation partnerships, our collaboration with frontline legal advice organisations, and the time our people devote to pro bono casework, community engagement and skill sharing activities.

Pro bono and community impact are deeply embedded in our culture. Colleagues across the Firm are encouraged to take part in ways that support their development and align with our broader responsible business goals. Our initiatives are designed to complement our fee earning work with philanthropists, charities and social enterprises, ensuring that we deliver meaningful and sustainable social value.

Our dedicated network of Pro Bono Champions further strengthens this work by raising awareness, supporting colleagues who wish to get involved, and helping shape new opportunities to expand the reach and impact of our pro bono practice.

Our access to justice projects and legal advice clinics include:

• Windrush Legal Initiative
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
• Disability Benefit Appeals
• Schools Consent Project
• Greece Pro Bono Collaborative secondment with European Lawyers in Lesvos
• Social Housing Clinic
• Family Law Clinics
• Employment Law Clinic
• Civil Procedure Clinic for Litigants in Person
• Wills & Probate Clinic

If you are interested to learn more about our Pro Bono Practice, please contact the Pro Bono team (probono@crsblaw.com). 

Please note that we are unable to accept direct requests for assistance through these access to justice projects and clinics. If you seek free legal advice through these projects, please contact a law centre or legal advice clinic, which you can find through the Law Centres Network or LawWorks.