Fifth Day is an advocacy initiative across the UK to promote and develop pro bono work by professional staff across law firms. Fifth Day was founded in 2022 by professional services communications expert Fred Banning.
At the time, Fred explained: “In 2018, I applied for a non-executive role with a leading cancer charity. I was thrilled to make the shortlist. Then, two weeks before the interview, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“It’s a cliche, but illness makes you reflect on your life and your choices. I wish I’d found a way to combine a career I loved with a role that enabled me to give back more to people less fortunate. I wish I’d had the confidence to realise that my skills and experience could be valuable to others.”
Fred’s mantra was that pro bono work is good for your skills, your network and your soul. Although law firms are traditionally good at pro bono, that culture of pro bono does not permeate the sector among the non-lawyer community.
There are around 30,000 business operations professionals working in the top 100 UK law firms with experience in everything from HR to finance, marketing, IT, facilities and more. Yet how many firms prioritise and promote pro bono work by those allied professionals in the same way as they do for their legal experts?
Fifth Day was set up by Fred with the aim to change that. Its mission is to create a movement that makes pro bono as valued and accepted among allied business professionals within law firms as it is for lawyers.
Reach Volunteering
Working in partnership with Reach Volunteering, Fifth Day connects skilled personnel in law firms with opportunities for rewarding trustee and pro bono work.
Further, it partners with law firms to promote and recognise the many benefits that skills-based volunteering brings.
To go into more background, Reach Volunteering is the leading skills-based volunteering charity and the UK’s single biggest source of trustees for the voluntary sector. Its vision is to create a world where people come together to create a thriving, fair and sustainable society.
Reach inspires, supports and connects civil society organisations and volunteers to work together, sharing skills and expertise to create a better society. From HR to digital, to finance and marketing, opportunities include a range of different areas, short-term projects and ongoing operational roles.
We regularly hear from successful skills volunteers that some of the experiences they have had either directly or indirectly through their work with charities and non-profits have made them better people, better global citizens, and better professionals.
Applying business professional skills, whether it be marketing, finance, IT, HR, facilities or training to a non-profit is really not too different to the day job. Volunteers can give as much or as little of their time as needed also, however, the main advice we would give is to select an organisation with which you have a personal affinity, or feel a passion, as this drive really makes the work you do rewarding in so many ways.
Modern law firms are full of some of the best operators in the types of work mentioned above and these organisations simply cannot afford to hire professionals of this calibre. Getting access to a few hours a week or month for strategic and vital business support is truly a major benefit to a non-profit and you can really make a huge difference.
We also hear from many volunteers who have taken on trustee roles, that the role and responsibilities that comes with this directly improves the individual’s personal awareness of corporate governance and stewardship, which makes them a better leader in their business generally.
A recent case study from a business development professional shared that they are involved in the marketing, communications and corporate donor acquisition process of the charity, and this work is directly comparable to their work in marketing and business development.
We believe that legal and professional services firms which empower and support all their people to undertake pro bono work are at a competitive advantage.
Pro bono work helps to drive innovative and creative thinking, gives a greater sense of personal fulfilment and purpose, and delivers upon sound ESG principles. There is no reason pro bono should be limited to lawyers. Nor is there any reason why volunteering activities should be restricted to fundraising campaigns or projects unrelated to the professional skills of business operations professionals.
For that reason, we are currently developing a community of ‘corporate member’ firms. There is no fee for membership, or any other financial obligation. At this time, there are now almost 30 law firms signed up as Supporters of Fifth Day, with many more in discussions to join.
Advisory Board
Following Fred’s passing in May 2023, the Fifth Day Advisory Board agreed to take on all aspects of running the Fifth Day initiative in his memory. The Advisory Board consists of: David Halliwell (Partner, Pinsent Masons), Claudia Goodall (Senior Comms, Pinsent Masons), Paul Dunn (Consultant, Eversheds Sutherland), Jeremy Ford (former Head of Marketing/BD, Skadden), Steven Rowan (accredited executive coach & former CFO, RPC), Nicola Sawford (Portfolio NED), and Moira Slape (Chief People Officer, Travers Smith).
The Advisory Board members share responsibilities for keeping Fifth Day running, including meeting with law firms across the UK to discuss and agree them joining our ever-growing list of supporter law firms. The advisory board were most humbled and happy to win the coveted ‘Pro Bono Initiative of the Year’ award at the Legal 500 ESG Awards; and Fifth Day has also been added to the roster of online resources for National Pro Bono Week – both being vital moments of recognition of non-legal pro bono work.
Get Involved
If you or your firm would like to discuss joining the Fifth Day initiative, please do get in touch with them on hello@fifth-day.org. The Fifth Day team regularly share ‘opportunity of the week’ roles on their LinkedIn page, and we encourage you to follow that page.
Jeremy Ford is the former Head of Marketing/BD at Skadden and a Fifth Day advisory board member.
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