TrustLaw Impact Report 2015-2017

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 10:59 AM
Author: TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation
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TrustLaw’s mission is to spread the practice of pro bono to drive social change. Pursuing this mission has meant that we balance equally the requirements of both parties in every pro bono engagement – the needs of the legal team are considered just as much as those of the pro bono client. We have tailored our service to make sure that it’s as easy as possible for legal professionals to get involved in pro bono, as well as ensuring that our NGOs and social enterprises members encounter a accessible service that provides them with the maximum benefit as they seek to achieve their own social or environmental missions.

We have sought to get more lawyers in more jurisdictions than ever before engaged in pro bono, and to get them involved by working on topics and in sectors which have not historically produced much in the way of pro bono matters. Further, we have built a service that ensures the advice received by the pro bono clients is tailored to their needs, helps ensure the sectors they work in are robust and more vital, and takes advantage of the highest quality legal advice wherever they are based as they change laws, strengthen the livelihoods and communities of their target populations and change society for the better

In this, our first impact report, we have tried to paint a picture of the myriad ways our service had an impact and how we evidence this. Legal advice often stands one step removed from on the-ground impact: hiring a new member of staff using a tailored employment contract is only one part of being able to deliver greater impact; registering a patent alone does not guarantee the successful development of a new product that affects the lives of the most vulnerable in society. That said, quality legal support plays an essential role in every long-term, sustainable solution. Change happens not only in a social, but also a legal context, as law governs every aspect of life and society around the world. Lawyers are a powerful agent for change, and this report helps us see how TrustLaw helps shape this change.

Nicholas Glicher,

Director, TrustLaw