Pro bono

We believe equal access to justice is vital for a fair society, including for non-profit organizations and the people they support, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access legal advice and representation.

Hands holding a life preserver ring with rope against ocean and sky in black and white.

We encourage our lawyers to use their skills to make a positive impact in the lives of people around the world through pro bono work.

Our pro bono practice is global and multijurisdictional. Our lawyers campaign for the protection of fundamental rights, create innovative social finance solutions, support forcibly displaced people, and work on projects to sustain and protect our natural environment.

This work supports our responsibility to equality and sustainable resources, as well as our commitment to our people, our culture, our clients, and the wider legal sector.

If you’re part of a charitable organization or social enterprise and looking for free legal advice, send an email to our pro bono team. We are unfortunately unable to respond to all queries from individuals.

Representative matters

Access to justice

Justice Without Borders – addressing complexities in international litigation to provide legal assistance, compensation, and accountability to exploited migrant workers from Indonesia and the Philippines and Singapore.
Welfare benefits appeals – partnering with Z2K to support low-income individuals in need of first-tier tribunal representation after being denied sickness or disability benefits.
School exclusions – partnering with Coram Children’s Legal Centre on a legal clinic to help families challenge permanent school exclusion.
Veterans – we provide vital pro bono legal support to veterans – sometimes in partnership with N ational Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) and The Veterans Consortium – by assisting with military discharge upgrades and appeals, enabling veterans to access essential benefits and services. We completed over 130 such matters in 2024 and have taken on many more of these matters in 2025.

Awards and recognition

Best pro bono initiative of the year for our work with the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (APBI) at the LexisNexis UK Awards 2026.
219 of our UK lawyers were named on the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List for completing at least 25 pro bono hours, reflecting their commitment to expanding access to justice.
Pro bono: outstanding firm award at the Chambers UK Awards—Winter Edition 2025 for equality-focused pro bono work.
Best use of law at the Sheila McKechnie Foundation Awards for our pro bono work with Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), 2025.

Recognized by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice (part of the NYC Bar Association) for our work on a number of projects, including one with the Vance Center and Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, as part of the 2026 Celebration of International Pro Bono Excellence.
Blended Finance Deal of the Year at the Global Banking & Markets Awards: Latin America & Caribbean 2026 for the Ecuador Nature Bonds transaction.
Over 40% of our Washington DC lawyers were recognized in the 2025 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll for completing at least 50 hours of pro bono work, including 24 who exceeded 100 hours.
Justice Umbrella Award for our sustained support to ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR) and our contributions to improving the lives of migrant workers in Singapore.

How legal expertise is driving early intervention in gender-based violence (GBV)

The Schools Consent Project (SCP) runs the only legal consent workshops to secondary school students. The program reduces violence by improving understanding of consent and fostering a positive, communicative culture. Since 2024, A&O Shearman's volunteer lawyers have been sharing their legal expertise and practical insights to make this education possible.