Autumn 2019
Welcome to our autumn e-bulletin, which features three articles on two main themes: pro bono legal services for survivors of sexual violence by foreign fighters and whether practice rules should make pro bono legal services mandatory for lawyers. The first theme highlights work being done to seek civil reparations for survivors of atrocities in northern Iraq on the basis of perpetrator nationality and victim compensation schemes. The second theme features the winner and runner-up essays from the Pro Bono Committee's essay competition, which asked entrants to discuss whether bar associations should make pro bono legal services mandatory for lawyers. As the two essays reveal, there are many divergent views, but also existing examples of both voluntary and mandatory schemes. These articles offer inspiration and insights to help legal professionals around the globe continue to deliver pro bono legal services, in line with the IBA Pro Bono Declaration. Additionally, they offer jurisdictional insights into both substantive areas of the law and the regulation of lawyers.

Enjoy reading!

Pamela Kovacs
International Development Law Organisation, The Hague
pkovacs@idlo.int 

View past IBA Pro Bono Committee articles here