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Recognition Scheme for Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services

Objectives

The objectives of the Recognition Scheme for Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services (“Recognition Scheme”) are to commend legal professionals who provided pro bono legal services for the community and encourage more legal professionals to volunteer to provide free legal services to the members of the public.

Recognition Period

The pro bono legal services recognised under the Recognition Scheme should be performed within the two-year period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024.

Categories of Awards
(a)

Individual Award

 The following categories of legal professionals may participate in the Recognition Scheme –
 
  • Barristers;
  • Solicitors (including foreign lawyers who have registered with the Law Society of Hong Kong (“Law Society”));
  • Pupils; and
  • Trainee solicitors.

 

(b)

Company Award

 Any chambers registered with the Hong Kong Bar Association (“Bar Association”) or law firms (including foreign law firms) registered with the Law Society may participate in the Recognition Scheme.
Selection Criteria
(a)

Individual Award

 

Nominated participants have to provide pro bono legal service of not less than 30 hours within the recognition period. Individuals who have provided pro bono legal services of not less than 50 hours will be presented with a Special Award.

 

(b)

Company Award

 Nominated chambers or firms have to demonstrate that they have made significant efforts in providing pro bono legal services in respect of –
 
  • their company policies, visions or missions; and
  • the aggregate hours of pro bono legal services performed by their legal professionals should be not less than 30 hours x 10% of the total number of legal professionals of the chambers or firms.

    Example: for a law firm with 100 legal professionals, the aggregate hours of pro bono legal services performed should be not less than 300 hours (100 x 10% x 30).
 Pro bono work recognised under the Recognition Scheme should not be remunerative or involve any financial reward (except acceptance of souvenirs of insignificant commercial value, honorarium or out-of-pocket expenses such as travelling or meals allowances).

The Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office has the sole discretion in determining the eligibility of nominees.
Schemes and services under recognition

Schemes and services under recognition include –

  • Legal Advice Scheme for Unrepresented Litigants on Civil Procedures of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office;
  • Free Legal Advice Scheme of the Duty Lawyer Service;
  • Free Legal Advice Service on Building Management and Free Outreach Legal Advice Service on Building Management run by the Home Affairs Department in collaboration with the Law Society;
  • Bar Free Legal Service Scheme of the Bar Association;
  • Free Legal Helpline run by the Law Society;
  • free legal advice or consultation services provided to the public, the Government or other organisations;
  • delivery of talks on a free-of-charge basis (except travelling and meals allowances) in law talks, seminars or conferences organised by the Government or other organisations; and
  • legal cases (including legal representation) taken up on a pro bono basis throughout.

Any volunteer work which falls outside the above will normally not be considered.

Nomination Procedures and Submission
Complete and submit the nomination form together with supporting documents to the Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office (CSO).
This link will open in a new windowCompany Award Nomination Form[pdf file]
This link will open in a new windowIndividual Award Nomination Form[pdf file]

By Email

recognition@cso.gov.hk

By Post

Room 1921, 19/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong
(Please mark on the envelope “Nomination for Recognition Scheme for Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services”)

Nomination Deadline and Result Notification

Nomination deadline is 28 January 2025. Nominees will be notified of the result by email in the second quarter of 2025.





Presentation of Awards

Awardees of “Individual” and “Company” categories will be presented with a certificate of recognition and a trophy respectively as a token of appreciation. Awards will be delivered to awardees in Q2 2025.

Enquiry

More information is available on the website of the Recognition Scheme This link will open in a new windowwww.admwing.gov.hk/eng/public_service/probonolegalservices.html.

For enquiry, please contact Miss Maggie Lam via the following channels –

Telephone
3509 7690
Objectives

The objectives of the Recognition Scheme for Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services (“Recognition Scheme”) are to commend legal professionals who provided pro bono legal services for the community and encourage more legal professionals to volunteer to provide free legal services to the members of the public.

Recognition Period

The pro bono legal services recognised under the Recognition Scheme should be performed within the two-year period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024.

Categories of Awards
(a)

Individual Award

 The following categories of legal professionals may participate in the Recognition Scheme –
 
  • Barristers;
  • Solicitors (including foreign lawyers who have registered with the Law Society of Hong Kong (“Law Society”));
  • Pupils; and
  • Trainee solicitors.

 

(b)

Company Award

 Any chambers registered with the Hong Kong Bar Association (“Bar Association”) or law firms (including foreign law firms) registered with the Law Society may participate in the Recognition Scheme.
Selection Criteria
(a)

Individual Award

 

Nominated participants have to provide pro bono legal service of not less than 30 hours within the recognition period. Individuals who have provided pro bono legal services of not less than 50 hours will be presented with a Special Award.

 

(b)

Company Award

 Nominated chambers or firms have to demonstrate that they have made significant efforts in providing pro bono legal services in respect of –
 
  • their company policies, visions or missions; and
  • the aggregate hours of pro bono legal services performed by their legal professionals should be not less than 30 hours x 10% of the total number of legal professionals of the chambers or firms.

    Example: for a law firm with 100 legal professionals, the aggregate hours of pro bono legal services performed should be not less than 300 hours (100 x 10% x 30).
 Pro bono work recognised under the Recognition Scheme should not be remunerative or involve any financial reward (except acceptance of souvenirs of insignificant commercial value, honorarium or out-of-pocket expenses such as travelling or meals allowances).

The Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office has the sole discretion in determining the eligibility of nominees.
Schemes and services under recognition

Schemes and services under recognition include –

  • Legal Advice Scheme for Unrepresented Litigants on Civil Procedures of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office;
  • Free Legal Advice Scheme of the Duty Lawyer Service;
  • Free Legal Advice Service on Building Management and Free Outreach Legal Advice Service on Building Management run by the Home Affairs Department in collaboration with the Law Society;
  • Bar Free Legal Service Scheme of the Bar Association;
  • Free Legal Helpline run by the Law Society;
  • free legal advice or consultation services provided to the public, the Government or other organisations;
  • delivery of talks on a free-of-charge basis (except travelling and meals allowances) in law talks, seminars or conferences organised by the Government or other organisations; and
  • legal cases (including legal representation) taken up on a pro bono basis throughout.

Any volunteer work which falls outside the above will normally not be considered.

Nomination Procedures and Submission
Complete and submit the nomination form together with supporting documents to the Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office (CSO).
This link will open in a new windowCompany Award Nomination Form[pdf file]
This link will open in a new windowIndividual Award Nomination Form[pdf file]

By Email

recognition@cso.gov.hk

By Post

Room 1921, 19/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong
(Please mark on the envelope “Nomination for Recognition Scheme for Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services”)

Nomination Deadline and Result Notification

Nomination deadline is 28 January 2025. Nominees will be notified of the result by email in the second quarter of 2025.





Presentation of Awards

Awardees of “Individual” and “Company” categories will be presented with a certificate of recognition and a trophy respectively as a token of appreciation. Awards will be delivered to awardees in Q2 2025.

Enquiry

More information is available on the website of the Recognition Scheme This link will open in a new windowwww.admwing.gov.hk/eng/public_service/probonolegalservices.html.

For enquiry, please contact Miss Maggie Lam via the following channels –

Telephone
3509 7690