2020 Forum Speakers

Keynote Speaker: The Justice Gap and the Legal Profession, October 20

Dev Stahlkopf is General Counsel and Corporate Vice President of Microsoft and leads the company’s Legal Affairs group. Stahlkopf joined Microsoft in 2007 and previously served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for the HR Legal Group within the Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs organization. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing the company’s immigration, employment law, EEO investigations, and employment compliance teams. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2007, Stahlkoft practiced law at Perkins Coie and Cooley Godward in the Seattle area. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for BSA, a software industry group that promotes legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy.

Speaker: Examples of Legal Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Özlem Altiparmak holds a law degree from Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Law and registered to Izmir Bar Association since 1999. She had her master’s degree from Ege University Gender Studies Department. She is the founder of Altiparmak Law Office and has been working as a lawyer specialized in human rights. Between 2006-2010 she worked as the general coordinator of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court and served as the Chairperson for Amnesty International. Between 2010 and 2017, she worked as the Senior Program Officer at the Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Institute which has headquarters in Lund, Sweden. Under the RWI programme, she coordinated the activities aiming the capacity development of legal professionals on human rights education and research. She has also been involved in many projects and training programs related to gender, environment and human rights as a consultant and a trainer. Recently, together with very experienced colleagues working on climate change in Turkey,they established “Rights And Research Association-RRA”. She is the vice president of RRA and their main goal is to initiate a preventative legal system for climate crisis in Turkey by means of monitoring, reporting and building a network of legal professionals.

Speaker: Rethinking Technology, Pro Bono, and Access to Justice, October 20

Rachael Ampaire Mishambi holds an LLB and has undertaken training in Business, Leadership, Women, Gender and Human rights. She is the Programme Manager at The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) in Uganda. She has been able to explore how to bring innovative solutions to the center stage to advocate for people centered and user-friendly justice. She works closely with justice leaders, professionals and innovators to ensure evidence based working. She is driven by the development of strategies and solutions, which resolve people’s most pressing justice needs especially the vulnerable in society. Previously, she worked at FIDA-Uganda, with the Access to Justice Team that empowered women, girls and those living with HIV/AIDS in the Karamoja and Central regions, through the creation of rights awareness, streamlining of referral mechanisms and economic-independence training.

Funmi Ayeni has been the Executive Director of the Public Interest Law Partnership since its inception in 2012. Her passion for the enhancement of access to justice and the protection of human rights led her to specialise in Public Law and Policy. As a lawyer and public administrator in this field, she has implemented several cross-border pro bono projects and worked on a variety of initiatives aimed at understanding and tackling the factors which impede access to justice and the enjoyment of human rights. She is the founder of the PILP Pro Bono Week. Prior to this position, she was an associate at Banwo & Ighodalo. Funmi obtained her LL.B and LL.M. degrees at the University of Warwick and University of California, Berkeley respectively and is a member of the Nigerian Bar.

Speaker: Impact of Covid-19 on People in Vulnerable Situations, October 20

Marek has completed Master of Public Administration program at Central European University. He had previously worked for the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) as a human rights monitor, served as a Roma Decade focal point manager for Slovakia, project administrator and also has experience as a Roma health mediator. He joined the ERRC in June 2016. Currently he oversees ERRC’s response to human rights violations, ERRC research and litigation projects, and the internship program.

Speaker: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Éilís Barry is CEO of FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres).  Prior to joining FLAC, Éilís was a barrister specialising in all aspects of employment law, anti-discrimination and equality. She was the legal adviser of the Equality Authority and head of its legal section from 2000 to 2009, when she resumed practice at the bar.  Éilís is a former board member and Chairperson of FLAC.

Yasmin is responsible for overseeing the work of A4ID. Her key focus is quality of services and the business development of the organisation. Yasmin has held a number of significant leadership positions over the years within the Public and Third Sectors. Her portfolios have included HIV/AIDS, Drug and Alcohol dependency, and Criminal Justice. She has undertaken work for the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in this regard. Yasmin has considerable Board level experience including having been on the Board of a large NHS Trust, Governor of the University of Hertfordshire and has also served as a Magistrate in the Youth and Adult Courts. Yasmin was recipient of the City of London Woman of Achievement Awards in respect to her work in the Public Sector. In 2022 Yasmin received an MBE.

