Legal

from Hello Zuidas - November/December editie #58

Property

LEGAL PRO BONO PUBLICO

Pro bono, or ‘pro bono publico’ in full, is a Latin phrase meaning ‘for the public good’. The term is mainly used to refer to work carried out on a voluntary and unpaid basis by professionals as a public service. Pro bono activities are most closely associated with legal services. Particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, law firms are encouraged by their professional associations to spend a certain number of hours annually doing pro bono work. While this is less often the case in Europe, pro bono work is becoming increasingly common here as well. We asked three law professionals from big firms in Zuidas for their take on working pro bono.

Mounia Benabdallah Attorney at Law & Tax Partner @ Baker McKenzie

Does Baker McKenzie have lawyers who do pro bono work? And, if so, in which areas of law? We have a deep-seated commitment to pro bono across the globe. In Amsterdam alone, almost a third of our lawyers worked on pro bono cases last year. We do this for a wide spectrum of organizations and in all fields of the law. To name a few, we were the only law firm to take part in the International Children’s Rights Moot Court conducted by Leiden University, and we advise organizations such as the UNHCR, but also Sensing Clues – a Dutch non-profit which implements technology in nature reserves across the globe to protect wildlife from poachers.

Is it important to offer this service? And how so? As one of the largest large law firms in the world, we are committed to applying our legal expertise, resources and network to make a difference in major global and societal issues. We take this responsibility very seriously. It’s engrained in our culture - from the board room to our juniors, who are part of a generation that is naturally much more concerned about the future of our planet and the people on it.

Vincent Affourtit Partner @ Houthoff and Pro Bono Committee member

Cash-strapped civil society organizations often have a tough time finding legal aid. Do you often get asked for assistance? And what is your policy? The impact we can make by working with civil society organizations is huge, I’m glad to say. Accordingly, we receive many requests. Houthoff Pro Bono focuses on not-forprofit organizations that fight for equal opportunities and against discrimination. For instance, we support a coalition of organizations that is trying to force the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee to stop ethnic profiling of travellers.

More and more law firms in Zuidas see their pro bono services as a no-brainer. Is this your firm’s view also? Or is that too simplistic? If you feel a commitment to society, you act accordingly. For Houthoff, it makes complete sense to do pro bono work with a large team of staff. Our knowledge and experience enable us to actively promote recourse to the law and a more inclusive society. I absolutely see this commitment at other law firms as well.

What advice would you give law firms large or small in Zuidas that are still exploring this world? Pro bono work is not only very important, it is also rewarding and instructive. If you connect with a pro bono network, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Some of our cases come to us through Pro Bono Connect, which brokers between civil society organizations in need of legal aid and law firms. Joanna Khatib (Pro Bono & Diversity Trainee) and Lamin Khadar (Pro Bono Manager) @ Dentons

Do you carry out pro bono activities within Dentons? The great thing about Dentons is that we have a wide-ranging pro bono programme that spans the globe. Not only are our lawyers regularly engaged in significant cross-border projects for international organisations or NGOs, they also provide pro bono services to vulnerable individuals and small civil society organisations within their local communities. With the help of many enthusiastic lawyers and our local pro bono ambassador, Marc Elshof, we have been able to engage in several valuable pro bono projects in Amsterdam!

If so, why is this important? Pro bono is intrinsic to our corporate culture and identity. We believe that it is our responsibility to use our resources as a tool to drive social change and give back to the societies where we live and work. Through our pro bono work we are able to fill legal resource gaps for non-profits, but also tackle barriers that prevent vulnerable individuals from accessing justice. Our lawyers recognise the strong social value and importance of pro bono work, encouraging them to approach each project with passion and dedication.

What kind of organizations come to you for legal assistance and what kind of questions do they come up with? We receive requests from many types of different organisations, ranging from local student-led foundations that are focused on helping the vulnerable members of society to internationally renowned environmental and human rights NGOs. As such, the kinds of questions we receive are also considerably varied. We regularly help NGOs with their corporate questions on tax, employment or notarial law, we support human rights organisations by conducting comparative research or providing strategic guidance, and we assist refugees in their asylum preparations. Our pro bono collaborations take many different shapes and forms, making our work as members of the pro bono team all the more interesting!

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