Pro Bono Scheme
The Hong Kong Bar Association (“HKBA”), fully recognising the importance of providing timely access to justice for all members of the public, has revamped its pro bono service scheme by drawing upon the experience gathered through the past two decades of services under its Bar Free Legal Service Scheme.
Launched in December 2025, the HKBA’s new Pro Bono Scheme facilitates barristers providing assistance to the members of the public in appropriate cases without the intervention of solicitors which is how barristers normally operate under a split profession model.
A number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) exist in Hong Kong to help those who need legal advice and assistance on a pro bono basis. Members of the public are free to choose whichever avenue or NGOs to pursue. However, members of the public who wish to be referred to the HKBA should approach one of the NGOs named below (subject to review by the HKBA from time to time). If the case meets such NGO’s assessment criteria, it may be referred to the HKBA for matching with a barrister who is willing and able to do pro bono work in that area of practice, if applicable.
In order to streamline resources, if a request for assistance of a case is made to more than one of the listed NGOs or more than once to the same listed NGO, the case may not be proceeded with for matching. Similarly, if the case has been considered closed by any NGOs (i.e. not just the listed NGOs), the same case will not be proceeded with if it is then presented again to any of the NGOs listed below.
The HKBA reserves the right to determine whether a case qualifies to proceed to the matching process at its sole discretion. In the event of any dispute, the HKBA’s decision shall be final.
NGOs interested in joining the scheme may request the application form by sending an email to probono@hkba.org.
The Bar Free Legal Service Scheme ceased accepting new applications as of 24 May 2024, pursuant to a formal notice issued by the Bar Council on the same date. Henceforth, if you intend to seek pro bono legal assistance and wish to be referred to the HKBA, you may contact one of the NGOs listed below.
The following are the current NGOs on the list of the HKBA. The HKBA looks forward to receiving more applications from barristers willing to provide pro bono assistance so that more barristers can work with on-list NGOs without the intervention of solicitors.
They are (in alphabetical order):
- Equal Justice Limited
- Pro Bono HK
- The Clinical Legal Education Office of the Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong
- The Community Legal Clinic of SidebySide in partnership with The University of Hong Kong
Last update on: 9 January 2026