Welcome from PILnet in Europe and Asia, October 20

Jean-Luc is a French lawyer who graduated from Harvard Law School and from Paris Law School (PhD). He has been a board member of PILnet for 3 years. He founded in 1995 the Association Droits d’Urgence (www.droitsdurgence.org), the largest French NGO working to ensure access to the rights and to justice of the most deprived persons. He chaired Droits d’Urgence for about twelve years. Droits d’Urgence has now around 50 employees and 300 volunteers. Jean-Luc has been awarded PILnet’s 2013 European Award in recognition of his “extraordinary contribution to the development of pro bono culture.” As a practicing lawyer (with, along the years, White & Case, Slaughter and May and Dentons), Jean-Luc is a well-known player in Private Equity, both in France and in Africa.

Speaker: How Pro Bono Lawyers Can Help Unaccompanied and Undocumented Children in Europe Gain Safety and Stability, October 20

Sue Bent is Director of Central England Law Centre, a charity which employs solicitors and advisors to provide free, independent advice and representation in areas of social welfare law, like housing, community care, welfare benefits, immigration and employment law. Much of its work focuses on migrant rights, advising not just on immigration and asylum, but on issues where status impacts on other rights, like entitlement to benefits; access to housing; protection from domestic violence. Sue has been in this post for 13 years and before that she was Director of Operations at Heart of England Housing Group, a housing association in Stratford upon Avon, and Head of Housing Management and Neighbourhood and Community Services at Coventry City Council. Central England Law Centre is the lead partner on Kids in Need of Defence UK, a collaboration between 5 NGOs which is unlocking pro bono capacity nationwide to provide advice and representation for children in immigration cases.

Speaker: Impact Investment and SDG 16, October 21

Kristin Bong is a lawyer in Allen & Overy’s pro bono team. In this role, she is responsible for organising pro bono projects that focus on access to justice, working to build the capacity of frontline legal advice providers in the UK. She also helps to organise the pro bono work of the social finance and impact investment group, leveraging the firm’s skills in developing structures for new products to achieve social objectives. Prior to joining the pro bono team, Kristin was a funds and asset management lawyer. Kristin is also an executive committee member of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, which focuses on the protection and promotion of human rights in the UK.

Speaker: Working with Vulnerable Clients: Trauma-Informed Advice from Clinical Psychologists, October 21

Jocelyn is a chartered clinical psychologis. Since qualifying in 2000, she has worked mainly in the field of adult mental health and has specialised in working with people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD further to human rights abuses including war trauma, childhood abuse, sexual and domestic violence, torture and trafficking. She has worked in a range of settings including South Africa and Turkey with trauma survivors. Jocelyn has worked part-time in the UK National Health Service at the Traumatic Stress Clinic, a specialist service for the assessment and treatment of Complex PTSD since 2005. She also runs a private psychological therapy and assessment practice and provides training, clinical supervision and reflective practice sessions to other health, social care and legal professionals. Together with her colleague Mary Robertson, she regularly offers training to lawyers working with vulnerable clients, supporting them to develop their skills in trauma-informed interviewing and case work with vulnerable clients; to manage their exposure to traumatic material and to optimise their self-care.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in Europe, October 19

Giovanni Carotenuto is the Chairman of Pro Bono Italia. Since the spring of 2014, he has been promoting and organising the meetings of the Italian Pro Bono Roundtable, and has inspired the establishment of Pro Bono Italia in May 2017. He regularly represents the association at national and international events related to pro bono, human rights and civil liberties. Admitted to plead before the Italian Supreme Court, Giovanni has practised the law for more than two decades, focusing on banking and financial services regulation, corporate/M&A, capital markets, and related litigation matters. Giovanni holds an LL.M. from Queen Mary College, University of London, and is a member of the International Bar Association, the Alumni Association of Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP and the Italian Bar (Rome).

