Legal aid is the provision of assistance to individuals who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system while pro bono refers to the professional work undertaken voluntarily and without pay especially for the public good. In practice, there is no clear distinction between legal aid and pro bono services in Kenya. There are no rules that specifically regulate the provision of pro bono legal services. However, the Legal Aid Act of 2016 regulates the provision of legal aid services in Kenya and requires legal aid providers (which includes lawyers operating under the pro bono program of the Law Society of Kenya or other civil society organization to be accredited under the National Legal Aid Services (NLAS) established under the Act.
To acquire pro bono services in Kenya, you can:
i) Visit platforms which provides for the list of law firms and lawyers offering pro bono services. Fox example; Sheria plex.
ii) Check out the Pro Bono Institute of Kenya (PBIK)which connects the civil society organizations with advocates providing pro bono legal services.
iii) The Law Society of Kenya together with the judiciary organizes legal events annually where they provide pro bono advice, therefore it is advisable to attend such events.