LONDON, July 18, 2011 – In just one year, TrustLaw, launched in July 2010 by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, has become a major actor of the pro bono world. Used by large and smaller law firms around the globe, it is now an important resource for social entrepreneurs and NGOs in need of free legal services. TrustLaw has also become a recognised and reliable source of information on anti-corruption and women's rights.
"TrustLaw's success has been overwhelming. In just one year, we have created a market place for pro bono and changed the practice of pro bono around the world, making it more efficient and more accessible. We also are incredibly proud to have helped spread the practice of probono in many new countries such as Kenya, Uganda or India", explained Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
"We have given access to lawyers at no cost to many organisations that never benefited from theses services before. TrustLaw has also become an unmissable source of information and resources for those raising awareness on anti-corruption and women's rights."
TrustLaw Connect
Since its launch the TrustLaw Connect network, which offers lawyers a way to easily connect with social entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and governments in need of free legal services, has almost tripled in size. More than 180 law firms and in-house counsel teams and 300 NGOs and social enterprises from all over the world are now members.
We have connected 185 pro bono legal teams to clients of all sizes, supporting them in their every day needs and helping them design major strategic cross-border programmes.
"TrustLaw Connect is a milestone, not only for our UN Convention against Corruption monitoring project, but also for civil society organisation anti-corruption efforts in general" – Gillian Dell, Programme Manager for the Conventions Programme at Transparency International, the global civil society organisation, which is working with TrustLaw to review states implementation of the global anti-corruption convention. For more information, please click here.
"TrustLaw Connect has become the point of reference for pro bono in Europe" - Gianni De Stefano, member of the Pro Bono Committee at Latham & Watkins. Latham worked with Orrick and 18 other law firms across Europe to produce a guide on regulation of microcredit and self-employment in Europe. Adie, the biggest microfinance institution in Western Europe, will use it to support their advocacy effort of behalf of micro-entrepreneurs throughout the EU. For more information, please click here.
TrustLaw – News
TrustLaw is now recognised globally as a trustworthy source of news and information on anti-corruption and women's rights.
We have also changed the way that pro bono work is reported around the world, with our journalists providing media coverage of relevant events, issues faced by the industry and on the impact that pro bono can have on some of the key challenges the world is facing today.
TrustLaw Women has already made its mark. A major poll we conducted to identify the world's most dangerous countries for women was picked up by media worldwide and had a phenomenal impact in raising awareness of the hidden dangers affecting millions of women and girls around the world.
This work dovetailed neatly with other Thomson Reuters Foundation initiatives, including our Emmy-nominated AlertNet humanitarian news service, which earlier this year received a Voices of Courage Award from the Women's Refugee Commission.
Haiti in Focus
Last but not least, the Foundation's commitment to helping Haiti's recovery after the 2010 earthquake continues. In May, we hosted an unprecedented forum of Haitian government officials, police, lawyers, prosecutors and women's groups in Port-au-Prince to find practical solutions to an epidemic of sexual violence that has swept through the "tent cities".
Meanwhile, TrustLaw has mobilised members of its pro bono network to conduct an exhaustive review of Haiti's anti-rape laws and compare them with legislation in six other jurisdictions: France, Sweden, Canada, the United States, South Africa and Brazil. The comparative study will be presented by international women's group MADRE to the United Nations' Human Rights Council meeting on Haiti in October.
TrustLaw Awards
To mark this year of achievements and to honour the commitment of our partners, Thomson Reuters Foundation will host its first TrustLaw Awards on December 5 in London. This annual event will celebrate the legal profession's outstanding contribution to help address many of the world's environmental, humanitarian and social problems, as well as the innovative organisations which have benefited from their services.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
