A charity that provides free representation to people unable to obtain legal support for social security and employment tribunals has appointed its first solicitor-trustees after changing its governance arrangements.
Free Representation Unit has long been associated with the bar even though its voluntary clinical legal experience is equally valuable to solicitors, its chief executive David Abbott told the Gazette. FRU once had its headquarters in the Bar Council’s building and the Bar Council chair previously nominated three trustees.
‘As fantastic as our barrister trustees have been, they come from a particular background with a certain set of skills and experiences. We were conscious we needed to draw in skills and other knowledge available to help run [FRU] as a 21st century business,’ Abbott said.
FRU changed its governance model in 2022 to become a limited company in order to simplify its structures, broaden the pool of people eligible to become trustees, and provide greater protection to trustees through the limitation of personal liability for the organisation's debts.
Two years on, Anne Collins, an in-house solicitor in the financial services sector, and Samuel Pape, a partner at City firm Latham & Watkins, have become FRU’s first solicitor-trustees.
Pape told the Gazette he volunteered at FRU 15 years ago while he was studying law. ‘If you want to get some practical experience, this is a great organisation to volunteer with.’
Collins said their backgrounds as solicitors with significant pro bono experience puts them in a good position to advocate for greater engagement across the solicitor profession.
Collins and Pape are two of seven new trustees who join FRU’s four existing trustees. Abbott said: ‘We have a fantastic team of people who deliver services on the ground. We have got another group of people who can take a step back and help us take the right direction so we meet the needs of our future law students and clients.’
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