Speaker: Understanding a Trafficking Survivor’s Journey, October 20th

Janice Chan is a Counselling Psychological Therapist specialising in post-trauma therapy and crisis intervention, and is a seasoned executive in nonprofit management. Her clinical experience includes work with ex-offenders across the London Prisons, before taking the role of Project Manager at the largest nonprofit in Hong Kong working with survivors of sexual violence. Prior to leading Sons & Daughters, she was Head of Psychosocial Services at an organisation that works with asylum seekers, refugees, and victims of trafficking. In addition to providing therapeutic interventions to survivors, she and her team developed training programmes on gender-based violence to frontline professionals.

Global Meeting of Corporate In-House Pro Bono Professionals, October 19

Ding Chen is the Assistant Director of PILnet’s Hong Kong office. She is a Hong Kong and Australian (New South Wales) qualified lawyer. She joined the team in May 2020 and works with the Director of the Hong Kong office to oversee PILnet’s Hong Kong programs, focusing on strengthening local pro bono legal practice to meet the needs of Hong Kong civil society. Prior to joining PILnet, Ding worked in compliance and risk control in the financial services sector, and also as senior dispute resolution lawyer with international law firms in Hong Kong, London and Australia. She also worked as an asylum lawyer and provided free legal assistance and information to refugees and asylum seekers in Greece and Hong Kong.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in South East Asia, October 19

Moderator: Examples of Legal Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Gabriela Christian-Hare is CEO of the Australian Pro Bono Centre, Australia’s government funded centre of leadership for pro bono legal services. The Centre’s mission is to grow participation and excellence in pro bono across the legal profession. Gabriela is a member of the Commonwealth Attorney-General Department’s National Legal Assistance Intergovernmental Committee’s Advisory Group and a founding member of Australia’s In-house Pro Bono Steering Committee. In 2020 she was invited to join Keynote Women, a global directory of keynote female speakers, in the area of responsible business and corporate social investment.

Speaker: Protecting the Future of the Planet, October 21

Jane Davidson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Emeritus at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, is author of #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country. From 2000 – 2011, Jane was Minister for Education, then Minister for Environment, Sustainability in the Welsh Government, where she proposed legislation to make sustainability the central organising principle; the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act came into law in 2015. She introduced the first plastic bag charge in the UK, and her recycling regulations took Wales to among the best in the world. A keen walker, she also created the Wales Coast Path. In Education, she piloted major curriculum changes, integrating Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship into the Welsh Curriculum.

Speaker: Global Meeting of Law Firm Pro Bono Professionals, October 19

Brenna DeVaney directs Skadden’s global pro bono practice and is responsible for the firm’s relationships with legal services organizations and nonprofits. Her own practice focuses on representing low-income individuals, including women in family law matters who have been the victims of domestic violence. Ms. DeVaney also is involved with the Skadden Honors Program in Legal Studies at The City College of New York, part of the firm’s effort to increase diversity in law schools and the legal profession. Additionally, she regularly consults with corporate legal departments on their efforts to develop in-house pro bono programs. In 2017, Ms. DeVaney received the Jeremy G. Epstein Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service awarded by the City Bar Justice Center and the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts award for outstanding pro bono counsel. In 2016, she was awarded the Public Interest Law Leadership Award by the Legal Aid Society for her commitment to the organization and its clients, as well as for her leadership role in the Association of Pro Bono Counsel and as the chair of the New York City Bar Association Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee where she has developed best practices in pro bono used around the country.

Speaker: Examples of Law Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Claire Donse leads the DLA Piper’s pro bono program in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the UK. Claire also works with New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s international pro bono initiative and nonprofit affiliate. Claire’s pro bono practice is focused in the areas of access to justice, child rights and capacity building. She establishes and oversees a diverse range of global pro bono initiatives. She develops high impact international pro bono projects and brings together teams of lawyers from across DLA Piper’s global offices to deliver these projects. She works to build partnerships and collaborates with commercial clients, NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies and others to achieve project goals. Claire has worked in law firms in Australia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Moderator: Global Clearinghouse Lab, The Americas and Europe – Exchange of Ideas, October 19

