Encouraging Pro Bono Culture in Mexico

As overcrowded courts, lack of counsel and a range of procedural limits impair access to justice in the U.S., Appleseed and New Perimeter are on the case. We're also promoting access to justice and weaving the fabric of public interest law in Mexico.

Through Mexico Appleseed and New Perimeter, DLA Piper's global pro bono initiative, the firm's Jenny Lloyd traveled to Mexico to teach future lawyers how to include free legal services in private or corporate legal practice. "Mexico Appleseed is doing great work to improve access to justice and encourage a culture of pro bono among future lawyers in Mexico," said Lloyd about her trip in October.

Lloyd visited three top-ranked schools with Mexico Appleseed's Maru Cortázar and Francisco Escutia of Red Pro Bono of Mexico, Appleseed's network for pro bono lawyers. They went from ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico de Mexico) in the morning, to "Tec" (Tecnológico de Monterrey) in the afternoon, and to UP (Universidad Panamericana) in the evening. Lloyd found that students, professors and deans at each university were eager to learn about pro bono programs.

Lloyd's teaching segment focused on the U.S. class action mechanism and impact litigation as tools for social, economic and political change--from desegregation cases in the 60's to more recent consumer, financial and discrimination cases. She compared impact litigation to legislation or grass-roots community action as instruments of social and economic change. The classes discussed how U.S. nonprofit organizations, individuals and public interest lawyers bring social impact class actions and whether such a system could or should develop in Mexico.

The subject of class actions is timely because Mexico passed its own class action legislation in August to become effective in March 2012. Now, for the first time, Mexican lawyers will be able to bring and defend class action suits on consumer, environmental and antitrust issues as well as on financial services. The new law can be found in the Spanish-language Official Gazette.

"The Mexican lawyers and future lawyers were understandably interested in how the class action procedure may transform litigation in Mexico," says Lloyd. While Mexico had various models of class action laws to draw from, including other Latin American and civil law models, its "neighbor to the north" provided a solid example of how to manage class action litigation and the risks and benefits that come with it.

"I felt honored to share my experience with the students I met," writes Lloyd. "It's exciting to think that the students I taught may be at the forefront of class action litigation in Mexico over the next decade."

Appleseed is a nonprofit network of 17 public interest justice centers in the U.S. and Mexico and Appleseed is dedicated to building a society in which opportunities are genuine, access to justice is universal and equal, and government advances the public interest. Learn more about the Appleseed projects, publications and accomplishment.

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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