TrustLaw, the pro bono legal programme of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, continues to grow and strengthen every year. The TrustLaw network now includes nearly 4,000 NGOs and social enterprises receiving free legal assistance from over 800 law firm and corporate counsel members.
The eighth annual TrustLaw Awards ceremony was held on September 26 in New York City, and highlighted the ground-breaking pro bono work undertaken by legal teams on behalf of NGOs and social enterprises. TrustLaw members travelled from Uganda, the Philippines and Colombia to celebrate the TrustLaw programme and their pro bono projects.
The event was opened by a welcome from the Foundation’s CEO Monique Villa, who announced that the total value of legal assistance facilitated through TrustLaw since July 2010 is now $134m.
Keynote speaker Ken Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, spoke about the challenges that human rights defenders face as well as their recent victories, highlighting the heroes around the world who fight against abuses every day.
Nicholas Glicher, Director of TrustLaw, was then joined by Pascale Hellen Dubois of the World Bank Group and Kevin Coon of Baker McKenzie Canada, for an insightful discussion on “Why Ethics Make Good Business Sense”.
2018 TrustLaw Award Winners
The diversity of the winners epitomises TrustLaw’s success in spreading the practice of free legal assistance for NGOs and social enterprises beyond traditional markets. Their work has found innovative solutions to some of the world’s most critical social and environmental challenges and empowered those on the frontlines with the tools to deliver positive change.
2018 TrustLaw Award winners:
IMPACT AWARD: Rape Hurts Foundation and Onyango & Company Advocates, for protecting children in communities across Uganda through policy change.
2018 TrustLaw Awards: Impact from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
COLLABORATION AWARD: 28 Too Many and Latham & Watkins, who led a coalition of more than 120 lawyers from Shearman & Sterling, Cleary Gottlieb, Reed Smith LLP, Omer Abdelati Law Firm, Sharkawy & Sarhan Law Firm, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie to produce 28 country reports on the Law and FGM across Africa.
2018 TrustLaw Awards: Collaboration from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
INNOVATION AWARD: International Rescue Committee Thailand and DLA Piper for their pioneering “Know Your Rights Workshops” for refugees and migrant workers in Thailand.2018 TrustLaw Awards: Innovation from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: Kirkland & Ellis LLP, in recognition of its assistance with more than 30 pro bono projects through TrustLaw this year.
2018 TrustLaw Awards: International from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
DOMESTIC LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: Gómez-Pinzón Abogados, deserving winners of the most engaged local firm in the TrustLaw network.
2018 TrustLaw Awards: Domestic from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
IN-HOUSE LEGAL TEAM OF THE YEAR: Aon, in recognition of its active membership in the TrustLaw network and the pro bono projects completed by its in-house legal team both in the UK & the United States.
2018 TrustLaw Awards: InHouse from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Hector De Leon Jr from SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan in the Philippines, and Rick Longton from Covington & Burling LLP in the USA
LOTY 2018 from Thomson Reuters Foundation on Vimeo.
For photos of the event please see here.
