All attorneys who are members of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces (“LSNP”) must render at least twenty four hours of pro bono service per calendar year. Pro bono legal services are rendered free of charge; the client is responsible only for the cost of disbursements.
Providing legal services on a pro bono basis encourages justice and equality and ensures that those who require legal services, but cannot afford it, gain access to legal services. Providing pro bono legal service is a way for us to empower people when they have nowhere else to turn.
In 2014, we were approached by a nonprofit organisation in Johannesburg to render legal services for them. Broadly speaking, this organisation’s objectives are to promote the interests of all blind people by combating poverty, the empowerment of blind people by, amongst others, the provision of Braille, the distribution of information and the provision of other developmental services and acting as a pressure group with regard to any matter concerning blind people. We procured pro bono status for this organisation under our Law Society’s pro bono scheme and now render pro bono legal services to them on an ongoing basis.