Pan-African corporate law firm, Bowman Gilfillan said today that lawyers working in its Johannesburg and Cape Town offices had delivered R11.3 million in pro bono work for worthy causes during the financial year to end February 2014.

Fatima Laher, Pro Bono Manager at Bowman Gilfillan, noted that the firm had developed a wide ranging pro bono programme which its lawyers participate in through the delivery of legal services for the benefit of various community and non-profit organisations. They had devoted 6 377 hours of their time to pro bono work during the year.

The firm had built strong partnerships with community-based organisations with a view to implementing its pro bono vision, which places the focus on providing assistance in matters that are in the public interest in communities that are most in need of support.

“We have had a particularly successful year launching our Ishishini Lethu flagship project rendering pro bono legal services to small and start-up businesses from our Cape Town and Johannesburg offices,” said Ms Laher.

In terms of this initiative, Bowman Gilfillan’s lawyers provided free legal services to 44 small businesses ranging from manufacturers and butcheries to gardening services - assisting with various matters including partnership agreements, shareholder agreements, contracts and registrations.

The firm also services pro bono clients, including non-profit organisations, through various clinics that are an important way to expose the maximum number of lawyers to pro bono work, and to ensure that lawyers can access work that appeals to their area of interest in justice and human rights.

At the clinics, clients are seen and advised of their rights. Where possible, steps are taken to resolve problems immediately. With more complex matters, files are opened at the firm and clients are assisted on a pro bono basis. In terms of this programme, Bowman Gilfillan offers services to refugees through the Refugee Clinic which is coordinated and hosted by ProBono.Org, the firm’s partner in the delivery of services.

On another project, Ms Laher said, “Our specialist labour lawyers participate in the South African Labour Law Clinic hosted at the labour courts in Cape Town and Johannesburg. They provide legal advice and legal representation in the labour courts to workers who may have been retrenched or unfairly dismissed, and who qualify in terms of a means test.”