Advancing The Rights of Women Through Pro Bono

Connect with the legal and women’s rights sectors as we highlight and celebrate pro bono efforts improving the rights of women.

Join us to celebrate work advancing the rights of women through pro bono legal advice.

This work plays a critical role in bridging gaps in access to justice and strengthening protections for women in the UK and internationally.

Aligned with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, this hybrid event at Baker McKenzie brings together leading voices from across the pro bono sector to showcase practical, high impact collaborations.

Through a series of short spotlights, attendees will hear how law firms, in‑house teams, barristers, academics, charities, and NGOs are working together to tackle some of the most pressing legal challenges faced by women today. Attendees are then warmly welcomed to stay for a networking lunch and to continue the conversations.

Spotlights include:

• Opening remarks - Dana Denis‑Smith, Deputy Vice President of The Law Society of England and Wales
• Examples of how City firms are collaborating with a wide range of partners to tackle inequality and drive meaningful impact -Emma Rehal‑Wilde, Pro Bono Counsel at Baker McKenzie
• Insights from the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA) project.
• An overview of LawWorks' unpaid wages project, supporting lawyers to gain expertise in a specific area of employment law by supporting individuals subject to 'wage theft' - Héloïse Ramage-Hayes, Employment Supervisor at LawWorks
• The Bar’s role in supporting women’s rights via pro bono work through practical examples of projects and cases that have helped protect rights, improve access to justice, and bring often life-changing results for women - Lily Greenhough, Caseworker at Advocate
• A presentation addressing Image-Based Sexual Abuse through client support, policy work and public legal education - Frances Ridout and Kelli Ryan, Queen Mary University of London
• Closing reflections - Yasmin Waljee OBE, Pro Bono Partner at Hogan Lovells

This event aims to inspire further collaboration across the profession, highlight replicable models of pro bono practice, and reaffirm a shared commitment to advancing gender equality through high quality legal support.