As a progressive set, 9 St John Street Chambers, Manchester continue to be committed to pro bono work and is delighted to be part of raising awareness during pro bono week by highlighting the work being carried out by our Barristers:
Isabel Baylis: "I do pro bono work because it makes all the years of training worthwhile and I enjoy it because unlike the cab rank rule I can choose cases that call out to me. I recently conducted a case for an injured person where the injuries were extensive and life-changing. When I met this person they had lost their job, were homeless and experiencing mental health difficulties. I was able to assist them in obtaining substantial compensation in settlement enabling them to move forward. I'm pleased that having given some of my time, I was able to contribute to significantly improving this person's life."
Jennie Ferrario: "It has always been important for me to promote the good work that we lawyers do particularly as we can often receive bad press. Pro bono work enables me to show members of the public that Barristers can be helpful, understanding and selfless. I also feel passionate about encouraging fairness in legal proceedings and representing an unrepresented person usually redresses the balance and allows for a fair hearing. Recently I represented a person in a case against a well-known supermarket and this person was a foreign national and suffered two mental health breakdowns due to the bullying treatment they endured. We were successful in the tribunal hearing and they were awarded a significant amount of compensation but most importantly this person received recognition of the poor treatment that they had endured which assisted them with their mental health recovery."
Chris Kennedy KC: "I volunteer as a reviewer for Advocate.org because it is something useful I can do and is flexible. My work involves considering a file and seeing how and to what extent Advocate.org might help an individual secure justice – assessing the need and tailoring the available resources to it. A recent case involved authorising assistance for a social worker with poor mental health who needed the help of a volunteer to secure the right outcome in relation to fitness to practise charges. I would unhesitatingly encourage others to look into assisting, it is something worthwhile that makes a real difference."