Following receipt of a substantial number of impressive nominations for this year's IBA Pro Bono Award, the judging panel has selected a shortlist of seven candidates from whom this year's winner will be selected.

The second stage of deliberation and adjudication is now underway and the winner will be announced on Monday 20th October at the IBA Showcase Session, We're All Human Rights Lawyers Now, at the Annual Conference in Tokyo.

Brief summaries of the work for which the short-listed candidates have been nominated are set out below:

Julio J Copo Terrès, of Basham, Ringe & Correa, has been nominated for his outstanding work as administrative coordinator for the Basham Foundation, which provides pro bono services to NGOs and social entrepreneurs, in addition to his work with the Mexican Bar Association aimed at furthering pro bono services in the area. His nominator states that ‘Julio has been key in promoting and establishing a pro bono culture within the firm and to promote pro bono work both internally and externally’.

 

Marcus Roberto Fuchs, Executive Director of the Instituto Pro Bono, was one of the first professionals to advocate for pro bono practice in Brazil. The Instituto Pro Bono has been a pioneer institution in the area and a leading force for culture change in Brazilian society, encouraging pro bono as a more common practice within private law firms. His nominator praises his ‘outstanding record in the defence of pro bono legal services’.

 

Paul Lenga, of Eptein, Chomsky, Osnat & Co, has been nominated for his exceptional coordination of the Israel Bar Association's Pro Bono Programme within his firm, which involves providing legal ‘clinics’ in disadvantaged areas of Tel Aviv. His nominator praises his 'innovation, commitment, personal example and leadership, which has had a major impact not only on hundreds of recipients of the pro bono law services over the years, but also on the legal profession as a whole'.

 

Federico de Noriega Olea, of Barrera, Siqueiros y Torres Landa, has been nominated for his dedication to pro bono clients, such as Mexican not-for-profit Arquetopia, which promotes development and social transformation through educational, artistic and cultural programmes while also aiming to develop a microfinance programme for artists to reinvest resources into infrastructure. His nominator states that he ‘has shown exceptional dedication to pro bono work and has had a remarkable impact on the pro bono culture of the law firm’.

 

Nick Paul, of Doughty Street Chambers, has been nominated in recognition of a long career largely dedicated to helping others achieve their rights or increasing capacity by educating others internationally about human rights. This includes projects with Amnesty, Liberty, and Justice, as well as various training and lecturing appointments. His nominator states that he ‘epitomises the way in which highly experienced lawyers can enhance the lives of people around the world’.

 

Todd Solomon, of McDermott, Will and Emery, has been nominated in recognition of his exceptional support of pro bono clients. These include playing a key role in advising Equality Illinois on civil union law, representing students with learning difficulties and assisting not-for-profits with employee benefits and personnel matters. His nominator praises his dedication to pro bono services and states that he ‘spent over 300 hours on pro bono matters in 2013 and spent nearly 2500 hours on such matters over the last 6 years’.

 

Victoria Vergara, of Ferrere Abogados, has been nominated for her dedication to the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. She has worked with many pro bono clients, such as Logros, a foundation that contributes to social development through educational processes, and Techo, an NGO that promotes housing for all. Her nominator states that she ‘is a true asset for the purposes and principles of our firm and, in Uruguay, it would be hard to find such a young lawyer (29) who has devoted so much time and effort to pro bono issues’.