Design of bespoke projects for forward-thinking law firms and in-house legal teams that seek a sustaining partnership with an organisation focused on particular unmet legal need. This often involves the law firm or team developing a secondary specialisation in an area of law outside their expertise. Signature Projects allow firms leverage employee skills and talents, going beyond traditional Corporate Social Responsibility engagement programmes.
A&L Goodbody & the Irish Refugee Council: Early Legal Advice for Asylum Seekers
The issue
Until recently in Ireland, an asylum applicant was only legally represented at the second stage of the asylum process – before the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. This resulted in 90% of asylum seekers being rejected at first instance. In response, the Irish Refugee Council’s Law Centre (IRC) developed a project to increase the ability of applicants to access protection through early legal advice on initial asylum applications.
What PILA did
PILA saw the potential for pro bono assistance to increase the scope and impact of the early legal advice project by partnering the IRC with leading law firm, A&L Goodbody. The collaboration involves A&L Goodbody working on a pro bono basis to provide legal representation to applicants at the first stage of the asylum process.
The result
Since 2013, over 110 A&L Goodbody lawyers have dedicated over 4,185 hours to 34 individual refugee cases and 5 family reunification cases. This unique partnership puts the applicant’s voice at the centre of the process, and demonstrates a different model of legal service in this area. With a large extent of the work done before the application is made, strong applications are produced that are trusted by decision makers leading to greater fairness and effectiveness in the process. This collaboration was the first of its kind in Ireland, winning the 2015 European Award for Local Pro Bono Impact.
For participating lawyers, “acting for a successful applicant for refugee status was undoubtedly the most fulfilling matter I have worked on. Corporate lawyers don’t usually involve themselves in gritty, life-changing cases, and it was a privilege to be involved. It also brought out the very best in our team.”
Inclusion Ireland, LinkedIn and Mason Hayes & Curran: Wills for People with an Intellectual Disability
The issue
For Inclusion Ireland, the most frequent and prevailing legal query received from members is advice on the making of a will. It is a significant unmet legal need, with an identified lack of specialist expertise within the legal profession in how to tailor a will in a way that best accommodates a person with an intellectual disability.
What PILA did
PILA developed a partnership between Inclusion Ireland, the legal team at LinkedIn and law firm Mason Hayes & Curran wherein people with an intellectual disability are assisted in making a will.
PILA brought in Cathy Smith BL to develop best practice guidelines on how to take instructions from a person with an intellectual disability. These guidelines were then used to deliver sensitivity training in conjunction with Inclusion Ireland to the team of pro bono lawyers.
The result
The project has helped 24 people with an intellectual disability make a will. While the clinics aim to empower clients to take care of their own affairs, ultimately the project hopes to gather learning for the wider legal community.
As one client put it, “The solicitors explained everything to me as they went along. They listened to me very much. I thought they were excellent. I asked a few questions and if I couldn’t understand they explained it to me. I found it hard at the beginning, but they explained it to me and now I understand. They were very helpful and nice people to work with.”