Co-Chair
Flavia Regina
de Souza Oliveira
Co-Chair
Paula Samper
The IBA Pro Bono Committee is committed to actively encouraging lawyers, judges, law firms, bar associations, law schools, and governmental and non-governmental organisations to participate in pro bono legal service.
The IBA is responding to the situation in Ukraine. See pro bono and expert roster opportunities on the IBA War Crimes Committee webpage under ‘Ukraine Crisis Legal Resources'.
Read articles from the Pro Bono Committee’s latest e-Bulletin! These articles review legal, regulatory and policy frameworks for pro bono, the role of pro bono in ESG, and detail important pro bono work being done to protect women’s rights and bring justice to victims of apartheid. Contributors are from Bangladesh, Belgium, Pakistan, and South Africa.
Pictured: María Fernanda Mierez (right) with IBA Vice President, Jaime Carey
The recipient of the International Bar Association (IBA) Pro Bono Award for 2023 has been announced as María Fernanda Mierez, Partner at Argentinian law firm Beccar Varela. She is honoured for her 20-year dedication to pro bono legal work, including the co-founding of a pro bono programme within Beccar Varela and the establishment of structures such as the Young Lawyers Pro Bono Network in Argentina, which aims to encourage a new generation of practitioners to get involved with legal aid.
When notified about the award, Ms Mierez remarked: ‘I am very grateful for this recognition. Pro bono work connects us with our career purpose; it is the responsibility of every lawyer to facilitate people’s access to their individual rights, especially the most vulnerable. This award also represents all the pro bono work that the firm has been carrying out for many years, reflecting the values we hold.’
The Committee support pro bono legal services globally through the dissemination and implementation of the IBA Pro Bono Declaration, the exchange of pro bono information and initiatives, and the promotion of good pro bono practices.
On this webpage, you can find resources to assist in carrying out pro bono projects - check out the resources tab. You may find inspiration in what other professionals are doing both on an international and on a local basis by reading articles from our e-Bulletins.
Accordingly, in 2008, the IBA published its Pro Bono Declaration and charged the then Pro Bono & Access to Justice Committee with primary responsibility, together with its other access to justice work, for delivering on this commitment.
From 2013, recognising the importance to the profession of pro bono provision, this work has been taken up by a restructured Pro Bono Committee, whose mandate is to focus exclusively on the promotion and facilitation of pro bono work in furtherance of the aims of the Pro Bono Declaration.
Further initiatives include establishing Regional Working Groups to identify and address particular pro bono needs across the globe and a Clearing House Directory to publicise the work of the growing community of pro bono clearing houses and support their work. The Committee continues to seek new methods of encouraging and supporting pro bono work across the profession and is particularly keen to attract additional members who share its enthusiasm and dedication and would like to participate actively in its work.
15 Sep - 20 Sep 2024
Mexico City , Mexico
The IBA calls upon lawyers and law firms to undertake pro bono work as an integral part of their professional activities.
Lawyer Jacquelyn F. MacLennan shares reflections from a panel session at the 2023 IBA Annual Conference focused on pro bono and environmental and social governance (ESG).
Released on Jan 29, 2024
Lawyer Ishrat Hasan was the recipient of the 2020 IBA LexisNexis Pro Bono Award and, in this article, shares some of the matters she has handled pro bono and reflects on the continued need for pro bono legal services in Bangladesh.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
This article explores the continued need for justice in a post-apartheid South Africa and how pro bono legal services support re-opened inquests into the deaths of activists detained by the ‘Security Branch’, a division of the police under apartheid.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
Pro bono legal services have been gradually gaining traction in Pakistan although there is ample room for growth and improvement to entirely realise the potential of pro bono work. This article explores the existing legal, regulatory and policy framework in Pakistan which fosters a conducive environment for pro bono legal services.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
The IBA calls upon lawyers and law firms to undertake pro bono work as an integral part of their professional activities.
