Rebecca Byrne and Laura Neville

Pro bono activities in Scotland have been recognised by the firm with its Edinburgh office recently topping Dentons’ table for pro bono participation, while Rebecca Byrne, an associate in Glasgow, was named Dentons’ Pro Bono Superstar of the Quarter.

A long-term pro bono project is Dentons’ work with charity JustRight Scotland which involves compiling and submitting British citizenship applications on behalf of children and young people. JustRight Scotland is one of the organisations that Kids in Need of Defense (Kind UK) partners with to provide free legal support and representation to young people in need of immigration support.

Laura Neville, an associate with Dentons, who co-leads the firm’s relationship with JustRight Scotland alongside Alec Cameron, said the project supports children and their parents or carers through the entire citizenship application process.

She explained: “We work with organisations such as local authorities, schools, doctors, friends and families to gather as much information as possible about the young person’s life in the UK and their plans for the future. We submit the application, supported by a detailed cover letter that brings together all the information that we have gathered. From start to finish, the whole process typically takes around six months, and each case is handled by a team of four or five lawyers.”

Ms Neville and the wider Dentons KIND team have successfully secured citizenship for several young people, with the most recent application being approved just a few weeks ago.

She also heads up Dentons pro bono and community committee in Glasgow, where she helps shape the office’s community engagement and pro bono initiatives. She said the committee gives trainees and junior associates a valuable opportunity to lead projects, build relationships with clients and community organisations, and gain hands on experience that complements their day-to-day legal work by taking on responsibilities they might not otherwise have the chance to undertake so early in their careers.

Dentons also provides pro bono horizon scanning support to JustRight Scotland and Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights), by monitoring developments at the Scottish Parliament, including debates, committee meetings and forthcoming legislative activity.

Ms Byrne said: “Our teams, including trainees and junior associates, prepare weekly reports highlighting parliamentary developments relevant to issues such as human rights, children’s rights and child poverty. These reports help charities stay informed, shape their policy work and engage effectively with decision-makers. It is rewarding to see the reports make a tangible difference. They help busy charities keep on top of a significant volume of parliamentary activity by distilling key developments into a concise, practical update that supports their policy work and wider objectives.”

She added: “Pro bono work gives trainees and junior associates the opportunity to take ownership of meaningful projects and develop skills that complement their day-to-day practice, including leadership, project management and client engagement. Dentons has a strong pro bono culture, and lawyers at all levels are encouraged to contribute.”

Francesca Sella, associate solicitor at JustRight Scotland, said: “At JustRight Scotland, we really value our partnership with Dentons through KIND UK. It has increased our capacity to help more children and young people secure their status in the UK. Partnerships like this matter because they put corporate legal skills and resources where it is genuinely needed - supporting children and young people who would otherwise have no access to specialist legal advice.”