There’s no King Arthur, but this roundtable fights for justice today

Neil Mackenzie KC, Convener of the Free Legal Services Unit

A GROUNDBREAKING initiative is transforming how Scotland's legal community responds to unmet need, bringing together lawyers from private practice and in-house roles with charities, universities, and community organisations to create a coordinated, demand-led approach to pro bono legal services.

The Scottish Pro Bono Roundtable, co-chaired by the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland, held its second meeting in November at the Faculty's Mackenzie Building in Edinburgh. Building on the success of the Scottish Guide to Pro Bono launched in 2023, the Roundtable brings together representatives from organisations including JustRight Scotland, Pinsent Masons, Clyde & Co, Burges Salmon, DLA Piper, the In-House Pro Bono Group, university law clinics, and national advice services to tackle a persistent problem: willing lawyers struggling to connect with those in need, and vulnerable people unable to access help that exists.

The initiative represents a demand-led transformation in how Scotland approaches volunteer legal services, with needs identified by communities and the charitable sector shaping the supply of legal expertise. Rather than individual organisations working in isolation, the Roundtable creates a structured forum where those experiencing unmet legal need drive coordination among lawyers in private firms, in-house counsel from business and industry, and legal professionals across sectors.

The Roundtable helps to coordinate the substantial pool of willing lawyers with community and charitable organisations that understand where help is most urgently needed.

Pro bono legal services are an adjunct to – but not a substitute for – a  properly funded legal aid system, with services provided voluntarily by the profession. The initiative enjoys cross-party political support and aims to help the government understand both the potential and limits of volunteer legal assistance.

Membership spans Scotland's diverse legal landscape: law firms, university law clinics at Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Napier and Robert Gordon, to grassroots charities including JustRight Scotland, and national organisations like LawWorks, A4ID and TrustLaw. Crucially, it includes the In-House Pro Bono Group, recognising that in-house counsel from business, industry and finance represent a significant untapped resource. Citizens Advice, Advice UK, the Attorney General's Pro Bono Committee of England and Wales, and the Access to Justice Foundation complete the membership.

The main committee meets twice annually, with a smaller steering group convening quarterly to drive forward collaborative projects and draft agendas. Faculty and the Law Society of Scotland provide organisational support, collating updates on demand for pro bono services, cases assisted, and challenges faced by different initiatives.

The wider benefits extend beyond those receiving assistance. Pro bono work supports recruitment and retention in the legal profession, promotes career progression, and provides valuable experience with clients with complex needs and varied legal problems. Organisations benefit from strengthened community partnerships and opportunities to develop collaborative networks.

The roundtable embodies a recognition that bridging the justice gap requires breaking down barriers between different parts of society. By listening to community voices and charitable sector expertise, the roundtable moves beyond traditional hierarchies.

Goodwill alone cannot connect supply with demand; it requires structures that allow those experiencing unmet legal need to direct willing lawyers toward the most urgent problems, creating genuine partnerships across Scotland's legal services landscape.

​This article first appeared in The Scotsman.