Clifford Chance

Our pro bono work, as well as being a global force for good, is instrumental in honing our lawyers’ client skills. David Alfrey is one of our lawyers finding that impactful pro bono work also delivers personal career development.  

“When I first arrived at Clifford Chance, I began working on a project to reintroduce the lynx (a wild cat that became extinct in the UK due to hunting and habitat loss) to the UK,” he says. “I experienced very early that I would be encouraged to make a difference

“Since then, I’ve worked on a broad range of pro bono projects and witnessed time and again the impact of our talented colleagues, our global NGO client roster and our international network. I realised that I wanted to try and take full advantage of this platform at our disposal, and that’s exactly what we did with the Centre for Sport and Human Rights.

What is often left unsaid is that pro bono work utilises and hones the same skills that lawyers at Clifford Chance use daily. The added benefit is that pro bono clients of the firm happen to be international players seeking creative solutions to complex issues – it’s always fun to be a part of that creativity journey.”

For David, pro bono work has aided his own personal and professional development. “The confidence I’ve gained, the expertise I’ve developed and the connections I’ve made through pro bono work have given me a different perspective and the feeling I can achieve things that are important to me. It’s also helped me get more involved in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) side of things here. I’ve even started developing my own practice that specialises in sports governance.

“But besides being exciting and giving me a great sense of achievement,” says David, “my pro bono experience is enabling me to have more meaningful conversations with clients and partners that contribute to my development. And it’s not just me – the entire firm’s ambition is to act responsibly through our theory of change, boost our levels of expertise and position Clifford Chance as a market leader in those fields, including ESG, where our clients need us most.”