Prime Highlights:
- Birketts and Suffolk Law Centre teamed up to celebrate UK Pro Bono Week, showcasing their shared commitment to providing free legal help to those in need.
- The partnership highlights how volunteer lawyers are making a real difference in the community by offering expert legal advice and support.
Key Facts:
- Suffolk Law Centre was founded in 2018 and provides free legal advice in discrimination, family, and housing law.
- Between April and September 2025, the centre handled over 1,000 inquiries and helped 123 people through its Legal Advice Clinic.
Background:
Ipswich-based law firm Birketts and the Suffolk Law Centre (SLC) are marking UK Pro Bono Week by celebrating their long-standing partnership, which has been providing free legal advice to people who need it most. The awareness week, held from November 3 to 7, shines a light on the value of volunteer legal services across the UK.
Pro bono work lets lawyers use their skills to help those who can’t afford legal advice. Since 2018, Suffolk Law Centre (SLC) has offered free help with discrimination, family and housing issues through its Legal Advice Clinic, where volunteers give 30-minute sessions on legal problems. From April to September 2025, the centre received over 1,000 new inquiries and helped 123 people through these clinics many of them dealing with difficult legal situations.
Sue Wardell, Director of Operations and Development at Suffolk Law Centre, said the Legal Advice Clinics play an important role in helping people get the guidance they need to deal with their legal problems. Birketts’ solicitors also spoke about the personal and professional value of taking part in pro bono work.
Rhianna Duncombe, a solicitor in Birketts’ family team, said the clinics give her a chance to guide and support local people who are often struggling with tough legal issues. She added that pro bono work helps her grow as a lawyer while reminding her that law is also about kindness and understanding.
Trainee solicitor Ellie Hydleman, from the firm’s agriculture and estates team, added that even short advice sessions can have a lasting impact. For those seeking legal assistance or wishing to volunteer, more information is available on the Suffolk Law Centre website.