Jorge is the Director of Pro Bono Partnerships for the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice at the New York City Bar Association. In his role, he is responsible for managing the Vance Center’s partnerships with law firms, pro bono clearinghouses, and other legal institutions worldwide. Jorge also co-manages the Pro Bono Network of the Americas, which aims to foster collaboration among clearinghouses in Latin America in order to institutionalize pro bono practice in the region. Jorge co-founded and leads the Vance Center’s Keep Families Together initiative, which aims to support the legal representation of children and migrants separated in the U.S. by introducing local pro bono counsel in the children’s countries of origin to pro bono counsel in the U.S. Jorge started his career as the Pro Bono Specialist at Shearman & Sterling LLP,under the firm’s institutional pro bono program. He holds an M.A. in Human Rights from Columbia University and a B.A. in Social Anthropology from Harvard University.

Speaker: Building Legal Resilience to SLAPPs, October 21

Francesca Fanucci is an Italian/British lawyer who has worked in international and EU law for over 19 years. She is also a Fellow specialised in freedom of expression at the Center for Media, Data and Society, Central European University and a member of Internews’ Internet Freedom Expert Register. She is involved in projects at UN, Council of Europe and EU level, providing assistance and expertise to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the implementation of the Guidelines on the Right to Participate in Public Affairs;  to the UN Human Rights Council and the Council of Europe in developing standards addressing the impact of new technologies on civic freedoms; to the UN Human Rights Committee in developing standards on the rights of peaceful assembly and association; to the EU Commission, EU Fundamental Rights Agency and EU Council Member States in addressing attacks to civic space in Europe and in developing countries. Francesca is fluent in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Speaker: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Dr. David Fennelly, Assistant Professor in the School of Law, Trinity College Dublin, where until recently he has also served as Director of Clinical Legal Education. He is a practising barrister and regularly appears in litigation before the Irish courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Speaker: Examples of Legal Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Experienced in providing in-house advice in commercial, legal, risk and compliance matters, her scope is global with a particular focus on Europe, Asia and Middle East markets. Kelly is a collaborative leader and team player with an enjoyment for problem solving, capable of driving business and behavioural change. Kelly has consistently proven her ability to deliver complex global projects and does so with a calm and structured approach. She is naturally curious, considering both big picture and intricate details to provide thinking that is objective, reasoned and underpinned by her legal and commercial knowledge. Kelly seeks to inspire through her passion for people and believes that companies with a positive working environment retain their talent, which is a competitive advantage to achieve business outcomes in an increasingly digitalised landscape.

Moderator: Impact of Covid-19 on People in Vulnerable Situations, October 20

Tim joined the ICJ in October 2017. He is responsible for designing and implementing ICJ’s work around Economic, Social and Cultural rights in Africa and assists with ICJ’s global work on ESC rights and he has worked in a range of countries including South Africa, Swaziland, India, Myanmar and Uzbekistan. Before joining the ICJ, he worked as a Senior Researcher at the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (2016-17); as a Legal Researcher at SECTION27 (2013-16); and as a law clerk for Justice Zakeria Yacoob at the Constitutional Court of South Africa (2011-12). Tim has published various opinion pieces, book chapters, research reports, submissions to state and institutions, and peer reviewed journal articles. He holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Cape Town. He also holds a Master of Laws from the University of Michigan (2013) and a Master of Studies in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford (2017, with Distinction).

Moderator: Collaboration to Tackle Grand Corruption, October 20

Ádám Földes is a legal advisor for Global Anti-Corruption Consortium at the international secretariat of Transparency International (TI). Previously, in 2013-2015 he was in charge of producing TI’s report on enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Prior to that, he used to work in TI Hungary in various positions, including legal director and executive director. His field of anti-corruption expertise includes freedom of information, protection of whistleblowers, law enforcement, statutes of limitation, political financing, regulation of lobbying and also led the Advocacy and Legal Advice Center of TI Hungary. Before TI, he also worked for Access Info Europe (Madrid, Spain) and led the Freedom of Information and Privacy Program of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.

