Pro Bono Practice and Opportunities in Slovakia

Parliamentary Act No. 586/2003 Coll. on the Legal Profession and on Amending Act No. 455/1991 Coll. on the Business and Self-Employment Services (Business Licensing Act) dated 4 December 2003 (as amended, the Act) governs the provision of legal services in Slovakia.^[1] Lawyers’ fees are governed by an implementing decree of the Ministry of Justice (No. 655/2004) and are generally determined by agreement between a lawyer and their client.

In order to practice as a lawyer (in Slovak: advokát) in Slovakia, a natural person has to:

• be duly admitted to the Slovak Bar Association;
• hold a university degree in law;
• acquire at least three years’ experience as an articled clerk;
• pass a bar examination conducted at the Slovak Bar Association; and
• be of good character (must have clean criminal record).

Unlike lawyers, in-house counsels do not have to fulfil any of the above-mentioned criteria, apart from holding a university degree in law.

In addition to the Act mentioned above, the Act No. 327/2005 Coll. on the Provision of Legal Aid for People in Material Need, as amended (the Legal Aid Act)^[2], forming the legal framework of provision of free legal services.

The Legal Aid Act allows the lawyers to offer legal services for free or at a reduced cost while prohibiting lawyers from asking for or accepting payment from a client whose legal services have been covered by the state under Section 25 of the Act.

The basis for provision of state-funded legal aid arises out of the Constitution, under which everyone has the right to legal advice and representation in proceedings before courts and state agencies (subject to certain legal conditions). The system for granting legal aid for indigent natural persons in civil, commercial, administrative, and asylum matters is comprehensively regulated by the Legal Aid Act.

There are no additional regulations specific to pro bono legal services in Slovakia.

The law does not require Slovak lawyers to have a licence to provide pro bono legal services, but they must be licensed to provide legal services in general in accordance with the Act as set forth in section (a)(1) Part II. above.

While there are no specific references to pro bono legal services, the Act regulates the practice of foreign lawyers in Slovakia, including registration requirements and limitations as to who foreign lawyers may represent and when they may appear in proceedings before a court or other public authority.

There are no requirements for lawyers in Slovakia to work a minimum number of pro bono hours.

The Act does not require that any minimum number of hours of pro bono legal services to be provided to become a licensed lawyer in Slovakia.

There are no mandatory or aspirational pro bono hours targets set by the Slovak Bar Association or any regulatory or other body in Slovakia.

The lawyers in Slovakia do not receive any CLE or any equivalent credit for pro bono hours worked.

Though there is no specific reference to pro bono legal services, all lawyers in Slovakia are required to maintain a professional indemnity policy covering any loss or damage arising out of the provision of legal services.^[3] Lawyers may opt to be insured through the Collective Professional Indemnity Policy maintained by the Slovak Bar Association.^[4]

In-house counsels are not required to maintain a professional indemnity policy, regardless of whether they provide pro bono or “standard” legal advice at the company they perform work for.

Advertising with respect to pro bono matters is not prohibited, but Slovak lawyers are required to adhere to the regulations set forth in the Act and as maintained by the Slovak Bar Association.^[5]

According to these regulations, the advertisement may only contain factual, objective information about the professional focus of the law firm and its composition; on the contrary, it cannot be false, untrue, or misleading.^[6]

The Centre for Legal Aid ^[7] provides legal services, and information on civil law matters, labour law matters, asylum matters, in proceedings on administrative expulsion, proceedings on the detention of a third-country national, proceedings on the detention of an asylum seeker, and commercial law matters, including the proceedings before the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic.^[8] The Slovak Bar Association maintains a separate list of attorneys providing pro bono legal assistance through the Centre for Legal Aid.^[9]

In addition to the above, the Slovak Bar Association Foundation has launched the “Advocates for Ukraine” initiative, which offers the opportunity for attorneys and articled clerks from Ukraine to complete a one-month internship in Slovak law firms or organisations involved in assisting Ukrainian citizens.^[10] In this case, the Slovak Bar Association also maintains a separate list of attorneys providing pro bono legal assistance to Ukraine.^[11]

Based on information available, through its work with private law firms and individual lawyers, the Centre is one of the main facilitators of pro bono legal services in Slovakia. However, an increasingly important role is played by NGOs.

Nothing notable in this regard just yet.

However, AI and technology tools have the potential to greatly enhance legal pro bono work across Europe by utilizing the framework set by the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). This regulation requires transparency, risk assessments, and human oversight for high-risk AI systems, while prohibiting certain “unacceptable risk” uses. AI and innovative legal technologies can make pro bono work more efficient by automating routine tasks like document drafting, intake, and legal research, allowing lawyers to concentrate on more complex client needs.

Furthermore, these technologies could increase access to justice by providing scalable, low-cost tools such as multilingual chatbots and rights checkers, which could help empower vulnerable groups to understand and assert their legal rights.

The notable sources of pro bono matters are, among others:

• the Centre – provides quality and complex legal aid through lawyers of the Centre, volunteer advocates registered within the Slovak Bar Association, or mediators;
• Via Iuris ^[12] – civic association promoting the independence of courts, public prosecution, and police and to eliminate political influence on them;
• Centrum Nádej – centre for victims of domestic violence and families in difficult life situations providing social, psychological, and legal counselling;^[13]
• Liga za ľudské práva (Human Rights League)^[14] – an organisation that promotes and protects human rights, focuses on advocacy, legal support, and raising awareness about issues like discrimination, equality, and social justice; and
• Slovak Humanitarian Council – partner of international UN agencies (UNICEF and UNHCR) providing assistance, services, care, counselling, and various activities for the benefit of socially disadvantaged and disabled people.^[15]

Slovak lawyers interested in pro bono opportunities should register with the Centre ^[16] or approach one of the non-profit organisations directly.

In the past, Pontis Foundation (Nadácia Pontis) offered a pro bono legal referral platform but that is no longer active. PILnet now offers a Eurasia pro bono clearinghouse that lawyers can register with.^[17]

Every year, the Slovak magazine TREND in cooperation with the electronic online newspaper EPRAVO.SK announce the Law Firm of the Year in the Pro Bono & CSR category.^[18]