Introduction

 

ABOUT

 

The Pro Bono Services Office is an initiative by the Law Society of Singapore to help bring free legal assistance to those in need in our community. It is part of the Law Society's stated mission to ensure access of justice for all.

 

Born from a collaborative commitment by the Singaporean legal profession in 2006 to donate at least 25 hours per lawyer per year towards pro bono work, the Pro Bono Services Office ('PBS') was officially launched on 10 September 2007 to administer and manage all of the Law Society's pro bono initiatives.

 

The Law Society of Singapore has a membership of over 3,500 members. The pro bono pledge of 25 hours per lawyer per year translates into a potential bank of more than 80,000 pro bono hours to invest for the good of the community in Singapore. PBS's role is to develop new programmes into which this bank of pro bono hours can be invested.

 

In 2007, the PBS initiative was registered as a Charity known as the Law Society's Pro Bono and Learning Support Services (Charity No. T07CC2064L) and granted IPC status (000571).

 

In 2009, PBS was awarded a grant from the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre.

 

Since inception, PBS is also supported by the Ministry of Law, the Singapore Academy of Law, the Subordinate Courts, the Board of Legal Education and partners in the community that share our vision of access to justice for all.

 

Financial and other information on the Law Society of Singapore Pro Bono Learning and Support Services (Charity Regn. No. T07CC2064L, IPC Regn. No. 000571 01/04/2009 - 31/03/2013) is available here.

 

The work of the Law Society's Pro Bono Services Office is supported financially by contributions from individual lawyers, law practices, private donations and funding from the Ministry of Law, Singapore Academy of Law, Tote Board, Singapore Institute of Legal Education, and National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. Our annual report is available here.

 

 

MEDIA COVERAGE

 

Click here to see the list of articles featured in the news.

 

 

MISSION

 

  • Increasing awareness amongst those in need in our community with regards to available pro bono assistance schemes

  • Promoting a vibrant and robust culture of volunteerism within the legal profession, starting at the undergraduate level

  • Increasing volunteer opportunities for lawyers of all seniorities and specializations

  • Increasing the number of pro bono programmes of benefit to the community at large

  • Increasing co-operation within the legal profession to support pro bono work

 

 

ONGOING PROGRAMMES

 

For Individuals:

 

  • Community Legal Clinic ('CLC') offers free basic legal advice to Singaporeans/ Permanent Residents who are facing a legal issue on personal matters and do not have access to legal advice or representation. The Clinic operates 4 nights a week (Mon-Thu) every week of the year. Eligible applicants will be able to speak with a volunteer lawyer in a one-to-one session for 20 minutes.
  • Criminal Legal Aid Scheme ('CLAS') offers legal representation for accused persons regardless of nationality, who claim trial for certain criminal offences and who do not have the means to pay for a lawyer. Means testing applies. Currently CLAS covers 15 non-capital criminal statutes and since 1st September 2005 has also extended aid to cases involving mentally ill accused persons (regardless of their plea). After June 2006, CLAS further extended aid to youthful offenders (16-18 years old) regardless of their plea.
  • Ad Hoc Pro Bono Referral Scheme ('APR') offers legal representation for accused persons who do not meet the criteria for existing legal aid schemes but nonetheless are in urgent need. An assessment of the person's suitability for APR is conducted and circulated amongst a pool of volunteer lawyers for a match up.

 

 

For Community Serving Organisations:

 

  • Community Organisation Legal Clinic offers free basic legal advice on operational issues for charities, voluntary welfare organizations, non-profit organizations and social enterprises in Singapore with an objective to meet community concerns or needs. Eligible organisations are able to speak with a volunteer lawyer in a one-to-one session for 30 minutes.
  • Project Law Help Scheme assists charities, voluntary welfare organizations, non-profit organizations and social enterprises in Singapore by matching eligible organisations with a volunteer law practice that will provide pro bono non-litigation commercial legal assistance. Legal assistance rendered is more in-depth than that under the Community Organisation Legal Clinic.

 

 

For the Community At Large:

 

  • Law Awareness is a public education initiative to raise public awareness of the law via public education seminars and exhibitions and through the publication of educational information.
  • Collaborative Programmes: PBS also collaborates with many other organisations to provide help to the needy. For example, PBS supports the Subordinate Courts in its Criminal Legal Clinics and Small Claims Tribunal Volunteer Referee Scheme

 

 

Support for Volunteer Lawyers:

 

  • Ad Hoc Pro Bono Assessment Scheme ('APA') assists practitioners and firms who wish to undertake pro bono work for needy persons that is not covered or referred by formal legal aid schemes. An assessment of the prospective client's suitability for pro bono assistance is conducted.
  • Mentor/Specialist Resource is a mentorship programme for new volunteers and a specialist resource scheme for volunteer queries on practice areas.
  • Knowledge Database Contributor provides paralegal support and information resources for volunteers/pro bono initiatives. Volunteer lawyers also assist in editing, compiling and contributing to these volunteer manuals, guides and information resources.
  • Volunteer Initiative Support assists practitioners undertaking similar pro bono work to form volunteer groups dedicated to such similar work or community.
  • Social Service Agency Referrals help alleviate the burden often encountered by practitioners in searching for relevant assistance schemes to help dysfunctional pro bono clients.

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Law Students

 

  • Community Legal Clinic Support enable volunteers to assist the pro bono officers with the administration of the clinics and assist the volunteer lawyers by interpreting and recording advice rendered to clinic applicants.
  • Paralegal Support Scheme for Criminal Trials enable volunteers to assist volunteer lawyers undertaking criminal trials by conducting research and recording notes of evidence during trial.
  • Vacation Attachments with the PBS is typically for a period of 2 weeks and enable volunteers the opportunity to learn and assist on the schemes administered by PBS. Volunteers assist in assessment of applicants, provide research assistance on legal issues encountered and record for volunteer lawyers during the legal clinics.