Prestigious national pro bono appointment for Birmingham lawyer

A lawyer from Bevan Brittan’s Birmingham office has been invited to join a prestigious national committee.

Senior Associate and clinical negligence expert Elena Goodfellow has joined the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee of England and Wales as part of her role as Chair of Birmingham Law Society’s Pro Bono Committee.

The Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee meets twice a year in Parliament and encourages effective, collaborative, and coordinated legal pro bono work in England and Wales. Pro bono work is free legal advice provided in the public interest to individuals, charities or community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal help and cannot get legal aid or any other means of funding.

Elena’s invitation to join the national committee came from Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, who chairs the group. It also follows Elena’s recent shortlisting in the Pro Bono category of the Birmingham Law Society 2023 Legal Awards.

Bevan Brittan actively encourages its employees to undertake voluntary and pro bono work, while it also runs mentoring schemes with local schools and universities. In 2022/23 its lawyers undertook 350 hours of pro bono work, as well as 111 hours volunteering with law centres.

Commenting on her appointment, Elena said: “Pro bono work is something I really care about and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to represent Birmingham Law Society on this national group.

“As a lawyer I have gained the knowledge and skills to handle problems that may occur in day to day life and pro bono work allows me to share that experience with others who may not be able to afford to pay for legal help. I’m lucky to work for a law firm like Bevan Brittan that is so supportive and encourages us to give back to the community.”

Rebecca Pendlebury, Head of Bevan Brittan’s Birmingham office, added: “Elena does a fantastic job of sharing her passion for pro bono work and I know she will make a great contribution on the Attorney General’s committee.

“As well as her role on the Birmingham Law Society’s Pro Bono Committee, Elena coordinates Bevan Brittan’s involvement with the Birmingham Legal Advice Clinic. She is a real asset to the office and this was highlighted by her recent promotion to Senior Associate. This is a fantastic opportunity and we all wish her the best.”

Bevan Brittan’s 100-strong team in Birmingham recently moved to a new office at 45 Church Street, in the latest stage of the firm’s expansion. The business continues to attract top legal talent, with notable appointments in recent years including IT and Commercial Partner Ash Woodcock, Construction Partner Helen Andrews and Higher Education Corporate Partner Rachel Soundy.