The Pro Bono Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
VIDEO - What role do pro bono legal services have – or should have – in the social aspect of ESG? (1h20m)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2023 in Paris discusses important questions regarding pro bono legal services and environmental and social governance (ESG). When law firms embark on their ESG journeys, their pro bono offerings must be central to the social aspect of ESG. Can this be done without diminishing the integrity of pro bono? Read more.
VIDEO - Creativity in the pro bono sector: a response to international crises (1h5m)
This webinar recording from December 2021 features a discussion among Pro Bono Coordinators of three strategies used for the delivery of legal services during times of crisis: the use of digital innovation, inter- and intra-firm collaboration, and pro bono associations. Often, these are novel situations which involve multiple jurisdictions and occasionally, are also politically sensitive..
VIDEO - The use of technology in pro bono - advantages, pitfalls, and lessons learned (56 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA 2020 - Virtually Together Conference considers using technology in pro bono service delivery and what has and has not worked. The session discusses the importance of a design-based and user-based approach to understand and best identify how to design systems that meet the needs of users, including topics such as crowdfunding, the use of blockchain technology, and the digitization of the free legal advice community.
"VIDEO - Building an effective pro bono infrastructure (2 hours 18 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2016 considered how a pro bono function can be managed within law firms, and examined various models, including the involvement of dedicated legal and non-legal staff and committee and similar structures. The extent to which firms, particularly smaller firms, can share resources was also discussed. Read more
VIDEO - International Pro Bono Part I (1 hour 2 minutes)
This first session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2015 focuses on international pro bono and reviews the different areas of opportunity for this work – pro bono does not have to begin at home. Read more
VIDEO - International Pro Bono Part II (1 hour 9 minutes)
This second session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2015 focuses on international pro bono and reviews the different areas of opportunity for this work – pro bono does not have to begin at home. Read more
VIDEO - Pro Bono and Young Lawyers (2 hours 25 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2014 focuses on the challenges faced by young lawyers in conducting pro bono work and how firms and bar associations can help. Find out more
VIDEO - Bar Association and Law Society Roles in Pro Bono Part I (1 hour 31 minutes)
This first session recording from IBA Annual Conference 2013 explains the critical role that Bar Associations and Law Societies have in ‘Raising the Bar” and developing the necessary supporting infrastructure to facilitate and nurture a sustainable pro bono culture, while ensuring pro bono provision is conducted to acceptable standards.
VIDEO - Bar Association and Law Society Roles in Pro Bono Part II (1 hour)
This second session recording from IBA Annual Conference 2013 explains the critical role that Bar Associations and Law Societies have in ‘Raising the Bar” and developing the necessary supporting infrastructure to facilitate and nurture a sustainable pro bono culture, while ensuring pro bono provision is conducted to acceptable standards.
Each year, the IBA’s Pro Bono Committee honour a lawyer who has shown an outstanding commitment to pro bono work as part of their legal career.
The IBA Pro Bono Committee’s mission is to support the IBA in promoting pro bono work globally through implementation of the IBA Pro Bono Declaration and the exchange of information and the promotion of best practice. Pro bono work is a cornerstone of the legal profession, and the IBA Pro Bono Committee wants to help build a culture of pro bono work by lawyers, law firms and organisations of lawyers as a vehicle for access to justice where that right is not fully supported by legal aid.
LexisNexis is honoured to sponsor the IBA Pro Bono Committee Award and hopes the winner will accept the Award in person during the IBA’s Annual Conference. LexisNexis sponsorship provides a contribution of $5,500 USD to their attendance.
2022: Elba Gutiérrez
2021: Geoff Budlender
2020: Ishrat Hasan
2019: Cecil Rajendra
2018: Baasanjargal Khurelbaatar
2017: Balazs Sahin-Toth
2016: Odette Geldenhuys
2015: Marco Fuchs
2014: Nick Paul
2013: Susan Finegan
2012: Tong Lihua
2011: Flavia Regina de Souza Oliveira
2010: Angeline Welsh