As part of its Inaugural Law Week observance, the Anguilla Bar Association gave members of the public an opportunity to receive free legal advice on Wednesday, May 22, dubbed Access to Justice/Pro Bono Day. The service, from 9 am – 4 pm, was provided at St. Gerard’s Conference Centre by Attorneys representing several law firms.
Bar Association President, Ms. Yvette Wallace, spoke to The Anguillian about the event. “The purpose of Pro Bono Day is for the Bar Association to provide structured time for consultation specifically to those who need it most, but are unable to pay for getting advice from Attorneys,” she explained. “This is particularly important at this time bearing in mind the economic situation that most people are enduring. We thought it was appropriate that we, as a group, provide some form of structured system whereby deserving persons can consult us as to whether we would takeon their matters or merely stop at giving them advice. The Attorneys are giving their time free of cost today.”
Ms Wallace further explained that the Attorneys would look at the intake of matters for the day and determine what deserving issues they might wish to take on and bring to a logical conclusion. “We are looking overall at what we call a system – not strictly speaking legal aid – whereby the lawyers can give back to our community for persons who are unable to pay the current fees,” she stated. “That is part of what we, as a Bar Association, will advance. We are clearly doing a business, and therefore not everybody who wants free legal services will be able to obtain such. This is just the start. Hopefully, we will continue to have this particularly each year and, as a long-term process, the Bar is coming up with a policy to deal with matters of this nature going forward.”
