In our blog series ‘sustainability allies’, we shine a spotlight on the work our volunteers, inclusion allies and ESG champions are doing to create positive impacts on the communities around us. Our people, across all levels of our UK LLP are contributing time, skills and their passion to really make a difference across our ESG priorities: from corporate governance and people, inclusion and wellbeing, to environment and responsible business.
Across this series of case studies we’ll find out more about some of these fantastic allies who are really helping drive our efforts and impact as a sustainably-minded business. Here, Samantha Holland, our UK head of insurance who also leads our Commercial Litigation team, shares details of her work as a pro bono volunteer.
To find out more about our ESG initiatives, take a look at our Sustainability report 2023.
Your name and role at Gowling WLG:
Samantha Holland, partner, UK head of insurance and commercial litigation team leader at Gowling WLG.
Tell us about the responsible business initiative you support…
I’m one of a number of volunteers who work with United Legal Access (ULA) in the West Midlands, and with Southwark Law Centre in London, to assist claimants in applying for compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme. It’s one of many pro bono-focused initiatives the firm supports; all of which are led by Georgina Houghton in our Responsible Business team.
What type of support do you provide?
Pro bono is at the core of our Responsible Business strategy and through this project we are able to help those who have suffered harm as a result of the Windrush scandal to access justice and seek compensation for the detriment they suffered – this might be because they were made homeless, denied access to healthcare or even, in some cases, deported.
All those involved in volunteering give their time, skills and support to these individuals as part of the advice clinics and services these organisations operate. It’s a way of using our expertise to really make a difference to individuals in the communities around us.
What inspired you to get involved in volunteering?
Like many of us, I have seen the devastating effect that the Windrush scandal has had on members of the African-Caribbean community and their families. It is great to do something which complements but is also completely different from my day-to-day client work, and makes a positive difference to someone’s life who otherwise might struggle to access legal support.
Where is our help making the biggest difference?
Our legal professionals are encouraged to get involved in our pro bono programmes and their time and support is having a direct impact on many individuals who are in need of legal advice. In 2023, we took on 13 Windrush cases thanks to our volunteers who are working with ULA and Southwark Law Centre. And this is in addition to the pro bono support we are giving through a number of other initiatives and organisations, such as Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), the Royal Courts of Justice Citizen Advice Bureau in London, and Working Families.
Is there one particular experience or highlight from your pro bono work that you can share?
We usually kick-start every new case with an initial call to run through all possible avenues for compensation. Some of the questions can be very upsetting for our clients to answer and I can clearly remember a very difficult call with a new client where it become apparent how significantly the Windrush scandal had impacted their life and wellbeing.
It was obviously very difficult to hear but made us even more determined to seek redress for our client. It can be challenging at times to piece the evidence together from historic records, but when you find a crucial piece of evidence – as we did in that case – it makes all of the hard work worthwhile.
What three words sum up your experience as a pro bono volunteer?
Rewarding, challenging and eye-opening.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about getting involved in pro bono work?
I would encourage them to go for it! Not only is it incredibly worthwhile to be able to use your legal skills to help someone seek redress, who might not otherwise have access to legal support, it is a brilliant way to learn new skills. For some of our more junior lawyers, in particular, it offers a great opportunity to practice their skills by running client meetings and managing their own files. Even as a senior lawyer, however, it was an eye-opening experience for me and really refreshing and challenging to work on something that was completely different from the day job.
What our charity partners say about us…
“Working with volunteers from Gowling has helped us increase our capacity and reach in supporting people within the Midlands. We are honoured to be working alongside very dedicated and supportive volunteers who have been using their time and skills to assist vulnerable but very deserving claimants seek justice and redress through the Windrush Compensation Scheme.” Sibon Phiri, Managing Director, United Legal Access
“Southwark Law Centre is pleased to be working in partnership with Gowling WLG to increase capacity to support victims of the Windrush scandal in accessing the compensation they are entitled to. The application form is 44 pages long. Applicants are expected to provide extensive evidence to demonstrate the loss they have suffered, so for many free legal support is vital.” Sally Causer, Director, Southwark Law Centre
Samantha Holland
Samantha Holland is a commercial litigator with an insurance background who works with clients to mitigate risk and minimise loss to their business. She does this by resolving policy coverage disputes as cost-effectively and as quickly as possible and by negotiating clear and effective policy wordings so that disputes can be avoided in the first place.