Moral Agendas? Pro Bono Publico in Large Law Firms in the United Kingdom
The tension between the conception of professionalism as a device for maintaining control over the market for legal services' and as an ethical commitment2 is a theme pervading analysis of the legal profession. In recent years the integration of these strands of the professional ideal has been threatened by encroachment on professional privileges, such as monopoly and self regulation, and by the economic pressures unleashed by deregulation and competition in the market for legal services. It has been suggested that the relationship of the legal profession to society is undergoing a renegotiation,3 part of which inevitably concerns the profession's commitment to public service. This article analyses the results of a survey of the legal services provided pro bono publico by members of large firms of solicitors in England and Wales and through the data explores the relationship between the economic and the normative dimension of professionalism. We argue that some large firms are attempting to reinvigorate the ethos of professionalism in the practice of law and are exploring new ways in which their public service responsibility can be conceived and met. We have not addressed here the issue of whether or not the legal profession should provide voluntary legal services, nor do we consider which kinds of provision would be in the interests of the public, the profession or society generally.4 Our thesis in this