Centro Mexicano Pro Bono I English introduction

MISSION Centro Mexicano Pro Bono, A.C. – ProBonoMX- is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve and help people from underprivileged groups of the Mexican population who require high quality legal advice, through strategic partnerships and pro bono legal work to achieve better access to justice and therefore a social transformation in our country, understanding pro bono work as one done without charging fees, but with the same quality, efficiency, promptitude and interest as one paid for.

PURPOSE Within the specific purpose of ProBonoMX are providing legal advice and consulting, as well as providing training and information to people in underprivileged groups, nonprofit organizations, and micro-entrepreneurs through pro bono legal work from lawyers or law firms part of the Center.

BENEFITS In countries where the practice of pro bono legal work is consolidated as part of the lawyers culture, they have tangible benefits such as: • Developing skills for young lawyers.

• Recruiting and retaining new members.

• Improve the ethics and morals of the firm.

• Contact with the community.

Pro bono work within Mexico’s legal profession has been slow to take off and has yet to yield its full potential. Mindful of this situation and fully aware of the desperate need of some sectors of society to have an effective access to justice, ProBonoMX urges and calls upon Mexican law firms to promote pro bono activities within their respective legal practices.

CLEARING HOUSE Aware of the fact that for many people within Mexico face unsurmountable odds and adversities that prevent them from hire legal services, the purpose behind “clearing house” is to connect people and organizations in need of legal representation and or assistance with lawyers and law firms capable of attending their specific situations.

FIRMS AND LAWYERS We are guided by the fact that many lawyers and law firms that have an interest in pro bono practices are too busy with their day to day work in order to find and process cases of this nature, many have opted out of it since it requires a considerable effort from their part.

FEATURES

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

ProBonoMX will support law firms and lawyers in their pro bono legal work by performing the following functions:

a. Define a pro bono policy for the law firm, according to the areas of expertise and preference to support social causes.

b. Develop a manual of pro bono operation, in which we will suggest the best practices of pro bono work in order for the firm to adopt.

c. Filtrate cases through a scrupulous study in which we verify the vulnerability of the beneficiary and if pro bono work is needed after a very specific interview that allows us to recollect the needed information.

d. Propose previously filtered cases according to the firm´s inner policies. We pretend to offer previously filtered cases according to the firm’s inner policies and the attorneys areas of expertise and profile.

e. Monitor the pro bono work previously assigned and accepted by the law firm. Though monitoring system (software). All information is confidential and can only be accessed be the firm and ProBonoMX in order to update the client status.

f. Capitalize hours of pro bono legal work done by lawyers, whom with their contribution, have impacted positively on the beneficiary as well as socially.

g. Annual Report. ProbonoMX will prepare an annual report that includes documented progress of the pro bono work, hours invested, impact made on the beneficiaries and social impact.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, ProBonoMX will honor lawyers and law firms that reach 20 hours of pro bono work per year, in accordance with the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas. Furthermore, depending on the number of hours spent of pro bono cases as well as the social impact achieved, the organization will give awards for different categories.

20 hours

pro bono work per year Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas

JOIN UP To be part of ProBonoMX you need to register through www.probono. mx, sign a letter of commitment and provide an annual contribution.

Centro Mexicano Pro Bono will send a list of cases to the law firm in accordance with the internal policies that reflects the target hours per firm.

Some photographs courtesy of: Camila Orleansky camgopi@gmail.com camilaorleansky.com

Paseo de las Lilas 15-2 Bosques de las Lomas Mexico City, 05120 Tel. +52 (55) 5596 2541 info@probono.mx

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