Just Purpose: People. Planet. Progress.

Sustainability is about purpose and purpose is a core part of what it means to work at Fieldfisher. Just Purpose, our pro bono and community impact programme, is how we channel our skills, knowledge and ideas into creating real-world impact. From championing human rights to helping to restore ecosystems, we’re here to support progress in our communities.

Take five: our focus areas

Led by a global network of passionate changemakers, Just Purpose is built around five pillars of impact:

1. Spearheading systemic change with disabled people

2. Promoting the rights of children and young people

3. Enhancing access to justice and opportunity for marginalised communities

4. Leveraging skills for the environment

5. Strengthening civil society

Pro Bono: justice, for everyone

We’ve always believed that justice shouldn’t be a privilege, but a universal right... That’s why we work with individuals and organisations to help challenge injustice and build stronger communities. Read more about Pro Bono opportunities here.

It's for everyone

The beauty of our initiatives? Not only do we help create access to justice, but we also get to develop our own skillsets with lots of flexibility in how you can get involved:

Transactional: offer one-off or ongoing legal support in your area of expertise
Casework: represent individuals on legal matters outside your usual remit
Legal research: collaborate across teams to uncover insights that drive change
Legal education: create toolkits and training to empower others.

Vivien Davies, Senior Partner: “In a world of uncertainty, we share a unique platform with our clients. One that harnesses a shared commitment to upholding the rule of law and enabling access to justice.

"Just like us, many of our clients are seeking ways to enhance their contributions to civil society as sustainable businesses and world citizens. By collaborating on pro bono initiatives, we not only address critical societal needs but also build deeper, more holistic relationships with our clients.”

Pro Bono in action: meet Charlotte Budd - Solicitor Apprentice

“Pro bono hasn’t just shaped the solicitor I’m becoming — it’s redefined why I want to be one.

From supporting people in court to co-creating an AI course for The Open University, Charlotte’s journey shows how pro bono builds skills, empathy, and purpose. Her story is a reminder that meaningful legal work is rarely done alone — it’s powered by collaboration.

"As a solicitor apprentice, pro bono has been instrumental in shaping my career and laying the foundation for long-term success. Through the Support Through Court research project and a secondment with our charity partner Mencap, I’ve gained invaluable insight into the systemic challenges faced by the third sector, developing deeper empathy and commercial awareness. Notably, I have enjoyed exploring AI’s role in access to justice, having developed a course for the Open University on its practical and responsible use in law — a focus I intend to carry forward as technology becomes increasingly central to client support and solutions.

Collaborating with different Fieldfisher teams has shown me that meaningful legal support is rarely delivered in isolation. From contributing to the Manchester Innocence Project with the Dispute Resolution team, to working with Technology & Data colleagues on NSPCC initiatives, I’ve realised how cross-team collaboration drives real impact — and is the key to unlocking better outcomes.

Pro bono has accelerated my growth in project management, client communication, networking and confidence in my journey to qualification. I truly understand the responsibility and honour of advocating for those most in need of legal support."

Community: powered by people

Social impact doesn’t happen in isolation; we work with our communities to drive change. Our people bring their expertise, creativity and values to projects that align with our civil society partners’ goals.

Through our global virtual volunteering with Social Shifters, we help young changemakers scale their ideas and sharpen their impact.

Fieldfisher volunteer judge: “Volunteering as a judge with Social Shifters has been truly inspiring. I have had the opportunity to connect with passionate changemakers and see firsthand the innovative ideas that young social entrepreneurs are bringing to life. Evaluating these projects has not only broadened my perspective but also strengthened my own skills in critical thinking. Each interaction reminds me of the positive impact we all have on our communities.”

One Firm Action: creating impact through collaboration

From sky dives to comedy nights, in 2023-24 our people raised over £500,000 for causes that matter. Together, we helped:

Refurbish a children’s hospital ward in Paris
Expand a youth suicide prevention helpline in the UK to allow it to run 24/7
Fund education access for young people in Germany

Rooting for Change: growing a greener future

Through our environmental partnerships in our Rooting for Change programme, we’ve donated over £200,000 to conservation and restoration projects. This is about restoring habitats and enhancing biodiversity. And it has meant digging deep in more than one respect.
We’ve supported:
The first barefoot ecology college for a local community in India
Mangrove protection and eco-opportunities in Indonesia
Temperate rainforest conservation in Ireland
Peatland restoration in Dove Stone in the Peak District National Park
Rachael Wild, Knowledge and Information Officer: “It was really exciting to see Rooting for Change come to life and the RSPB Dove Stone site we are supporting. I was also very keen to find out more about the science behind peat bog conservation in a learning-by-doing setting. Not only was it an incredible experience to get stuck in, it was also wonderful to get to know new people in Fieldfisher and the RSPB.”

Our climate commitment

We’re on a journey to Net Zero. We seek to take a holistic and unified approach to reduce the environmental impact of our activities. We continue to develop our net zero strategy, prioritising reductions in areas that we know have a bigger impact:

Reducing emissions from purchased goods and service
Reducing emissions from business travel
Reducing emissions across our offices and operations, including in our electricity and gas consumption

Sustainability in action

We continue to share our progress openly through our ESG reporting including our interim report for 2023/24, covering People, Planet, Purpose, Prosperity and Governance.

A Great Place to Work

Family Friendly Rewards & Benefits Your Career and Development Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Just Purpose Disability Inclusion