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Legal Advice Programme (LEAP)

is a student initiative operating under the HKU Social Service Fund of the Social Service Group.

About Us

What is LEAP?

LEAP aims to bring together law firms and law students to provide pro bono legal services to the community.

We mobilize law students to engage in legal research and preliminary drafting for the pro bono work undertaken by your law firm. We innovate Hong Kong’s pro bono ecosystem by adding a new element – law students.

Under LEAP, HKU law students are attached to law firms as pro bono work experience students for a semester or a year to take part in pro bono projects undertaken by the firms. We also organize pro bono seminars with PILnet Hong Kong to educate HKU law students on different pro bono issues.

What will LEAP achieve?

An ALL-WIN situation!

Law Firms

Doing pro bono work more cost-efficiently. Rather than pro bono lawyers working from scratch, law students can engage in preliminary drafting and legal research. Lawyers are solely responsible for assigning research work and quality-checking students’ work.

Allowing HKU law students to learn their names and firm culture, thus maximizing impact on positive publicity.

Law Students

Experiential learning by putting textbook knowledge into practice.

Expanding connections with different law firms.

Individual and organizational clients

More pro bono work can be undertaken by experienced law firms.

What do you think about LEAP?

We are happy to serve this group of elderly whom we could not have reached otherwise. We consider this
programme as a good training for the students, as they can acquire practical experience like understanding the clients’ needs, tailoring specific solutions to each of them, and explaining legal concepts to lay clients.

I am particularly impressed by the students’ initiative and performance. Many of them, in their second or third
year, had not studied the law on wills drafting, but they were quick in equipping themselves and picked up
well in several weeks’ time. Sometimes they even brought in new perspectives which benefited all of us. I appreciate the programme and enjoyed working with the students very much.

Mr Peter Li and
Ms Sindy Choi
B.Mak & Co Solicitors

We felt really supported throughout LEAP. The law firm understood our nature of business as a social enterprise, and generated legal documents that were suitable for Mealingful promptly.

The lawyers were also keen on providing additional advice to further protect our business. Definitely recommend to social enterprises & NGOs with limited legal experience.

Michelle Chan

Co-Founder and Director

Mealingful Limited

Collaborators of LEAP

Law firms

  • Addleshaw Goddard
  • Anthony Siu & Co
  • B. Mak & Co
  • Bond Ng Solicitors
  • Cheung & Choy Solicitors
  • Dentons
  • Dorsey & Whitney
  • JC Legal
  • Kenneth Lam Solicitors
  • King & Wood Mallesons
  • Linklaters
  • Patricia Ho & Associates
  • Simmons & Simmons
  • Sun Lawyers
  • White & Case

NGOs

  • Big Silver
  • Caritas Mok Cheung Sui Kun Community Centre
  • H.K.S.K.H. St. Luke’s Settlement Neighbourhood Elderly Centre
  • H.K.S.K.H. Western District Elderly Community Centre
  • St. James’ Settlement

SMEs and Social Enterprises

  • ALOM Intelligence Limited
  • Mealingful Limited
  • ATUTUS
  • AESIR
  • Farmacy
  • Senimart Ltd

Key Performance Indicators

> 50 Collaborators since 2018

> 100 Student participants since 2018

> 70 Pro Bono projects since 2018

> 5000 Student hours contributed by our students