Press Release - DLA Piper’s New Perimeter travels to Brazil to teach about pro bono legal work

DLA Piper’s New Perimeter travels to Brazil to teach about pro bono legal work

March 21, 2014 – Lawyers from New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s non-profit affiliate dedicated exclusively to global pro bono work, will travel to São Paulo, Brazil during the week of March 24 to teach with its project partners a course to law students and members of the community about pro bono legal work.

New Perimeter will work on this pilot project in conjunction with FGV Law School, Instituto Pro Bono and PILnet. In addition, local Brazilian law firms; in-house departments at such companies as Ford Motor Co. and Pfizer; nongovernmental organizations such as Conectas; and international pro bono professionals will participate.

Law students will attend pro bono classes throughout the week and several panels comprised of professors at FGV Law, in-house counsel from global companies in Brazil and lawyers from Brazilian law firms will offer their perspective on the importance of doing pro bono work. On March 28, FGV Law and the partner organizations will host a seminar for members of the community to learn more about pro bono work and discuss the future of pro bono in Brazil.

“This training comes at a really interesting time because the bar association (OAB) in Brazil recently lifted its restrictions on lawyers doing pro bono work and tasked a small committee with looking at what types of regulations are needed,” said Oscar Vilhena Vieira, dean of FGV Law and co-founder of Instituto Pro Bono and Conectas.

“Lawyers are very engaged and interested in doing pro bono right now,” said Marcos Fuchs, co-founder and executive director of Instituto Pro Bono. “We had twice as many people attempt to sign up for these classes then we had spaces available and that is a testament to the demand.”

“We are honored to have the opportunity to share our pro bono experiences with the students and thought leaders in Brazil,” said Lisa Dewey, director of New Perimeter and US pro bono partner at DLA Piper. “It’s also exciting to see the different groups come together with one united purpose of educating a community.”

In addition to Dewey, Nicolas Patrick, pro bono partner and head of Pro Bono and Corporate Responsibility for DLA Piper in the EMEA; and Tricia Erasmus, senior associate for Pro Bono and Human Rights at DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc., will also participate and share their experiences from Australia, the United Kingdom and South Africa. PILnet President Ed Rekosh will also participate and teach on pro bono models around the world.

While this is New Perimeter's first time doing this project in Brazil, it consistently focuses on the overall issue of access to justice in many programs it leads around the world. A first-of-its-kind initiative in the legal industry, New Perimeter provides pro bono legal assistance primarily in developing and post-conflict regions. New Perimeter draws on the skills and talents of more than 4,000 DLA Piper lawyers globally and focuses its projects in the areas of legal education, access to justice and law reform, women and children’s rights, environmental protection, economic development and food security. 

About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)

DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, positioning it to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising. 

About FGV Law (direitogv.fgv.br/en)

Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), founded in 1944, is a world renowned center for quality education dedicated to promoting Brazil's economic   and social development. With eight schools, two research institutes, technical assistance projects and a publishing unit, FGV is ranked one of the top 25 think tanks and Top 100 higher education institutions in the World. Brazil’s position in the list of leading powerful nations has led to a change in the contents of the classic areas of law and the emergence of new fields of study and new types of law practices, which calls for law professionals who are both highly qualified and capable of working at higher levels in the world of law. To meet the demands of today’s market, DIREITO GV students are prepared to work in public and private organizations and to dialogue with other fields of knowledge, so that they can positively and profoundly influence the legal scenario in Brazil and in other nations. 

About Instituto Pro Bono (probono.org.br)

Instituto Pro Bono (IPB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to legalizing and promoting the practice of pro bono legal advocacy in Brazil as a means to protect human rights, increase access to Justice and strengthen democratic participation. IPB’s strategy is two-fold: first, lobby the Brazilian government and bar association to allow attorneys to provide free legal services to indigent clients; and second, serve as a clearinghouse for legal professionals willing to donate their services to clients in need. 

About PILnet (pilnet.org)

PILnet envisions a world where the rule of law delivers justice and protects human rights. PILnet collaborates with local partners around the globe to develop the legal landscape essential to rights-respecting societies. It provides lawyers with the tools they need to challenge injustice, strengthens the ability of citizens to shape law and policy, and connects a global community of activist lawyers who are using law to advance change. 

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CONTACTS: Josh Epstein, Media Relations, DLA Piper, 212.776.3838

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About DLA Piper

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, positioning us to help clients with their legal needs around the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.

About New Perimeter

New Perimeter is a nonprofit organization established by global law firm DLA Piper to provide pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development and sound legal institutions. Founded in 2005 as a result of our firm’s commitment to support legal advancement worldwide, New Perimeter’s vision is to harness the skills and talents DLA Piper lawyers to further a more just world for all.

Contacts

Josh Epstein, Media Relations, DLA Piper, T. 212.776.3838