Pro bono work and the LGBTQ+ communities: Why is it still needed in the UK today?

Pro Bono week last week reminded me that pro bono legal work can be a life saver and a sanity saver. This is especially true if you are a member of the LGBTQ+ communities.

When I first started my legal career in the city in the late eighties, one of my cleverest and closest friends was 'let go' from a Magic Circle firm for 'not fitting in' after her boss discovered she was gay.

This led me to keeping my head down and staying in the closet at work. That Magic Circle firm has since changed with the times and has even gone on to win diversity awards. Thank goodness the law and our profession have changed!

In the evenings, several of us gay and lesbian lawyers used to volunteer at a free helpline called Gay & Lesbian Legal Advice (GLAD). Callers were desperate, some suicidal. Gay men risked being prosecuted for consensual sex in a place, such as a hotel, which was not deemed 'private'.

Anyone could be sacked from their job, refused access to services or deemed an unfit parent merely because they were lesbian, gay or trans. Additionally, no one could marry a same sex partner.

Although gruelling, the pro bono work and the shared sense of purpose among the lawyers at GLAD supported our mental wellbeing too. It gave us all a valuable perspective on how privileged we were and lifelong friendships ensued.

LGBTQ+ communities still face challenges

Fast forward 30 years and you might be surprised to hear that despite the enactment of equality legislation protecting employment and other rights, many in the LGBTQ+ communities continue to face unique challenges such as discrimination, family rejection, violence, forced marriages and the need to flee a country which criminalises their sexual orientation or gender identity.

One current issue in the UK is forced ’conversion therapy’ which coerces members of the LGBTQ+ communities, especially younger and more vulnerable people, into undergoing programmes or exorcisms with the promise it will 'get rid of their gayness'.

These programmes have caused severe mental health issues including suicidal ideation.

Pro bono work

Recently, the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham pledged to help end funding to organisations promoting LGBTQ+ 'conversion therapies'.

Thanks to a referral from a fellow member of the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network, colleagues and I at my former firm, Trowers & Hamlins LLP, gave pro bono legal advice to the Greater Manchester local authorities on how they could implement this pledge.

Our advice involved careful navigation of public and procurement legal issues and it was heartening to think we were making a difference to people’s lives.

The continuing stigmatisation and discrimination faced by some members of the LGBTQ+ communities makes finding safe and secure housing more difficult.

I am now chair of the board of trustees at Stonewall Housing which provides free, specialist advice on housing, homelessness and support services tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals across the UK.

Stonewall Housing’s dedicated team provides guidance on everything from accessing emergency accommodation to long term housing and mental health advocacy. The demand for specialist LGBTQ+ advice continues to grow, with reports from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Shelter indicating that 61,000 LGBTQ+ people are homeless in England.

Stonewall Housing exists to make sure that no one has to navigate these challenges alone, empowering individuals with the resources and support they need to survive and thrive.

It is a crucial vital resource, especially as challenges facing the LGBTQ+ communities continue. Legacy gifts offer a reliable source of long-term support that can sustain Stonewall Housing’s work for years to come.

Pro bono legal advice greatly simplifies the legacy giving process, making it accessible and impactful. Your firm’s legal expertise could make a significant difference.

If you or your firm would like to offer pro bono support in wills and probate, please contact Stonewall Housing supporters@stonewallhousing.org

Helen Randall is a member of the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network and chair, Stonewall Housing