International Pro Bono
- ABA Justice Defenders Program
The Justice Defenders Program provides pro bono legal assistance (remote legal work, in country litigation and strategic advice, trial observation missions) to human rights defenders and lawyers anywhere in the world who are subject to retaliation for their human rights advocacy and/or having problems undertaking human rights litigation. ABA ROLI is recruiting attorneys, judges and court administrators for a legal reform program in Haiti. Click here to apply
The Rule of Law Initiative
The Rule of Law Initiative is a public service project of the American Bar Association dedicated to promoting rule of law around the world. The Rule of Law Initiative believes that rule of law promotion is the most effective long-term antidote to the pressing problems facing the world community today, including poverty, economic stagnation, and conflict.
Here are the five geographic regions where the Rule of Law Initiative has projects.- ABA Africa Law Initiative Council
The Africa Law Initiative Council (ABA-Africa) is a public service project of the American Bar Association. Its purpose is to provide legal expertise, advice and training to judges, lawyers and government officials throughout Africa.ABA-Africa plans to develop a culture of human rights through the establishment of a Legal Aid Clinic and a Victim Service Center in Liberia. Further information may be obtained about the pro bono commitment by viewing the program description.
- ABA Asia Law Initiative
The American Bar Association's Asia Law Initiative (ABA-Asia) is a public service project that provides technical assistance in support of legal reforms in the countries of Asia. - ABA Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI)
CEELI is a public service project of the American Bar Association that advances the rule of law in the world by supporting the legal reform process in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. - ABA Latin America Legal Initiatives Council (LALIC)
ABA/LALIC is dedicated to collaborating with legal institutions throughout Latin American and the Caribbean in their ongoing efforts to strengthen the rule of law in this region of the world. - ABA Middle East and North Africa Initiatives
In the Middle East and North Africa, the ABA administers regional and bilateral programs focusing on judicial development, women's rights, the role of women in the legal and judicial profession, legal education reform, and legal profession reform. - ABA-UNDP International Legal Resource Center
The ILRC was created in 1999 to enhance access to legal expertise for technical assistance and other development projects. The ILRC 1) identifies legal specialists for short- and long-term assignments implemented under the purview of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) worldwide; 2) conducts legal research and analysis on a wide variety of topics; 3) facilitates the review of domestic legislation vis-à-vis international standards and best practices; 4) serves as a repository for legal information; and 5) provides other services upon request. The ability of the ILRC to draw upon pro bono contributions from legal specialists helps reduce the overall cost of technical assistance projects. - Advocates for International Development
Advocates for International Development (A4ID) works with development organisations and developing countries to facilitate the provision of pro bono legal advice and assistance from leading lawyers, law firms and chambers in the areas of international trade, debt and development. - Center for Justice & Accountability
The Center for Justice & Accountability (CJA) is an international human rights organization dedicated to ending torture and other severe human rights abuses around the world and advancing the rights of survivors to seek truth, justice and redress. - The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice
The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice works with NGOs, universities, bar associations and law firms to support access to justice. - Finding and Funding International Public Service Opportunities
Finding and Funding International Public Service Opportunities, was presented at the NALP Annual Educational Conference Wed. April 28, 2004 & updated in July, 2007. - Human Rights Internet (HRI)
HRI is dedicated to the empowerment of human rights activists and organizations, and to the education of governmental and intergovernmental agencies and officials and other actors in the public and private sphere, on human rights issues and the role of civil society. - International Bar Association Pro Bono
This web site is intended to act as a communications tool for pro bono practitioners all over the world and to enhance pro bono matters internationally. - International Federation of Family Associations of Missing Persons from Armed Conflicts (IFFAMPAC)
This organization is dedicated to helping families around the world whose family members have gone missing due to armed conflict. - International Senior Lawyers Project
The International Senior Lawyers Project provides volunteer legal services by highly skilled and experienced attorneys to advance democracy and the rule of law, protect human rights and promote equitable economic development worldwide. Through the pro bono work of retired and active practitioners, ISLP helps governments and citizens develop and implement legal reforms, assists programs that advance the social and economic well-being of people in developing countries, and builds the capacity of local organizations and professionals to meet the needs of their communities. - LawWorks is the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG)(United Kingdom) a small, national charity whose aim is to enable and encourage lawyers to provide free legal help to individuals and community groups in need.
- Lawyers Without Borders
Organization of volunteer lawyers committed to pro bono work for Rule of Law initiatives, Human Rights work and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).- Interview with Christina M. Storm, Founder and Director of Lawyers Without Borders, Inc. and Attorney Jerry Shestack, trial attorney and world leader in the international human rights movement on pro bono volunteer work in the international arena. 37 minute interview available from Lawyer 2 Lawyer
- Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC)
The Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) is an international non-governmental organization based in Budapest that promotes and protects the human rights of people with mental health problems and intellectual disabilities across central and eastern Europe and central Asia. MDAC works to improve the quality of life for people with mental disabilities through litigation, research and international advocacy. MDAC has participatory status at the Council of Europe and is a cooperating organization of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights - New Tactics in Human Rights
This project advances human rights internationally. - ProBonoUK.net
This site is designed to develop a virtual community of those involved in pro bono work in the United Kingdom. - Public Service Law Network (PSLawNet)
PSLawNet, NALP's Public Service Law Network Worldwide, is a network of 150 law schools and more than 12,000 law-related public interest organizations in the US and around the world. Through its online database, PSLawNet provides a comprehensive clearinghouse of public interest organizations and opportunities for lawyers and law students. Users can perform customized searches of public interest opportunities around the world, ranging from short-term volunteer and paid internships to full-time jobs, fellowships and pro bono opportunities. - Rule of Law Resource Center
LexisNexis provides this community resource as a pro bono initiative for attorneys working on Rule of Law or Human Rights issues. - Thomson Reuters Foundation TrustLaw currently has a focus on good governance and fighting corruption. Through its TrustLaw Connect resource attorneys and law firms can find NGOs and other entities with international legal needs.
