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PRO BONO: “A WONDERFUL INSTRUMENT OF SOCIAL COHESION”
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WHAT IS THE PRO BONO COMMISSION’S ROLE WITHIN THE FIRM?
ur Commission forms an integral part of the firm’s governance, and reflects our collective commitment to good causes. For our teams, the pro bono programme is a wonderful instrument of social cohesion and an efficient framework that gives our staff and lawyers the time and the means to commit. The Commission is made up of 12 partners and meets once a fortnight to decide on actions, monitor projects, and report back to all members of the firm.
WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2015 AND 2016 SO FAR?
Our pro bono commitment is now well recognised within Gide. We have more volunteers and the allocated time credit of 40 hours is used by an increasing number of people. We have provided legal counsel to a number of projects and have partnered with two new charities: Habitat et Humanisme and Raise. Our partnership with Habitat et Humanisme requires the knowledge and skills of several teams at Gide to help design legal tools specific to real estate development for social purposes. More recently, we have entered into a partnership with Raise to offer ad hoc legal advice to young growth companies. Our Mergers & Acquisitions department in particular is involved with this latter foundation.
ON WHAT CRITERIA DO YOU CHOOSE PROJECTS?
Financially, the projects must meet one of the three guiding principles decided when we set up the endowment fund: access to law and justice, access to education, and support to those most in need. We strive to select projects we can make a real difference to, and we therefore choose projects we can support over the long term, and projects to which we can also offer skills sponsorship. We look for projects and charities that are likely to resonate with all staff and lawyers, so that each and every one of us can take part and give some of our time if we so wish.
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR 2017?
We wish to keep establishing our pro bono action as part of the firm’s culture and habits. It is essential that we continue to count on an increasing number of staff and lawyers, with a regular renewal of volunteers. We would like to develop and strengthen our actions abroad, with our various international offices, and continue to focus in particular on social entrepreneur-
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