Get Legal Help
PILnet works with civil society organizations and social enterprises from around the globe to identify their legal needs and connect them with pro bono lawyers in PILnet’s global legal network who have the relevant skills and expertise to help. Through the PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse, PILnet helps organizations pinpoint their legal needs, matches these needs with qualified pro bono lawyers, and works with both sides to create a strategic partnership for sustained impact. The free legal assistance provided by pro bono lawyers is not limited by jurisdiction or region, and multi-jurisdictional legal support is also available.
“PILnet made sure that, as a not-for-profit organization, we were able to fully take advantage of resources and advice available to us in important matters. The pro bono attorneys they connected us with were similarly responsive and knowledgeable about the relevant subject matter. We have, and will continue to, recommend PILnet to similarly situated organizations.”
PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse obtained critical pro bono support for the German organization Human Rights Matter, which protects human rights defenders in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Human Rights Matter needed assistance determining its compliance with German labor and tax laws, which is just the kind of expertise that most small organizations lack but can helpfully be provided by pro bono lawyers. That kind of expertise bolsters the healthy operational functioning of an organization, allowing them the ability to carry out their important human rights work. PILnet quickly sourced pro bono lawyers with the capacity and commitment to help. Thanks to PILnet, Human Rights Matter was successfully registered in Berlin, and with the help of a second law firm advising it on ongoing compliance with German regulations, Human Rights Matter is protecting those who risk their lives to defend human rights principles.
All information submitted is confidential, and will only be shared with your approval. Once you complete the form, a PILnet staff member will contact you to discuss the details of your legal needs and to help you prepare a request for pro bono assistance. PILnet will circulate this request for assistance to the legal professionals within our global pro bono network. Once PILnet has identified a match for your legal needs, a PILnet staff member will connect you directly to the volunteer lawyer or firm and facilitate their engagement. All work assigned through this clearinghouse is free of charge.