Using the seed funding provided by LASG, the LPILP Trust has been set up to operate as a public-private partnership. The LPILP Trust has been registered as an Incorporated Trustee under Part C of CAMA in December 2015 and is managed by a Board of Trustees, which pursuant to Clause 5 of the pro bono manual, consists of the following: a Chairman, the Attorney General, the Director/Coordinator of the LPILP, a representative of the NBA, 2 Private Legal Practitioners, a member of the academia and a representative of an NGO. This structure was proposed by the manual’s drafting committee for the purpose of insulating the scheme and to ensure that same is enduring.

The LPILP has embarked on various pro bono projects aimed at amplifying its success by securing an even stronger base of support throughout Nigeria and also internationally. One of such projects is the Annual Lagos State Pro Bono Week. The second pro bono week took place from May 20th to 22nd 2015.  

In November 2014, The LPILP’s technical partners - the New York based Global Network for Public Interest Law (PILNET), invited members of the LPILP Board (the Lagos State Attorney General and the Executive Secretary) alongside representatives of two of the LPILP partners, to the 13th Annual National Pro Bono Week in the U.K., sponsored by the Law Society of the U.K., the Bar Council and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. The Pro Bono week took place from November 5th to November 7th 2014. The aim of the U.K.’s pro bono week is to celebrate the breadth and impact of pro bono work undertaken by the legal profession across the year.  The week also saw London as the host of the annual European Pro Bono Forum run by PILnet. Over the years, the Forum, which takes place in different countries in Europe, has gained the reputation of offering a dynamic setting where participants can explore how they can best collaborate to address critical issues of social justice. Through interactive workshops and structured networking opportunities, participants gain insight into the pro bono community and forge alliances that can assist in protecting rights around the world.

The Lagos State Attorney General, the Executive Secretary and two representatives of the LPILP partners, formed a panel discussion at the forum. The panel served to showcase the LPILP as an internationally acclaimed model which has within a short period, developed the culture of pro bono in Nigeria by leaps and bounds. The scheme was viewed as a unique format for clearinghouses that has the exciting potential for replication in other parts of the world.

On September 18, 2014, the Lagos State Attorney General hosted a summit for the Nigerian Body of Attorneys General (HAGs) at the Protea Hotel, Westwood, Ikoyi. At the summit, the LPILP model of delivering pro bono services was presented to the HAGs and it was positively received. Many of the HAGs present stated that they were inspired by what they learned and considered exploring similar initiatives in their states to provide qualitative access to justice while supplementing the public sector’s legal aid efforts in the country.

The LPILP team will be on hand to provide the HAGs with the technical assistance necessary to put in place standards and quality control measures that will ensure that those receiving pro bono legal services in their states will benefit from the same high standards that fee-paying clients receive.

As part of the efforts to further promote the LPILP, the partnership instituted the Annual Lagos State Pro Bono Week. The first of which took place from April 7-11 2014.

The events of the pro bono week included:

1. Visits to the Nigerian Bar Association in the state to get their commitment and involvement with providing pro bono services to indigent citizens

2. Legal Clinics at the Nigerian Law School where seventy (70) students provided free legal advice to real clients under the supervision of their lecturers and lawyers from the LPILP partner law firms

3. Stakeholders’ conference to promote the pro bono ideology through thought-provoking knowledge exchange, as well as to improve the LPILP while eliciting the commitment and involvement from additional law firms, NGOs and organisations.

4. Panel of discussion at the Nigerian Law School which included the Chief Judge of Lagos State, the Lagos state Attorney General, the President of PILNET/Professor of Law at Columbia University, the Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of Viacom International Media Networks, the Deputy Director General of the Nigerian Law School, the LPILP Coordinator amongst other prominent personalities. The topic for the panel was “Public Interest Law-- The Role of  Lawyers in Bridging the Justice Gap”

5. Awards dinner where the Governor of Lagos State handed out commendation letters to law firms that had distinguished themselves in pro bono services under the LPILP scheme. This serves to encourage more lawyers to participate in providing the free legal services under the scheme since lawyers are known to be competitive.

6. The  establishment of the Pro Bono Trust Fund.