UK Pro Bono Week 2026: Celebrate a Tradition. Inspire Action. Shape the Future.
A London start-up is stopped in its tracks by a regulator’s misreading of the rules. A global organization defending free expression needs counsel it can rely on, year after year. For the lawyers at Jenner & Block, these aren’t abstract problems. They’re calls to action.
As a proud sponsor of the National Pro Bono Centre’s UK Pro Bono Week, whose 25th anniversary theme is Celebrate a tradition. Inspire action. Shape the future., we’re highlighting the work that defines our London office. This work includes advising a leading global free-speech NGO and helping a London start-up overturn a regulator’s decision. It also includes several lawyers named to the Pro Bono Recognition List for England and Wales, and over a decade of the firm’s pro bono service in London.
These matters are just a small part of what our lawyers do every day. For us, pro bono is who we are.
To learn more about our pro bono work, explore Jenner’s annual pro bono report The Heart of the Matter.
Strategic Counsel for Global Free-Speech Advocacy: Advising Index on Censorship
- Jenner & Block acts as a long-standing strategic adviser to Index on Censorship, a prominent global NGO dedicated to advancing free speech and combating censorship worldwide.
- Our role includes regular counsel to the CEO on its international initiatives, drawing on our extensive work in human rights and international law. This sustained advisory relationship positions our team at the core of one of the most consequential political and legal issues of our time, reinforcing Jenner & Block’s reputation as a preeminent adviser on matters of global significance.
- This work is led by London Office Managing Partner Christine Braamskamp and Partners Lucy Blake and Rob Dalling.
Powering a Start-Up Forward: Securing a Swift Win for Fornax Energy
- When Fornax Energy Limited came to Jenner & Block, the London-based startup was at a standstill. Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator, had refused to allow Fornax customers to benefit from a government subsidy supporting the installation of air source heat pumps, a refusal rooted in a misinterpretation of the relevant regulations. The consequences were severe: Fornax had been forced to cease installations entirely and could no longer attract the private equity investment it needed to survive and secure its future.
- Fornax has been trying since March 2025 to have the Ofgem decision overturned, without success, despite being advised by another UK law firm. When Fornax could not afford to continue paying its previous firm, the company turned to Jenner for pro bono representation.
- Jenner & Block's London Public Law team took on the matter and quickly assessed that Fornax had a strong case. They developed a litigation strategy and drafted a letter before action: a formal notice to Ofgem outlining the legal basis for challenging its decision.
- With just one letter, Ofgem reversed its position, agreeing with Fornax's interpretation of the regulations. With the decision overturned, Fornax was clear to resume heat pump installations and once again positioned to attract investors.
- The result was a testament to the power of clear legal analysis and precise, strategic advocacy, and the resolution allowed the business to move forward.
- Fornax’s response to Jenner’s work captured this directly: “What particularly impressed me was the team's ability to balance aggressive advocacy with commercial pragmatism. They understood that as a startup, we needed not just legal victory, but a resolution that would allow us to move forward and grow our business. Their strategic approach delivered exactly that outcome. Having worked with several law firms, I found Jenner to be exemplary in adapting their counsel to our fast-moving, decision-focused culture while maintaining the highest legal standards.”
- Partners Joanna Ludlam, Lucy Blake, and Associate Joshua Kell are members of Jenner & Block’s London Public Law team that represented Fornax.
Excellence: Jenner & Block Lawyers Named to the Pro Bono Recognition List for England and Wales
- Several lawyers from Jenner & Block’s London office have been named to the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List for England and Wales, reflecting how far pro bono runs across our London office.
- The annual list celebrates legal professionals who gave 25 or more hours of their time to pro bono work in the previous year.
- London Office Managing Partner Christine Braamskamp, Partners Lucy Blake, Rob Dalling, Edward Davis, Joanna Ludlam, James Rogers, Jason Yardley, Special Counsel Clare Hennessey, Will Jones, Ronan O'Reilly, Senior Associate Karam Jardaneh, and Associates Conrad Barclay, Abi Dore, Sol Gelsomino, Connor Gray, Joshua Kell, André Nwadikwa, Ashutosh Ray, and Florence Sandberg were named to this year’s list.
Reflecting on a Decade of Pro Bono in London: Insights from The Law Society Gazette
- Jenner & Block’s London office has been doing pro bono work for more than a decade.
- Last year, as we marked UK Pro Bono Week, Jenner & Block’s London office celebrated a milestone: 10 years of “Pro Bono in Action.” The work we highlighted showed what a decade of service looks like in practice.
- In The Law Society Gazette, London Office Managing Partner Christine Braamskamp looked back on a decade of projects, including working with the Homeless World Cup, providing legal support on contracts, negotiating with FIFA and arranging film rights for a Netflix adaptation.
- Christine highlighted Jenner’s work with Coram, a children’s charity, in the Covid inquiry. “This was an important pro bono instruction to which we could contribute our legal skills through providing significant preparatory work for the charity to put its case effectively at the inquiry,” she said in the article. “It was also an excellent developmental opportunity for our lawyers.”
- Christine co-leads the firm’s Investigations, Compliance, and Defense team, as well as the firm’s Culture Risk and Sensitive Investigations team. She maintains an active pro bono practice and regularly acts pro bono for individuals and frequently advises on matters with organizations such as Legal Action Worldwide, Lawyers Without Borders, and various charities, often with a focus on human-rights related issues.