Pro Bono Declaration for the
Americas
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Members of the Pro Bono Declaration
for the Americas drafting committee meet in Brazil.
(March 2007) |
The Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas project was developed by
participants at the 2005 Strategy Summit convened by the Vance Center. The
Declaration is both a statement of principle and a plan of action for
expanding the commitment of lawyers to provide legal services to the poor
and underprivileged in the Americas.
Following the Summit, a multi-country drafting committee was created.
This committee was responsible for researching and developing the structure
and substance of a declaration and drafting proposed preliminary text.
In April 2006, following 18 conference calls and an in-person meeting, a
preliminary draft was agreed upon. From September 2006 through March
2007, country consultations were held with members of the legal community in
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. During
these consultation meetings the text was introduced and discussed, and
commentary was solicited. In March 2007, the drafting committee
reconvened in Sao Paulo, Brazil to consider commentary and finalize the
Declaration.
The Declaration is now in the signing phase. Signed by leading lawyers,
law firms, law schools and bar associations in the United States in
throughout Latin America, the Declaration will take effect on January 1,
2008.
The value of this process is two-fold: providing an
opportunity for collaboration between the components of the legal profession
both within and between countries in the Americas; and providing a common
understanding of what pro bono means moving forward. It is anticipated that
country consultations will catalyze the development and implementation of
local and regional pro bono projects.
Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas Final Text
English
Spanish
Portuguese
Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas April 2006
Draft
English
Spanish
Portuguese
Signatories by Country and Launch Information (forthcoming)
Members of the regional drafting committee:
Javier de Belaunde,
Peru
De Belaunde Abogados-Echecopar
Abogados
Juan E. Cambiaso,
Argentina
Marval O'Farrell & Mairal
Todd Crider, New York
Chair of the Vance Center for International Justice Initiatives Advisory
Committee
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Dan Grunfeld,
Los Angeles
Public Counsel
Antonio C.
Meyer, Brazil
Machado, Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados
Guillermo Morales,
Chile
Morales, Noguera,
Valdivieso y Besa
Horacio Bernardes Neto,
Brazil
Xavier, Bernardes, Bragança,
Sociedade de Advogados
Paula Samper Salazar,
Colombia
Gómez-Pinzón Linares
Samper Suárez Villamil
Claus Werner von Wobeser,
Mexico
Von Wobeser y Sierra
Administrative Facilitators:
Vance Center
Public Counsel
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