Founder of The Aberdeen Law Project, Ryan Whelan, has been interviewed by All About Careers on the topic of participating in pro bono whilst at university.
ALP Founder Ryan Whelan
During the interview, Ryan emphasised the importance of pro bono provision in the UK and encouraged students to become involved, stating that,
“Pro bono projects are vital to ensuring that all persons within the UK have access to justice. The importance of pro bono will only increase as the government continues to cut legal aid funding. As the cuts take effect, the number of cases and people that fall within the gaps in the system will increase. As the gaps get bigger, so too will our role and importance; pro bono projects are the only hope for these people. With this in mind, it is, in my view, impossible to overstate the importance of pro bono projects”.
Asked what he had enjoyed most about participating in pro bono, Ryan remarked that,
“The people, organisations and charities that we help have no other assistance available to them. Often the sums involved in pro bono cases are objectively small, but that does not mean the case is without merit or it ‘does not matter’. These cases matter. These people matter. To assist them is a great honour”.