Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility

At Ten Old Square, we recognise that Corporate Social Responsibility is an important element of Chambers’ business

Recently, we have revolutionised our in-house single plastic usage by scrapping plastic bottles of water and replacing them with glass bottles for our general use. In additon to this, we are furthering our sustainability credentials by offering reusable bamboo coffee cups at our breakfast briefings, which attendees can take home to use again and again. We have also introduced a strict waste recycling policy throughout Chambers to ensure that we promote sustainability across our workforce.

We participate in the annual London Legal Walk to raise funds for the London Legal Support Trust which funds Law Centres and other pro bono agencies in and around London.

Below we have outlined some of the ways individual members of Chambers and the Clerks at Ten Old Square have contributed to our philanthropy and volunteering efforts and benefitted the community.

David Schmitz

• Borough councillor in Haringey from 2010 to 2014 and in that capacity served on the planning committee
• Served ex officio and on the Haringey Race and Equalities Council
• School governor (South Harringay Junior School) from 2007 to 2015
• An active local residents’ group member and member of the Ward Panel which liaises with the police Safer Neighbourhoods Team
• Reviews cases for Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit)
• Regularly raises funds for C-Potential (formerly the London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy)
• Ran the London Marathon three times for C-Potential
• Regular blood donor

Sidney Ross

• Recently acted for a prospective claimant in a Pro Bono case

Paul Stafford

• Volunteer over many years for Explore, a Hampshire based charity taking relationships education into schools and prisons
• Supporter of the debt-counselling organisation CAP
• Volunteer for Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit)

Susannah Meadway

• School Governor at a large London comprehensive for over 30 years
• Organiser of Ten Old Square’s “Advocate” programme teaching advocacy and public speaking skills to secondary school students

Jeremy Callman

• Working with Norwood (a charity supporting children and adults with special needs) for many years
• Organising an annual volunteering programme which collects food for the homeless
• Chairing and devising an education programme for teenagers
• Committee member of British Legal Friends of the Hebrew Univeristy
• Member of numerous other charity committees over many years

Sam Laughton

• Chair of the Trustees of Chiltern Music Academy

Evan Price

• 2009 to date – Director of a Housing Charity for elderly people with two sites, one providing extra care facilities.
• 2017 to date – Governor of a large inner city state secondary school in Hackney.
• Member of the Scholarships and Prizes Committee and the Hardship Committee at the Middle Temple.
• An advocacy trainer at the Middle Temple.
• Previously been a governor of a large independent school in Kent
• Involved in a charity that provides funding for vocational training for young people as well as other charities and voluntary organistations.

Richard Dew

• A Reviewer for Advocate (formerly known as the Bar Pro Bono Unit)
• Chair of the Civil Reviewers Panel
• Regularly volunteer for CLIPS
• An elected member of the Chancery Bar Association
• Chair of the STEP Special Interest Group on contentious trusts and probate
• Training Officer for a local scuba diving club

Naomi Winston

• Chair of the Board of trustees for a South London-based theatre company

James Egan

• Volunteer for Advocate (formerly known as the Bar Pro Bono Unit);
• Volunteered for the Manchester Arena Attack Pro Bono Panel;
• Volunteered services for the BPP Legal Advice Clinic;

James Poole

• Chair of Governors at a primary school in Camden
• Mentor for refugees looking for work in the UK
• Assisted the education department in Lincoln’s Inn

James Kirby

• Volunteer for Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit)
• Mini-Pupillage Secretary at Ten Old Square (facilitating access places for mini-pupils through Chambers’ own scheme and with external providers)

Elizabeth Atkinson

• Volunteer for Advocate (formerly known as the Bar Pro Bono Unit);
• Volunteer fortnightly at a local legal advice service

Keith Plowman

Our Senior Clerk has provided well over 100 work experience placements for students aged 14 to 18 since 1992. Working with local education authorities, colleges, schools and trusts he has helped many young people – often from disadvantaged backgrounds – gain valuable experience of working in barristers’ chambers and many have succeeded in forging careers as barristers, solicitors, clerks and legal support staff.

His support of the Bar Pro Bono Unit (now “Advocate”) led to him being awarded a “Pro Bono Hero Award” in 2008 by the then HM Attorney General, Baroness Scotland.

Keith also helped raise over £25,000 for the charity Headway East London in 2013 in honour of Michael Waterworth (a former member of Chambers who suffered a catastrophic brain injury) and is a supportor of the London Autism Group.

Ten Old Square is also a member of Pro Bono Connect