Pro Bono conference

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), in cooperation with several associations of practicing lawyers in South Africa, is organizing a conference with the theme:

“The Responsibility of lawyers in South Africa to undertake Pro Bono Publico and Public Interest Work”. In short: “Lawyers for the public good.”

The conference will aim at raising awareness for the need of Pro Bono work by lawyers in South Africa, offering tools for lawyers to engage in Pro Bono work and developing a Pro Bono policy for the legal profession in South Africa.

Date : 10 & 11 May 2002

Venue : Birchwood Executive Hotel in Gauteng

Time : Friday from 10:00am to Saturday 15:00pm

The need for Pro Bono work by lawyers in South Africa

Pro Bono Publico, also referred to simply as Pro Bono, is commonly understood as the provision of legal services by lawyers to poor, marginalized and indigent individuals, groups, or communities without a fee or expectation of compensation, in order to enhance access to justice for such persons who cannot afford to pay for legal services.

At the International Pro Bono Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina in September 2001 it again became apparent that Pro Bono work in South Africa is underdeveloped compared to other countries around the world. Notably, many South Africans from marginalized and poor communities have no access to legal aid because they cannot afford to pay for it.

In a recent address, President Thabo Mbeki called upon South Africans to engage in new spirit of voluntarism in order to help the country continue to consolidate the democratic gains achieved since 1994.

In this regard, increasing access to justice for poor, marginalized and indigent communities must be recognized as an essential component to developing South Africa’s emergent democratic culture. In order for this to occur, the legal community has an important role to play by deploying its expertise and skills on behalf of the multitudes that are unable pay for the prohibitive cost of legal services.

Lawyers for Human Rights hereby urges all interested lawyers to participate in this conference to ensure that those who are unable to represent themselves can be represented.

Your participation in this conference is highly appreciated.

All enquiries about the conference can be forwarded to [email protected]

Also feel free to visit the Pro Bono website on www.probono.org.za