Moderator: How Pro Bono Lawyers Can Help Unaccompanied and Undocumented Children in Europe Gain Safety and Stability, October 20

Lisa Frydman is an international human rights lawyer and expert on child migration. Vice President for International Programs at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), she leads KIND’s work in Central America, Mexico, and Europe to ensure that children’s rights and well-being are protected as they migrate alone in search of safety. For two decades Lisa has worked to advance law and policy for refugee and immigrant children through direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, training and mentoring of attorneys, training of judges, and research and publication of numerous articles on child migration and refugee protection. She began her career representing children in immigration and child welfare proceedings. Lisa graduated U.C. Berkeley School of Law with honors.

Welcome from PILnet in Europe and Asia, October 20

Moderator:

• Partnering for Children’s Rights: Unfolding Collaborations, October 21
• Spark Talks: Covid-19 and Legal Responses, October 21

Judit Geller is Senior Legal Officer and is based in PILnet’s Budapest office. Judit is an experienced human rights lawyer who has been leading strategic litigation and legal advocacy challenging human rights abuses and discrimination of Roma in Europe. Prior joining to PILnet, Judit worked as a senior lawyer for the European Roma Rights Centre and represented victims of discrimination at domestic courts, at the European Court of Human Rights and UN Treaty bodies, focusing on advancing equality and access to justice for women and children. Judit holds a Master Degree in Law, an LLM in Children’s Rights, and a BA in Public Administration and is admitted to the Budapest Bar of Hungary.

Speaker: A Conversation with Rebecca Sandefur, October 20

Anne Geraghty Helms, Director and Counsel for US Pro Bono Programs, DLA Piper Helms is responsible for helping to develop, lead and manage DLA Piper’s pro bono program in the United States. With Legal Aid Chicago, she helped found and manages the firm’s free legal clinic in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, as well as a brief advice clinic for domestic violence victims in a suburban courthouse. She also worked with Legal Aid Chicago to found the Eviction Brief Advice Desk, a service for those facing eviction in Cook County. She currently is working with community leaders to design a virtual version of this program for once the city lifts its eviction moratorium. In 2012, Anne co-drafted the Report of the Legal Services Corporation’s Pro Bono Task Force. In her own practice, she has represented children and young adults in juvenile and criminal matters, tenants in eviction court, individuals seeking immigration relief, and individuals in prisoner’s rights matters. She has presented at law schools in Mexico City on pro bono and juvenile justice through the firm’s New Perimeter project. She serves on the board of the Chicago Bar Foundation and as Co-Chair of the ABA’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee.

Rebecca is a Counsel in the Pro bono practice at Ashurst, where she is responsible for the development and management of pro bono across offices in the United States, London, and Glasgow. Rebecca has worked in dedicated law firm pro bono management roles since 2007. Prior to this Rebecca worked at international human rights organisations, operating casework schemes in conjunction with pro bono lawyers. During 16 years of law firm pro bono practice management Rebecca has engaged and collaborated with the wider legal sector through several initiatives designed to increase pro bono impact. Rebecca sits on the Board of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, serving as Co-President from January 2020 to December 2021. She is a secretariat member for the UK Collaborative Plan for Pro Bono.

Speaker: Partnering for Children’s Rights: Unfolding Collaborations, October 21

Szilvia Gyurkó is a freelance child rights adviser and researcher. She graduated from ELTE Budapest with Msc. in Law in 2002 and got LLM at Columbia University New York in 2007. After graduation, she worked at National Institute of Criminology as criminologist and then she was the advocacy director of UNICEF Hungarian NatCom (2012-2014). In 2015, she wrote a best-selling book about child rights and divorce. She teaches child rights at CEU, ELTE and Szeged University; she publishes child rights related articles in several online and print media. Currently she runs the Hintalovon Foundation that develops child rights projects.

Ana Higuera is de Executive Director of the Fernando Pombo Foundation. In the Foundation, they co-counsel in projects designed for the involvement of pro bono lawyers with non-profit organisations. Ana is an expert in employment and social security law. Of particular note, she was the coordinator of the legislative proposal that created a new social security benefit in Spain for parents whose children are suffering a serious illness. She is also a lecturer at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) since 1998 and regularly collaborates with other universities. She was recognised by the International Bar Association in 2017 amongst the best pro bono lawyers worldwide. Before joining the Foundation, Ana was -for more than 15 years- a lawyer in the firm Uría Menénedez.

