Overview
We empower the legal community to use its expertise in the public interest and bridge the gap in access to law.
Our legal network comprises more than 120,000 lawyers who volunteer their time and skills to help civil society organisations and social enterprises achieve their social mission and gain access to much-needed legal support.
We also work to build the ecosystem, growing the practice of high-quality pro bono around the globe through the development of leading tools, guides, training and research, including our flagship global survey, the TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono.
Fostering impactful pro bono
TrustLaw works with legal teams at every stage of their pro bono journey, from getting started to scaling world-class pro bono practices.
We work with international law firms with dedicated pro bono staff, as well as small one-person firms that help their community on an ad hoc basis. No matter the size of your organisation or pro bono programme, we are here to help.
We offer a range of pro bono opportunities and help legal teams identify meaningful projects that match their skills, interests and the needs of the communities in which they operate. We run events, legal health checks and clinics in partnership with our legal members and offer other opportunities to deepen the impact of their work through thematic projects and research.
Law firms and in-house teams
We count over 1,200 of the world’s leading law firms and in-house teams across 190 countries as part of our network, whose lawyers generously volunteer their time, skills and expertise to help NGOs and social enterprises achieve their social mission.
+ Pro bono hours
Through our services, leading legal teams have contributed the equivalent of more than $271 million in legal know-how and brainpower, supporting the needs of organisations on the frontlines of social change.
Connections
To date, we have facilitated over 10,000 pro bono connections around the world. Behind each of these connections are thousands of lawyers donating their time and expertise to civil society organisations, social enterprises and independent media.
The index of Pro Bono
The TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono is the only global survey measuring the amount of pro bono practised by law firms across the world.
By highlighting features of successful pro bono programmes and providing benchmarks on pro bono participation and related trends, the Index is a vital tool to help strengthen the practice of pro bono. It offers all firms a unique resource to help build robust pro bono practices and to understand how to get the greatest impact from their pro bono work.
Measuring pro bono impact
In today’s world, measuring impact is essential, particularly in driving social change. However, measuring impact, especially in the context of pro bono services within the social economy, can be challenging and costly. This guide aims to bridge this gap. By providing a clear 5-step framework, we aim to support legal teams in measuring the impact of their pro bono programs more effectively. We believe that by understanding and quantifying the impact of their work, lawyers can maximize their contributions to social change and make a tangible difference in the lives of those they serve.
Global corporate pro bono
TrustLaw is helping legal departments across the world build and strengthen their pro bono programmes and access pro bono projects that tackle some of greatest social and environmental challenges of our time.
Corporate pro bono has seen a dramatic rise in recent years. In house legal departments are volunteering their time and expertise to serve disadvantaged communities, educate the public and provide assistance to social impact organisations.
With specialised legal skills, business acumen and broad geographic reach, corporate legal departments are well placed to make an exceptional contribution to pro bono services. While many companies have established formal pro bono programmes for their legal departments, in-house counsel still face real barriers to engaging in pro bono, particularly in countries where the practice of pro bono is nascent.
TrustLaw’s Global Corporate Pro bono Initiative is dedicated to breaking down these remaining barriers and supporting the growth of corporate pro bono worldwide.
