To celebrate its 25^th anniversary year, Advocate has been encouraging its volunteers to take part in 25 for 25: The Pro Bono Challenge.  From Volunteers’ Week in June 2021 through to Volunteers’ Week in June 2022, volunteers are encouraged to keep a record of their Pro Bono hours.  

We are delighted that Matthew Morrison has completed 25 pro bono hours and has been awarded with a ‘challenge completed’ Advocate logo.  Matthew Morrison (with Advocate trustee Eleanor Holland, 4 Stone Buildings) runs PILARS, the Personal Insolvency Litigation Advice and Representation Scheme). PILARS works with Advocate to match individuals facing personal insolvency proceedings with specialist barristers who can help (often on an expedited basis). PILARS also offers training and guidance to frontline agencies helping individuals with debt problems.  Matthew Morrison is also Serle Court’s Pro Bono Champion at Advocate, serves as a reviewer of requests for assistance submitted to Advocate and sits on the Chancery Bar Association’s Pro Bono Committee. On 26 March 2022, Matthew will be abseiling down the ArcelorMittal Orbit to raise funds for the London Legal Support Trust. His fundraising page has just gone live here.

Members of Serle Court regularly volunteer for Advocate, the Bar’s national charity which offers free legal assistance to the community, and the Chancery Bar Litigants In Person (CLIPS) scheme, under which barristers provide free advocacy for litigants in person making urgent applications to the court. Our mediators also work with the Advocate Pro Bono Mediation Scheme.   Our members frequently act on a pro bono basis, both providing written advice and appearing in court.

Read more information on our Equality, Diversity and Outreach page, please click here.