Speaker: Building Legal Resilience to SLAPPs, October 21

Charlie Holt is a legal adviser to Greenpeace International, where he focuses in particular on strategies to tackle deforestation and to build resilience to SLAPPs. Until 2018 Charlie’s main focus had been in the US, where he helped with the formation of the anti-SLAPP coalition Protect the Protest. Since then he has been focusing efforts in Europe, working with a broad network of advocacy groups to build the resilience of public watchdogs to SLAPPs across the continent. Prior to joining the Legal Unit at Greenpeace International, he worked as a legal consultant in Somaliland, where he worked with government ministries and state institutions to build up the territory’s justice sector in line with international human rights standards. Charlie is a member of the Bar of England & Wales and holds an LL.M. degree in international human rights law.

Speaker: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Dr. Andrew Jackson is Assistant Professor of Environmental Law at University College Dublin and a solicitor with O’Connell and Clarke Solicitors. Andrew has been involved in public interest environmental litigation for many years, including before the Irish, English and EU courts. He acted for Friends of the Irish Environment in ‘Climate Case Ireland’ before the Supreme Court and is currently acting for the same litigant before the Court of Justice of the EU in Case C-470/19, on public access to litigation documents.

Speaker: How Pro Bono Lawyers Can Help Unaccompanied and Undocumented Children in Europe Gain Safety and Stability, October 20

Siobhán is a legal caseworker for a pro bono project in Ireland run by the Immigrant Council of Ireland,the Irish Refugee Council and Kids in Need of Defense. Together with our pro bono partners she works to ensure unaccompanied minors are provided with child-friendly legal advice when applying for family reunification. Siobhán studied at the University of Edinburgh where she obtained an MA in History and Politics before going on to study law. Prior to working at the Immigrant Council of Ireland/Irish Refugee Council she practiced as a solicitor in a law centre in Scotland.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art : Pro Bono in Eurasia, October 19

Dr. Irakli Kandashvili is an Attorney in Georgia, admitted to practice law in all court instances of Georgia as well as in front of European Court of Human Rights (has won two cases at ECHR). Dr. Kandashvili is one of licensed mediator at Tbilisi City Court, accredited by Center of Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR London Office) as well as a first ever Labour Mediator in Georgian legal history (February-March 2014). Dr. Kandashvili is one of licensed and accredited mediator by International Training Center of International Labor Organization (ILO) in Mediation of Labour Disputes (April 2019). Dr. Kandashvili is a Chair of Mediators Association of Georgia from 2019. Irakli Kandashvili is a Board Member of Georgian Bar Association (mandatory Bar Association for practicing attorneys, GBA unites more than 5,000 practicing lawyers), dealing with CLE and Education Programs for Georgian lawyers, as well as is dealing with international donor organizations for GBA in Georgia. Dr. Kandashvili is Education Council Chair at GBA. Dr. Kandashvili is a full Member of International Bar Association (IBA).

Welcome Back from PILnet in Asia, October 21

After spending more than twenty years in private law practice and then another fifteen years on the business side of international commerce as business executive for a number of telecommunications and technology enterprises (McCaw International, Nextel International, Internap Network Services and Clearwire International), today Ping serves as a business advisor consulting with clients on cross border initiatives, primarily related to Greater China and is a co-founder and board member of a SmartGames Ltd, a Chinese edutainment media venture catering to school children in Greater China. In the civic arena, besides serving as a Board member of PILnet since 2014, Ping continues to be active with the Blakemore Foundation which awards grants for the advanced study of Asian languages where he was a board member for a number of terms commencing in 2000. In addition, until 2014 he served for 15 years as a Board member of Landesa (formerly the Rural Development Institute), an NGO which seeks to alleviate poverty through addressing land insecurity issues affecting the rural poor. During his legal career Ping was a partner at the Davis Wright Tremaine and Perkins Coie law firms and in the early 80’s practiced law had administrative responsibility for the Taipei office of Baker McKenzie. Ping is a graduate of Princeton University (BSE Chemical Engineering) and received his law degree from Columbia University.

