Pro bono work and social justice

Pro bono (‘for the public good’ in Latin) involves lawyers and law students giving up their time on a voluntary basis to help people who need legal assistance but do not have the means to afford it. In this free course, Pro bono work and social justice, you will consider the role of pro bono in law schools. You will examine the relationship between pro bono and legal aid, and evaluate whether pro bono should be mandatory. The theme of social justice will be explored and you will examine how innovation can address the justice gap. You will consider the development of the online court and the role that crowdfunding may play in facilitating access to justice.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

Explain the concept of ‘pro bono’

Explain and evaluate the relationship between pro bono and legal aid

Critically analyse, evaluate and discuss materials relating to social justice

Critically analyse, evaluate and discuss materials relating to justice and technology.