Lex Mundi Launches Worldwide Pro Bono Initiative
19th June 2006
Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms,
today announced the creation of a charitable foundation to support
international pro bono projects.
The Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation (www.lexmundiprobono.org)
will call upon the organization's global network of 160 top-tier
commercial law firms to provide free legal assistance to social
entrepreneurs around the world. The Foundation will strengthen the
rule of law by organizing teams of experts from Lex Mundi's member
firms to help design and implement selected reform projects.
"As social entrepreneurs improve the lives of the poor and
disenfranchised around the globe, Lex Mundi's Foundation will provide
them with access to first class legal advice," said Carl Anduri,
President of Lex Mundi. "Social entrepreneurs are innovative
and inspiring leaders who use entrepreneurial approaches to solve
social problems in neighborhoods, communities, regions and countries
throughout the world. By providing them critically needed legal
assistance, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation joins the global social
entrepreneurship movement for positive social change."
Lex Mundi (www.lexmundi.com), established
in 1989, is the world's leading association of independent law firms.
Its membership consists of one top-tier commercial law firm in each
state in the US, each province in Canada, and most countries in
the rest of the world.
Cains is the exclusive member of Lex Mundi in the Isle of Man.
"We are delighted to play a role in this much needed worldwide
initiative," said the Managing Director of Cains, Andrew Corlett.
"We are proud to be a member of Lex Mundi. The establishment
of this Foundation by Lex Mundi and the work it is poised to accomplish
around the world will afford us new opportunities to leverage our
resources for the public good. We look forward to being able to
contribute to our communities and to this Foundation's global successes
in the future."
The 160 member law firms of Lex Mundi have more than 16,000 lawyers
in 560 offices in 100 countries. The law firms and lawyers are indigenous
to their respective jurisdictions - that is, they are not branch
offices of US or UK global firms. In terms of quality, geographic
reach and access to the world's legal systems, cultures and languages,
the Lex Mundi network is an unparalleled tool for delivering pro
bono legal services to social entrepreneurs.
The Foundation also announced collaborative arrangements with several
of the leading foundations and organizations supporting social entrepreneurs,
including Acumen Fund, New York City; Ashoka Innovators for the
Public and Ashoka Advocates for Social Entrepreneurs, Alexandria,
Virginia; Avina Foundation, San Jose, Costa Rica; Draper Richards
Foundation, San Francisco, California; Echoing Green, New York City;
European Venture Philanthropy Association, London; Global Fund for
Children, Washington DC; Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship,
Geneva; Social Enterprise Alliance, Shoreline, Washington; and Venture
Philanthropy Partners, Washington D.C.
"We applaud Lex Mundi's public service initiative and the
creation of this extremely valuable resource for social entrepreneurs,"
said Pamela Hartigan, Managing Director of the Schwab Foundation
for Social Entrepreneurship based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka Innovators for the Public and known
as the father of the social entrepreneurship movement, said, "Beyond
serving social entrepreneurs in their countries of origin, the Lex
Mundi network has the ability to tap partner firms internationally,
creating a global base of assistance that can assist individual
social entrepreneurs to expand their work beyond their original
countries."
The Foundation already has arranged for Lex Mundi member firm lawyers
to provide free legal assistance to more than 30 social entrepreneurs.
Lex Mundi lawyers have:
- Developed an intellectual property rights strategy for a Colombian
social entrepreneur who intends to distribute educational products
throughout South America;
- Assisted social entrepreneurs with registrations, incorporation
and financing advice in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Mauritius;
- Helped a children's rural poverty program based in the Netherlands
prepare a MOU for roll-out of new programs in 15 developing countries;
- Established a non-profit corporation and provided related advice
to a renowned conflict resolution leader in the US; and,
- Provided litigation assistance to a consumer organization in South
America.
Responding to calls for legal reform in less developed areas of
the world, the Foundation plans to support legal reform initiatives,
including property rights and other reform work sponsored by the
African Investment Climate Facility (ICF) and the Initiative for
Investment in Central Africa. "Legal reform is central to the
ICF's efforts to build a better business environment in Africa-and
in turn deliver economic growth and poverty alleviation. We are
therefore delighted to support the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation
and its participation in this area," said Shell Foundation
Director Kurt Hoffman.
The Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation,
headquartered in Washington, DC. Its President is Carl Anduri, who
is also President of Lex Mundi. Mr. Anduri was formerly co-head
of the international practice group at Morrison & Foerster LLP,
the California member of Lex Mundi.
The full-time Managing Director of the Foundation is David Roll,
former chair of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Lex Mundi's member firm
in Washington, DC. Mr. Roll has been a partner at Steptoe &
Johnson for more than 25 years, specializing in antitrust and administrative
law and litigation.
The Foundation will be guided by an advisory board consisting of
distinguished leaders drawn from the social entrepreneurship sector
and rule of law communities.
Mr. Roll commented, "Even though we have just started, I am
impressed by the willingness and enthusiasm of busy Lex Mundi member
firm lawyers to pitch in and provide these social entrepreneurs
with their very best assistance and advice."
The Foundation is supported by voluntary contributions from Lex
Mundi member law firms and grants from two of the world's preeminent
foundations - the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Shell
Foundation.
Further information on the the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation can
be found at www.lexmundiprobono.org
and www.cains.com.
For further information please contact Andrew
Corlett or Peter Clucas. |
