United Kingdom

Sustainability Work

The London pro bono program is committed to undertaking projects and supporting nonprofits that promote sustainability and environmental conservation efforts in the UK and across the globe.

Fairtrade Foundation

Sidley assisted the Fairtrade Foundation with the development of a Farmer’s Resilience Tracker, a web-based application using lean data technology to give its users a real-time and tailored assessment of farmer’s resilience levels and fluctuations over time. This technology will enable the systematic evaluation of how a crisis, such as COVID-19, has affected smallholder farmers and to assess in real time their expected preparedness, or resilience, to respond to the current situation and other social, environmental, and economic shocks that may occur in the future.

CREO Syndicate

A Sidley team assisted CREO, together with in-house counsel, with the terms of their new lease of office space. CREO is a charity with a mission to address climate change and resource scarcity by catalyzing private capital into innovation solutions to protect and preserve the environment and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable economy.

Dogs 4 Wildlife

Another team advised Dogs 4 Wildlife, an organization which specializes in providing highly trained dogs to wildlife reserves across Africa. Dogs 4 Wildlife’s dogs are trained in the UK and used for detection, tracking, and apprehension in order to reduce poaching of wildlife. The organization also provides one-to-one training of new dogs and offers regular consulting services before and after the dogs are deployed.

ReSpace Projects

Sidley assisted ReSpace Projects, a nonprofit organization that makes use of empty buildings for social projects and community events, in relation to relief from business rates.

Project Afghanistan

Following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August, we collaborated with other top city firms to provide pro bono support to individuals amidst the unfolding crisis. Project Afghanistan was developed to assist the Immigration Law Practitioners Association and the Afghan and Central Asian Association by triaging hundreds of requests for resettlement options in the UK. Sidley lawyers processed nearly 150 cases within the space of a few weeks. Overall, the project responded to over 1,400 requests for assistance.

OnePower Lesotho

As part of the firm's Emerging Enterprises Pro Bono Program, a Sidley team — based in London and Houston, Texas — represented OnePower Lesotho, a fast-growing startup and innovative social enterprise, on the Electrification Financing Initiative and the Renewable Energy Performance Platform’s LSL150 million senior debt and equity investment.

The approximately US$9.5 million investment, which has been financed through EU- and UK-owned impact investment facilities, will fund the construction of a portfolio of 11 solar mini-grids in Lesotho with a total capacity of 1.8MW. Once built, the solar mini-grids will provide first-time electricity access to over 20,000 people and enable 13 health clinics, 25 schools, and over 100 small enterprises to benefit from renewable energy.

Family Court

In 2021, we partnered with the Free Family Representation and Advocacy Project, a charity dedicated to assisting litigants in family court in England and Wales. Through this project, Sidley lawyers act as pro bono advocates in Section 8 Children Act 1989 proceedings, conducting representation and advocacy at all stages of proceedings.

Employment Tribunal

The London litigation team has been representing a servicewoman in her claim against the Ministry of Defence for bullying, harassment, and discrimination. The Sidley team represented the client in a full-day hearing at the Employment Tribunal, where it was argued that her claim should be dealt with by the Employment Tribunal in circumstances where she has missed a deadline and failed to include information in the initial complaints.

KIND UK

IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM WORK

Following the launch of our partnership with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) UK and the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, we have now taken on several cases to help children apply for British citizenship. Sidley’s lawyers dedicated more than 600 hours to KIND cases in 2021.

Our lawyers assisted a young boy who had moved from Kenya when he was just one year old due to a severe breakdown in family relations. It was clear from discussions with him, and from reviewing over 40 supporting statements from family and friends, that he is an asset to the community, having volunteered countless times to assist those in need during the height of the pandemic, along with mentoring younger children at church and school. The Sidley team were able to reflect his generosity to the community and his passion to study law at university in his submission, resulting in a grant of citizenship a few days before his 18th birthday.  

Another Sidley team assisted a 15-year-old boy who had moved to the UK when he was just two years old and had no recollection or connection to his country of birth. He aspired to play professional football and required British citizenship so that he could travel to play at club level. Sidley lawyers were able to collate significant evidence and draft detailed submissions to the Home Office in support of his application, resulting in a grant of citizenship.

“I thank you all for your support, you can’t understand how [we are] so excited and very grateful. I and my family do appreciate, bless your services thanks.”

— Our client’s mother

Asylum Support Appeals Project

IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM WORK

We work with the Asylum Support Appeals Project to assist destitute asylum seekers who have been refused financial support and/or housing by the Home Office. In 2021, there was a backlog of challenging and complex cases coming through the system, due to the Home Office resuming decisions to discontinue asylum support, something it suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sidley dedicated more than 70 hours to Asylum Support Appeals Project cases in 2021.

SEAS Sailability

DISABILITY RIGHTS WORK

Sidley advised SEAS Sailability, a charity based in North Wales which supports disabled people in recreational water sports and activities in a safe and social environment, ensuring that their families and caregivers can share these experiences. Sidley assisted with formalizing a collaboration with another local charity to further promote inclusivity in the community, schools, and among young people.

Vision Foundation

DISABILITY RIGHTS WORK

Sidley advised Vision Foundation in relation to the development of a digital employment campaign featuring visually impaired people. The campaign comprises a number of short films designed to spotlight inspirational role models and change employer attitudes. They were published online through social media channels, attaining 70,000 views in the first months of the campaign.

“Sidley has provided phenomenal support over the last year, from ad hoc HR matters, to major digital campaigns, to a merger of our corporate entities. The Sidley team is always responsive, reassuring and highly effective. As pro bono clients, charities can sometimes feel like second-class customers, but with Sidley, we never feel anything but top, front and center of their priorities. The impact of this on our ability to do our job as a charity, helping people and transforming society, is immeasurable.”

— Dr. Olivia Curno, Chief Executive, Vision Foundation; Vision Foundation clients pictured below