Advocate were delighted to honour the Bar’s long-standing dedication to pro bono at the 2026 Bar Pro Bono Awards.
Last night, Advocate were delighted to hold the Bar Pro Bono Awards. We host the Awards annually to celebrate the outstanding commitment of barristers and chambers to pro bono across England and Wales.
As we mark Advocate’s 30th anniversary this year, we were delighted to honour the Bar’s long-standing dedication to supporting those in need of their time and expertise.
This year we received over 70 nominations across the different categories, paying tribute to all the incredible pro bono work happening across the Bar from pupils to KCs through to Chambers and cross-Bar initiatives.
We were honoured to be joined by the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr of Walton on the Hill, who gave a powerful opening address. Quoting To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, she reflected on the importance of ensuring that those in need, no matter their means, can access justice:
"Our courts have our faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal."
Reflecting on why we hold the awards, Advocate’s Chair of Trustees Sharif A. Shivji KC opened the ceremony and said:
“Reading your citations has been, quite simply, humbling. Every story and contribution is remarkable in its own right. But as I turned the pages of our brochure, I found myself thinking: each time, this person is going to win. And then on the next page: the same thought – what we celebrate tonight goes far beyond those shortlisted.
Across the Bar, each year, there are thousands of pieces of pro bono work: often unseen, often unreported, but life-changing for the people helped. And none of that work happens alone. It is enabled by clerks and chambers’ professionals, and by all those who make it possible behind the scenes.”
Our many congratulations to this year’s winners for their outstanding work, and thank you to all this year’s nominees for their commitment to ensuring access to justice.
A special thank you to LexisNexis for being our headline sponsor, making this event possible for another year, and to Instant on IT for sponsoring our drinks reception. Finally, a special thank you to Inner Temple for generously hosting.
See the full list of winners and stay tuned for further announcements about the winners stories on our website and LinkedIn.
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