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Future of pro bono declaration addressed in Santiago

 

Fuente: Latin Lawyer, 21 de abril de 2010.

A meeting to discuss the future of the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas when its initial implementation phase ends at the end of 2010 was held at the IBA Biannual Latin American Regional Forum in Santiago last Friday. Elise Colomer, associate director and director of the Latin America programme of the Cyrus R Vance Center for International Justice, reports

Forty-five lawyers from leading law firms throughout the Americas gathered in Santiago on 16 April to discuss the status of the pro bono initiative in the region and share experiences of pro bono work. The meeting, Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas: Progress and Challenges, was co-organised by the Vance Center and Chile’s clearinghouse, Fundación Pro Bono.

Guillermo Morales, a partner at Chilean firm Morales & Besa and a member of the Declaration’s drafting committee, gave a brief overview of the steps that law firms throughout the region have taken to institutionalise pro bono programmes within their firms. He discussed the importance of the creation of strategic alliances with referral organisations, which act as sources of pro bono projects derived from NGOs. He also emphasised the importance of law firm financial support of the referral organisations. “To financially support pro bono structure is as important as participating in international seminars and other activities,” said Morales.

Antonia Stolper, chair of the Vance Center Committee and a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP, gave a regional overview of pro bono initiatives underway in various countries in Latin America – information gleaned from a survey conducted by the Vance Center in December 2009. Attention was drawn to the Chilean model, which has been successfully replicated in other countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

Todd Crider, vice chair of the Vance Center Committee and a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, addressed the challenges of meeting the goal of the Declaration – 20 hours of pro bono work per lawyer per year within a three-year implementation period. In addition, he stressed the need for progress on the social commitment of lawyers and raised the challenge of generating partnerships within countries of the region to promote access to justice.

The meeting solicited comments and suggestions from the participants on how to improve and further professionalise pro bono. Attorney Francisco Castillo-Garcia from Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque in Caracas referred to the experience of Venezuela in establishing a strategic alliance with a leading NGO in the country which will channel pro bono work to PBDA law firm signatories. David Gutiérrez, a partner at BLP Abogados in San José, shared the experience of Costa Rican firms in establishing a pro bono commission at the bar association and discussed the pro bono work of his firm.

Participants suggested that the Vance Center begin to develop a region wide pro bono newsletter to be circulated periodically that will highlight work being done in each country where there are PBDA signatories. Participants also agreed on the importance and timeliness of having a regional strategy session in 2011 which will focus on reviewing the progress to date and identify strategies to enhance the ability of the legal profession to address unmet legal needs in the hemisphere.

Fuente: Latin Lawyer, 21 de abril de 2010.

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