Working at a strategic level to improve access to justice
The Access to Justice Foundation has been established to receive and distribute additional financial resources that will help get free of charge (pro bono) legal assistance to those who need it most.
The Foundation is:
- An initiative of the entire legal profession - solicitors, barristers and legal executives, working with the not for profit and voluntary legal advice sector.
- The prescribed charity under section 194 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
The Foundation aims to:
- Work strategically.
- Help in the overall effort to provide practical “access to justice” to those unable to afford help.
- By its existence, to encourage the development of further schemes that will raise new, additional, money to support the provision and organisation of pro bono legal assistance.
- Be the preferred destination of choice for funds raised from such schemes.
- Assist the development of a matrix of Regional Legal Support Trusts.
Pro bono legal assistance complements, but is not a substitute for, legal aid (ie publicly funded help). In the same way with the Foundation - it is directed to supporting the delivery of pro bono advice or assistance, but never in place of the legal aid system.
The Foundation, section 194, and the matrix of Regional Legal Support Trusts together comprise a strategic initiative developed under the aegis of the Attorney General’s National Pro Bono Coordinating Committee. The Committee is chaired by the Attorney General and has wide membership representing the organisations involved with pro bono work. Mike Napier CBE, QC serves as the Attorney’s Pro Bono Envoy.
You can view or print a leaflet on the Access to Justice Foundation
