Pro bono news around the world
A regular feed of pro bono stories in the media and updates from across the global pro bono sector.
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Shortage of social lawyers looms in Netherlands due to aging workforce
The Netherlands faces a looming shortage of social lawyers, exacerbated by an aging workforce and a reported lack of new talent entering the field, according to a recent study. Social lawyers provide subsidised legal assistance to low-income individuals – and nearly 30 per cent of them will reach retirement age in the next decade.
Major corporate law firms join legal battle over Trump policies
As opponents of US President Donald Trump's rapid-fire executive actions turn to the courts, at least eight of the largest corporate law firms in the country have signed on to represent plaintiffs leading the fight in recent weeks. Corporate law firms regularly work on lawsuits involving public policy questions pro bono, especially litigation that requires extensive legal resources to mount or sustain a case.
Malawi Law Society steps in to reduce 27,000-case workload through pro bono scheme
The Malawi Law Society has stepped in to assist the Legal Aid Bureau in reducing its overwhelming workload of 27,000 cases through the introduction of a nationwide pro bono scheme, offering free legal advice across the country.
How pro bono work is improving access to justice
When Shan Wilson, a partner at Simpson Grierson, started taking on pro bono work for her firm, she did what anyone in her position might have done – she accepted work from individual members of the public. Now one of New Zealand’s handful of dedicated pro bono practitioners, Wilson sought advice from colleagues in Australia, which has a more developed pro bono legal sector, to help streamline the process.
Latin Lawyer announces Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year Award
Gómez-Pinzón has been announced as Latin Lawyer’s Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year. It stands out as the only Colombian law firm with a full-time pro bono coordinator who is also fully licensed to practise as a lawyer.
US Justice Department halts legal programs for detained immigrants, cuts off advocates' access to facilities
Lawyers providing detainees with basic legal information in federal immigration detention centers were shut out of facilities last week after the US Department of Justice halted several federally funded programs. One program provided lawyers to children in deportation proceedings and another dispensed basic legal information.
Pro bono services: free legal representation in Rwanda
The Rwanda Bar Association collaborates with the Ministry of Justice to provide free legal representation to juvenile offenders across the country. Each year, 5,000 to 10,000 children are defended through this program. The pro bono program also represents people with cases in the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court, and has been in place for more than 15 years.
Many attorneys not meeting ABA's 50-hour pro bono goal
While most attorneys have volunteered pro bono services at some point in their career, many lawyers are not meeting the American Bar Association's goal for every lawyer to provide 50 hours of pro bono work every year.