Pro Bono & Professional Practice: Enhancing Legal Skills and Serving the Community

Pro Bono & Professional Practice

Introduction
I am studying LLB and joined a small law firm in order to carry out legal work for the
woman and man in the street. I have received an excellent skill of examining cases on the
basis of the legal rules and regulations. I have also been involved with legal professionals in
order to get ideas and enhancing my knowledge. During the course, I have learned theories
related to how a case is presented and what are the things that need to be followed for
reaching a conclusion. I have also found that considerations of the ethical principals are also
very much important because it ensures fairness and integrity during the whole process. I will
reflect over my pro bono practice experience where I was able to enhance my capabilities. I
was allocated with the responsibility to understand and examine a case for reaching to an
appropriate conclusion. My experience was also being influenced by the value and content of
the work. The understanding of the current laws, rules, and standards were being achieved
which is significant to become an effective legal professional. The seniors also assisted me to
carry out my work. The ethical rules need the basic duties of diligent and competent
representation, appropriate communication about the issue with the client related to matter,
privilege, and confidentiality. The work enabled me to take responsibilities and opportunities
for improving my legal skills. I have realized that practice experience is much difficult than
theoretical study. I was able to interact with the clients in an appropriate manner in order to
solve their issues. It was very much important for me to set goals and clear expectations. I
also utilized theories in order to support my professional practice. The experience also
enabled me to determine my strengths and weaknesses. I have provided with the opportunity
to solve a legal case with the application of my knowledge and skills. I will be able to carry
out meaningful and substantial direct interactions with the clients. It was a great opportunity
for me to involve the cases and getting legal understandings. I will analyse the case,
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determine ethical issues and apply my legal skills and theories to achieve my required
objective.
Main Context
Pro bono is a type of Latin phrase “pro bono public”. It means for the welfare of the society.
Pro bono refer to the service which is being offered by a professional either without any cost
or at a low cost to the beneficiary. Pro bono services are being offered in many fields but the
term is generally used in the legal professions1. Mezirow’s theory focuses on transforming
the learning that can be applied by an individual in his or her legal practice. A pro bono can
use the theory while carrying out its legal cases. If a person is learning anything then it should
be applied in his or her personal life. I have also learned many things while carrying out the
legal case. Brookfiled’s theory focuses on thinking about the situation in relation to previous
experiences and current feelings and reactions. An individual should understand the current
situation and apply his or her emotional and physical reactions in an appropriate manner. A
pro bono should also review the situation appropriately before taking any action.
I am a student doing my degree in law and decided to undertake legal cases for poor men and
women who could not afford to hire lawyers to resolve their cases. It could help me in
improving my skills and knowledge and at the same time, it could also be helpful for the
men/women in the street. My first case was one of my friends whose name was Peter, and he
was also my neighbour. I live in 3 bedrooms flat which are owned by my family and Peter’s
family used to live on rent. I used to spend my childhood playing soccer with Peter and other
boys in the void deck. Just there, was a signboard which was clearly stating that playing
soccer in the void deck was illegal. When I grew up I discovered that neither Peter nor I
managed to make a space for us in national soccer squad despite making numerous
spectacular goals in that void deck.
1 Rafael Domingo, The New Global Law (10th ed, Cambridge University Press 2011).
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It was in the afternoon I heard a knock on my door, it was Peter and I figured out that he is in
some serious trouble. He explained to me that he is in serious problem with the police for
allegedly hurting an old man. He came to me because he thought I had become a lawyer.
Then I realized that this insignificant matter can also turn out to an important constitutional
law issue and I saw it as an opportunity for me to become a pro bono lawyer. After a couple
of days, I met Peter and got straight to my job which was my first pro bono brief. We decided
to meet in a coffee shop and I started to write his instruction on a notepad. It was clear that
Peter and the old man had a minor tiff at his void deck which caused a minor injury to
victim2. As per the medical report, the injury contains a "mild contusion", which I figured out
meant nothing but a "small blue black". According to the police stated there was some
element which was showing that the provocation was from the victim. As Peter described that
a friend of the elderly gentleman started chasing upon Peter by following the minor tiff
between them. Peter was being caught up near the coffee shop by some patrons after hearing
the noise. They thought that the peter was guilty of some wrongdoing. After completion of
one year of the incident, Peter was now charged for willingly hurting someone.
After reviewing the facts, I found that the injury was caused unintentionally and I was
confident enough to argue on it. Even the medical report was pointing that the injury was not
made with an intention to harm the victim. After reviewing everything I found out that the
entire matter was just a misunderstanding and it could be resolved out of the court itself. I
sent a proposal for setting a meeting between both the parties so that the matter can be
resolved out of the court itself. However, the proposal was rejected. The matter was now in
court and a very senior district judge was looking into it. He immediately found out that the
whole matter is insignificant and minor. He asked Peter and the victim to patch things by
themselves3. The victim became ready to resolve the matter and his family wanted the same
2 Malcolm D Evans, International Law (12th edn, Oxford University Press 2018).
3 John J Kirton and Jelena Madunic, Global Law (8th edn, Ashgate 2009).
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