The firm has long demonstrated a commitment to legal pro bono work. Pro bono is an integral part of our role as lawyers and the firm has a dedicated Pro Bono Department, consisting of Sam Cottman, Partner and Head of Pro Bono and Priya Bansal, Associate, who manage our thriving pro bono programme.
We are committed to using our legal capabilities to address environmental risk and promote sustainability, to defend the vulnerable and promote a positive and inclusive global society where opportunities are available to all, and the rule of law is respected.
The firm’s pro bono practice provides individuals, community groups, charities and social enterprises the opportunity to access to high-quality legal advice from our talented lawyers across the firm, that would otherwise be unobtainable.
Our pro bono programme is underpinned by four focus areas in which we target the most impactful partnerships:
We do this by targeting the most impactful partnerships and legal work in the following sectors:
- Climate, environment and sustainability
- Diversity, inclusion and social mobility
- Vulnerable groups
- Rule of Law
1. Climate, Environment and Sustainability
Our climate and environment focussed work is a growing part of our overall pro bono offering. We have put in place an impactful and inspiring client list in this sector, including relationships with WWF-UK, The Chancery Lane Project (a legal movement using the power of climate contracting to speed the UK's journey to net zero), Charity:Water (a leading global clean water charity) and the Kafue Foundation (an anti-poaching charity operating in the 2nd largest national park in Africa), to name a few.
Our sustainability work is focussed around supporting impact investing and innovation funds such as the Impact Investing Institute (where we are a founding pro bono panel member), the Green Finance Institute as they speed the transition to a green and sustainable economy, and the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL).
2. Diversity, Inclusion and Social Mobility
Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of who we are as a firm. It is an area where our commitment has grown exponentially over the years. We have longstanding relationship with GiveOut and Just Like Us, who we support holistically through both our pro bono practice and the firms’ CSR programme.
Social mobility is a cornerstone of diversity and inclusion. Opportunities should be available to all, on merit alone. Part of our work in this area includes key partnerships with Foundervine, is an award-winning training consultancy agency which builds opportunities for startup founders from diverse backgrounds and STRIVE, an award-winning diversity and social mobility focussed graduate development programme.
3. Vulnerable Groups
At Travers Smith we are very aware that we are amongst the most fortunate in society. As such, we want to support those who otherwise have nowhere else to go and who would face serious exploitation absent proper support. These groups include survivors of domestic abuse; survivors of human trafficking; refugees and asylum seekers; those at risk of homelessness; those suffering with mental health issues and vulnerable children
Our work in this area is longstanding, innovative and award winning.
4. Rule of Law
No society, local or global, can thrive where the rule of law is not respected. Travers Smith will stand up against threatened or actual challenges to the rule of law at the local and global levels. We have a longstanding partnership with JUSTICE, a law reform and human rights organisation working to strengthen the justice system in the UK, through which we have examined the overrepresentation of children from ethnic minorities in the criminal youth justice system and investigated the treatment of women and girls in the criminal justice system. We are also supporting Colours Caribbean in relation to same sex marriage rights across the British Overseas Territories.
