Profile details
About Paul Yates
Paul Yates is counsel, and head of our global pro bono practice. Based in our London office since 2006, originally as a commercial litigator, Paul specialises in human rights law, including modern slavery - his clients include individual survivors of human trafficking - and in the intersection between pro bono and legal aid. He regularly advises charities on litigation strategy and has led the development of the firm's leading third-party intervention practice. Paul has also been at the forefront of the development of legal technology to promote access to justice, co-creating the award-winning Courtnav tool with our longstanding pro bono client RCJ Advice. He is a globally renowned leader in his field, and has served as a member of the IBA's pro bono committee, the Administrative Justice Council, the Law Society's access to justice committee and the Home Office's Modern Slavery Strategy and Implementation Group for Transparency in Supply Chains.
Recent work
Recent publications include:
- 'CourtNav and Pro Bono in an Age of Austerity', chapter in "Access to Justice: beyond the policies and politics of austerity" ed. Palmer et al (Hart, 2016)
- 'Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015’, Freshfields briefing, 29 October 2015
- 'Disabling the trap: pro bono and exceptional case funding’, Legal Voice, 29 October 2015
- 'Third party interventions - new cost rules', Freshfields briefing, 6 May 2015
- 'Pro bono and moral hazard: first, do no harm', Legal Voice, 29 October 2014
Qualifications
- Higher Rights of Audience (Civil Courts)