A Passionate Commitment to Pro Bono Work
Since our foundation, our aim has been to improve access to justice and to promote human rights and civil liberties through the law. All members of Chambers are committed to supporting the most vulnerable and marginalised in society, to ensure that everyone enjoys access to justice and equality.
In line with our ethos, many of our barristers invest significant amounts of time in providing pro bono work. Our unique approach involves establishing 1MCB’s pro bono initiatives in family, employment and police law and working with grass-roots legal advice centres nationally and internationally. By providing advice on a one-to-one basis, we hope to create real change to people’s lives and to contribute to transformation in law and policy.
We uphold our social responsibilities in the form of four initiatives:
- Pro Bono Advice
- Pop-Up@1MCB
- 1MCB General Employment Pro Bono Scheme
- Police Action Legal Line
Pro Bono Advice
We provide pro bono advice and support to all sectors of the community through legal advice clinics, both nationally and internationally. Whether in advice or community centres, supporting other voluntary activities, in schools, international work, or in the courts, the commitment to pro bono work is a strong feature of 1MCB. We provide advice and assistance at all stages of legal disputes. Our commitment to investing in communities stems from our strong belief in grass-root level initiatives, which with support from the legal sector can engender progressive change in law and society.
Pop-Up @ 1MCB
The need for pro bono legal assistance is overwhelming. The Family Team at 1MCB has taken an active role in meeting this need. 1MCB has developed a unique resource: a pop-up pro bono family law clinic in Chambers once a month, in conjunction with South Westminster Legal Advice Centre and Children and Families Across Borders. Our experienced barristers provide family law advice to some of the most deprived families across the country.
1MCB General Employment Pro Bono Scheme
Members of the Employment Team at 1MCB have combined their employment law expertise with their passion for pro bono work and established the 1MCB General Employment Pro-Bono Scheme offering free representation to individuals during one- or two-day hearings for unfair dismissal/unlawful deduction claims. The scheme works in conjunction with Brent Community Law Centre, Croydon and Sutton Law Centre, East London Legal Advice Centre, Greenwich Community Law Centre, Islington Law Centre, Kingston and Richmond Law Centre, Lambeth Law Centre and Tower Hamlets Law Centre.
Police Action Legal Line
1MCB’s Actions Against the Police Team, working in partnership with the Legal Advice Centre at Queen Mary University London, McMillan Williams Solicitors and LawWorks, established an innovative telephone helpline providing free advice to victims of police misconduct. Police Action Legal Line (PALL) offers advice in relation to the full spectrum of claims against the police, including those arising from wrongful arrest, assault, unlawful searches and discrimination.