BAR PRO BONO AWARD 2008

Access to Justice in Afghanistan Project - Winner 2008

This five year project, completed in May 2008, has provided training for local lawyers, academics, NGOs and students, and sourced, bought and distributed 10,000 legal textbooks. Barristers have also provided training at annual workshops in Kabul, focussing on discrimination, violence against women, and the rule of law.

The Award was presented by Lord Bingham of Cornhill at the Bar Conference on Saturday 1st November 2008

The Access to Justice in Afghanistan project was nominated by:   

Commenting on the panel's decision, Lord Goldsmith QC said:

"As always it is humbling to see the level of commitment done by so many... my admiration and appreciation to those who do so much hard and unpaid work in the interests of justice.

The Access to Justice in Afghanistan Project has been a magnificent example of inter chambers work, delivering long term benefits to an area of the world desperately in need of support to its lawyers and legal system and legal infrastructure. The panel was particularly impressed with the long term nature of the project (5 years) and the commitment required by those supporting it."

More Information about the Award

The Bar Pro Bono Award was set up by Lord Goldsmith QC in 1996 and is in honour of his late father, Sydney Elland Goldsmith, who worked as a solicitor in Liverpool and who died during Lord Goldsmith’s year as Bar Council Chairman in 1995.

The panel of judges for the 2008 award were:

Desmond Hudson, Chief Executive of the Law Society;
David Hobart, Chief Executive of the Bar Council;
Steve Johnson, Chair of the Advice Services Alliance;
Diane Burleigh, Chief Executive of the Institute of Legal Executives; and
Gary Brown, Chair of the Institute of Barristers' Clerks.