CEO Insight: Shaping the Future of Pro Bono Together
Imagine a world where pro bono becomes the norm, not the exception.
Two-thirds of the world’s population have justice issues – whether access to justice, excluded from the opportunities the law provides, or those who live in extreme conditions of injustice. Pro bono legal work is essential for promoting access to justice and addressing systemic inequality. And fulfilling the ethical responsibilities of lawyers and the legal sector.
An estimated 253 million people live in extreme conditions of injustice. They are among the most disconnected from the protections of law and the promise of justice, yet it is precisely here that the world’s commitment to fairness and human dignity is most urgently tested.
We are, I believe, on the cusp of a new era, ushered in by technology and necessitated by the complex, interconnected and urgent challenges facing our world. We are approaching at time when outcomes will matter as much as intention and when pro bono is not restricted to legal actors but across sectors.
A few months into my sabbatical, I encountered something unexpectedly rare: silence. The kind of quiet that interrupts the rhythm of constant decision-making, problem-solving, and the day-to-day responsibility of leading an organisation. It was in that stillness that I realised something – that I had not been paying enough attention to the world beyond our immediate work.
During my time as CEO of A4ID, I have worked alongside a team whose commitment, talent, and decency have shaped an organisation that matters. Our work is real, and its impact is tangible. But stepping away from the usual demands of leadership, I understood something else: my role is not only to safeguard what we have built.
It is to imagine what comes next and to give that vision voice. To speak about it often. And to speak about it outwardly.
The pro bono moment we are in
The next decade will transform pro bono work, not gradually, but at a pace. We are at an inflection point where technology is dissolving traditional barriers to accessing legal expertise and opening doors for those who need advice most.
Tools that once seemed revolutionary are now part of everyday practice. Document collaboration platforms, for example, have streamlined the complex and often paper-heavy world of legal work. In fields such as personal injury law, where vast amounts of evidence must be shared and reviewed, these tools enable lawyers and volunteers to work together efficiently across time zones and organisations.
Artificial intelligence is also making waves in the pro bono space. AI-assisted triage forms and referral systems allow teams to handle large volumes of enquiries quickly and professionally, offering tailored guidance to each client who reaches out. Yet, while the technology helps to scale services and reduce waiting times, it remains just a tool. The human judgment, empathy, and ethical discernment of legal professionals still underpin every decision.
As innovation accelerates, the challenge and opportunity are to use technology to enhance, not replace, the human touch, amplifying the reach and impact of pro bono work with greater speed and care.
Consequently, we are moving from broad notions of “doing good” to legitimate, measurable impact. A new generation of professionals across law, technology, engineering, finance and design sees pro bono not as an optional act of generosity but as integral to who they are and the careers they want to shape.
Meanwhile, the challenges facing our world have grown more complex, more interconnected, and more urgent. We cannot afford half-measures.
Here is the future I believe we will see: By 2035, contributing skilled time to social good will sit alongside professional development as a core expectation. Young professionals will not ask, “Should I contribute?” but rather, “Where is my contribution needed?”
The stigma of time-giving will be gone; in its place will stand a culture of recognition, expectation, and genuine pride. Pro bono will become the norm, not the exception.
The expertise gap will close
Today, organisations with the most urgent needs often have the least ability to access support. Around 1.5 billion people are still unable to find justice when they need it most. They are victims of crime, or individuals seeking to resolve everyday civil and administrative matters, yet too often they encounter barriers that prevent fair outcomes. Many live in countries with functioning institutions and justice systems, but the doors of justice remain partly closed because of cost or lack of support.
That will change decisively as geography will become irrelevant. Digitally enabled platforms and AI-supported matching will enable a rights-based organisation in rural Nigeria to work in real time with a pro bono team in London or Singapore, with minimal friction.
Impact will be the only currency that counts. We are entering an era in which outcomes will matter as much as intentions. We are tired of vague stories about “making a difference.” The next decade will demand proof. Not because we are cynical, but because we are serious.
The organisations leading this charge will have sophisticated tools to track outcomes and show how legal advice scaled a social enterprise or how strategic consulting helped a nonprofit triple its reach. Data and storytelling will merge.
Pro bono will attract not just lawyers but also engineers working on climate adaptation. Not just consultants, but data scientists shaping ethical AI and strategists strengthening governance. Retirees, students, and mid-career professionals seeking meaning and purpose. We will see a richer, more diverse, and more capable ecosystem of talent than ever before.
Purpose-driven networks will become powerful institutions
At present, pro bono work exists in countless dedicated but often disconnected initiatives around the world. While each project makes a noticeable difference, the fundamental transformation will come as these efforts begin to connect and collaborate on a global scale. By 2035, we can expect to see the rise of international communities of practice comprising legal professionals, NGOs, and advocates who share knowledge, coordinate resources, and act with agility and purpose.
As the Solicitor General, Sarah Sackman KC MP, observed during last year’s Pro Bono Week, “The power of pro bono lies in its people. That starts with the clients.” These emerging communities will not replace traditional institutions, but will function alongside them, shaping agendas and accelerating change, credibility, and impact.
Why leaders must look outward
My sabbatical reminded me of something essential but simple: the future will not arrive on its own. It requires leaders who are willing to look outward, to articulate what’s possible, and to build the alliances that make it real.
For years, I’ve been the leader who has focused on internal aspects, such as ensuring stability, navigating risk, and strengthening teams. All of it necessary; none of it wasted. But insufficient for the moment before us.
The next phase of leadership, mine included, requires a different posture. Not performative visibility, but genuine engagement. An openness to dialogue with funders, policymakers, practitioners, and the public. A willingness to challenge assumptions, name what is not working, and make the case for why pro bono will be central to driving change in a world that desperately needs it.
It is not about grandstanding. It is about presence and responsibility.
The team that makes it possible
I want to pause here to acknowledge something fundamental: none of these reflections, and none of this vision, exists in isolation. It comes from the team at A4ID. My team operates from a place of care, for each other, for the organisations we serve, for the vision of pro bono work itself. My team thinks critically, challenges constructively, and is a constant reminder that any future we imagine must work for real people, not just rely on elegant theories.
Leadership, as we know, is never solitary. It is always shaped and strengthened by the people around you, by the conversations you have and by the experiences you share. The future of pro bono will be built not by individuals, but by teams of people who choose every day to bring rigour, compassion, and creativity to work that matters.
What this means now
If we can clearly see where pro bono is heading, our responsibilities today come sharply into focus. The next chapter will be written by those willing to experiment without fear, to build the systems that scale impact, and to connect ideas and people across disciplines, institutions, and borders.
We must tell the stories of what works, boldly and often, to share and strengthen innovation, courage, and compassion. We must invest in people: not just through resources, but through trust, mentorship, and belief in their potential to lead change. And above all, we must resist the comfort of staying within our own organisational boundaries. Now is the moment to step out, speak up, engage, debate, explain and persuade.
The future of pro bono will not unfold by chance. It will take shape through the choices we make and the leadership we exercise today, not tomorrow. Its brightness depends on our willingness to imagine more and to act decisively in the service of justice. Together, we can ensure that this future is not only possible but inevitable.
