Empowering people and communities through pro bono legal work is an integral part of Sidley’s culture. Our pro bono programme allows our lawyers to provide high-quality legal service to individuals and organisations that otherwise would be unable to afford legal representation. We consider every one of our pro bono matters important, whether they are of local, national, or global significance.
In London, we strive to find pro bono projects that have the biggest impact on our communities and match the interests and skills of our trainees and lawyers. Through our access to justice projects, our lawyers can assist incarcerated mothers with re-establishing critical access to their children, help children apply for British citizenship, and advocate for vulnerable disabled individuals.
We also work with a number of charities and non-profits, providing legal advice in a variety of areas, including corporate, employment, data protection, regulatory, dispute resolution, tax, and finance.
Matthew Shankland - Partner & Chair of the London Pro Bono Committee
"Our trainees get involved in pro bono from day one and carry on this engagement throughout their careers at Sidley. This affords them the opportunity to develop their skills in a variety of ways while making a meaningful impact benefiting deserving individuals and our communities.”
Fellowships
Under our global Pro Bono Fellowship Program, Sidley sponsors several fellowships that expand the capacity of charities and nonprofits to advance their missions and serve the critical legal needs of clients. In London, all final-seat trainees joining the firm as newly qualified associates are invited to apply to the program. Paid an NQ salary, Pro Bono Fellows spend three months with the legal team of a charity or nonprofit of their choice.
“We are currently representing a mother in proceedings relating to living arrangements and contact with her daughter. After the mother’s imprisonment, the daughter moved in with her father, who is now seeking a child arrangements order to obtain custody. Alongside Not Beyond Redemption, we have been able to ensure the mother maintains weekly FaceTime contact with her daughter, and now in-person contact following her release. At the next hearing, we will continue to advocate for a “lives with” order for the mother, and to support the client through these challenging proceedings.”
— Mary-Anne Grego and Helena Anderson, Trainee Solicitor
“As a trainee, I was part of the team that successfully represented a client in her PIP appeal. The client is a recovering drug addict and suffers from long-standing and complex mental health problems, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This was an especially challenging case, as the Department for Work and Pensions had awarded the client no points at all. However, we were delighted that the Tribunal awarded the client the award sought without further questioning at the hearing. The client was absolutely delighted with the outcome and really grateful for the work and support of the Sidley team over the past nine months.”
— Rory Craig, Trainee Solicitor