Co-Chair
Arturo
Banegas Masia
Co-Chair
Flavia Regina
de Souza Oliveira
Pro Bono Committee
The Pro Bono Committee promotes pro bono legal services globally, through the IBA Pro Bono Declaration, the exchange of information and initiatives, and by promoting best practices.
Pro bono work supports access to justice where this right is not fully supported by legal aid. The Committee provides resources, including digital content and articles highlighting pro bono efforts by legal professionals, which can be found below.
The Committee is committed to advancing pro bono work across the profession and welcomes new members passionate about contributing to this mission.
Latest news
Follow the latest from the Pro Bono Committee @ibaprobono
IBA Pro Bono Award 2024
The recipient of the International Bar Association (IBA) Pro Bono Award for 2024 has been announced as Vineetha MG from India. She is honoured for her two decades of pro bono work, assisting individuals and communities who would otherwise lack access to legal representation.
When notified about the award, Ms MG remarked: ‘I am deeply honoured and thrilled to receive the IBA Pro Bono Award. I would like to thank the IBA, LexisNexis and the Pro Bono Committee for this recognition. I accept it with gratitude, not only personally and on behalf of everyone at Samvad, but also on behalf of the inspirational legal professionals across the globe, who devote their effort and talent to ensure that equal justice is not merely an idea enshrined in constitutions, but becomes a reality for the people most in need. This recognition means more to me than what the words can convey and I look forward to continuing our collective efforts in making a positive impact through pro bono work.’
Find out more about the Pro Bono Award
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
02 Nov - 07 Nov 2025
Toronto , Canada
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Resources
The IBA calls upon lawyers and law firms to undertake pro bono work as an integral part of their professional activities.
DownloadA weekly e-newsletter offering content on pro bono and access to justice issues.
Link to resourcesAn international platform for legal pro bono resources, news, events, and jobs. Regular submissions to the Hub are encouraged.
Link to resourcesThe index identifies global trends in the pro bono marketplace and looks at the amount of pro bono work law firms are undertaking on a country-by-country basis.
Link to resourcesThis manual offers resources for developing pro bono clearinghouse services and includes chapters on procedures, developing a supportive environment, publicity, financial sustainability, and useful contacts.
Link to resourcesThis resource details key issues affecting participation by government lawyers in pro bono legal work and draws on the experience of government legal teams with existing pro bono policies and legal programs, offering examples of the types of pro bono work in which government lawyers can be involved.
Link to resourcesThis guide provides guidance to in-house lawyers looking to set up a pro bono practice or simply become more involved in pro bono work – whether as a team or an individual
Link to resourcesThis handbook offers a guide to establishing a law firm pro bono program.
Link to resourcesProduced in collaboration with 25 law firms, this manual is a practical ‘how to’ guide to establishing and developing a law firm pro bono program.
Link to resourcesThis guide explores ways to leverage technology and shares strategies that improve pro bono practice and access to justice for rural and underserved communities.
Link to resourcesPublications
Pro bono and ESG: what role do pro bono legal services have – or should have – in the S of ESG?
Lawyer Jacquelyn F. MacLennan shares reflections from a panel session at the 2023 IBA Annual Conference focused on pro bono and environmental and social governance (ESG).
Released on Jan 29, 2024
IBA Pro Bono Award, sponsored by LexisNexis.
Lawyer Ishrat Hasan was the recipient of the 2020 IBA LexisNexis Pro Bono Award and, in this article, shares some of the matters she has handled pro bono and reflects on the continued need for pro bono legal services in Bangladesh.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
Bringing closure to families in post-apartheid South Africa with the support of pro bono legal services
This article explores the continued need for justice in a post-apartheid South Africa and how pro bono legal services support re-opened inquests into the deaths of activists detained by the ‘Security Branch’, a division of the police under apartheid.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
Legal landscape for pro bono services in Pakistan
Pro bono legal services have been gradually gaining traction in Pakistan although there is ample room for growth and improvement to entirely realise the potential of pro bono work. This article explores the existing legal, regulatory and policy framework in Pakistan which fosters a conducive environment for pro bono legal services.
Released on Jan 29, 2024
Films
VIDEO - What role do pro bono legal services have – or should have – in the social aspect of ESG? (1h20m)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2023 in Paris discusses important questions regarding pro bono legal services and environmental and social governance (ESG). When law firms embark on their ESG journeys, their pro bono offerings must be central to the social aspect of ESG. Can this be done without diminishing the integrity of pro bono? Read more.
VIDEO - Creativity in the pro bono sector: a response to international crises (1h5m)
This webinar recording from December 2021 features a discussion among Pro Bono Coordinators of three strategies used for the delivery of legal services during times of crisis: the use of digital innovation, inter- and intra-firm collaboration, and pro bono associations. Often, these are novel situations which involve multiple jurisdictions and occasionally, are also politically sensitive..
VIDEO - The use of technology in pro bono - advantages, pitfalls, and lessons learned (56 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA 2020 - Virtually Together Conference considers using technology in pro bono service delivery and what has and has not worked. The session discusses the importance of a design-based and user-based approach to understand and best identify how to design systems that meet the needs of users, including topics such as crowdfunding, the use of blockchain technology, and the digitization of the free legal advice community.
VIDEO - Building an effective pro bono infrastructure (2 hours 18 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2016 considered how a pro bono function can be managed within law firms, and examined various models, including the involvement of dedicated legal and non-legal staff and committee and similar structures. The extent to which firms, particularly smaller firms, can share resources was also discussed. Read more
VIDEO - Pro Bono and Young Lawyers (2 hours 25 minutes)
This session recording from the IBA Annual Conference 2014 focuses on the challenges faced by young lawyers in conducting pro bono work and how firms and bar associations can help. Find out more
Subcommittees and other groups
The Pro Bono Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Pro Bono Committee Advisory Board