Do commercial lawyers have a responsibility to the wider community? Absolutely. We have the skills, we have the resources and it is incumbent on all of us, in the interests of a fair and equal society, to deploy those skills and resources in ways that help others as well as ourselves.
Lofty ideals? Perhaps. But it is not a case of simply paying lip service to such notions. For instance, Allen & Overy (A&O) has a defined set of six values that inform and guide our practice and underpin our pro bono and community affairs programme.