Speaker: Impact Investment and SDG 16, October 21

Laura Kistemaker is co-founder and COO of Justice42. Justice42 is a social enterprise that developed the online divorce platform Uitelkaar.nl. Uitelkaar.nl helps couples to navigate one of the most challenging experiences in life – divorce. The partners are guided through all the divorce arrangements they need to make in a de-escalating way. The system combines input of both sides to come up with suggestions for the agreements. The result is a well-balanced divorce covenant and parenting plan, formalized in court. Previously, Laura worked at The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law. There, she was involved in Uitelkaar.nl’s predecessor Rechtwijzer and in various other innovative legal projects.

Speaker: Contemporary Issues in Digital Rights and Privacy, October 21

Jacqueline Klosek is Counsel in the Cybersecurity practice of Goodwin Procter LLP where she has practiced in the New York office since 2000.  Klosek, a Certified Information Privacy Professional, is the author of 7 books concerning privacy and security including Protecting Your Health Privacy.  At Goodwin she advises a wide range of technology companies on strategic matters regarding privacy and data security. She regularly handles the privacy and data security aspects of major transactions including privacy equity investments, mergers and acquisitions and IPOs, handling over 450 such transactions this past fiscal year. In addition to her JD from Cardozo Law School and BA from New York University, Klosek holds an LLM in International, European and Comparative Law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. She previously worked with Deloitte LLP in Brussels.

2020 Global Awards Ceremony, October 21

Eric Koenig worked as a senior attorney and regional lawyer at Microsoft’s European Headquarters from 1991-98, and as the head of Microsoft’s federal policy team in Washington, DC from 1998-2001. He retired from Microsoft in 2001. Eric also serves as Treasurer of the Appleseed Foundation, Board Chair of the American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and a board member of the Juvenile Law Center.

Speaker: Impact of Covid-19 on People in Vulnerable Situations, October 20

Christoph Kueppers is a partner in the Dusseldorf office of global law firm Hogan Lovells. Previously to joining Hogan Lovells in 2001, he was a partner at KPMG. Since 1992 Christoph has been advising corporations across the globe, predominantly insurers and reinsurers. Being a lawyer, MBA, certified tax advisor and chartered accountant, Christoph is focusing on tax, accounting, corporate and regulatory matters. Besides servicing clients, Christoph was a member of Hogan Lovells’ global management team from 2009 to 2014. Currently he is amongst the partners leading Hogan Lovells’ efforts on advancing racial justice and reducing unconscious biases. In his private life, Christoph spent 8 years on the council of his parish.

Speaker: Understanding a Trafficking Survivor’s Journey, October 20

Oleksandr Kyrylenko joined the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in April 2016. His portfolio covers victim protection issues, including in crisis contexts and while addressing child trafficking. Prior to this, Oleksandr implemented anti-trafficking projects with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, including piloting, adoption and implementation of Ukraine’s National Referral Mechanism for victims of trafficking in human beings. Oleksandr formerly headed the British Council’s regional centre in South-Eastern Ukraine and taught English at Donetsk National University. He holds a specialist diploma in English and French and an MA in Mass Communications from Leicester University.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, The Americas and Europe – Exchange of Ideas, October 19

Leire Larracoechea is Cofounder and Executive Director of Fundación Pro Bono España. Prior to that, Leire was the Director of Pro Bono Partnerships at the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, and Co- Coordinator of the Pro Bono Network of the Americas. She was responsible for the Pro Bono Partnerships Program, building and maintaining relationships with law firms, pro bono clearinghouses, and other legal institutions worldwide that collaborate with the Vance Center to give pro bono legal advice and support to nonprofit organizations. Previously, Leire worked at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, in its Pro-International Advocacy Program. Leire was awarded a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship to study the ingredients for developing pro bono service in Spain both at Harvard and at the Vance Center.

Speaker: Strategic Litigation: What Works, What Doesn’t, and How Can Pro Bono Help? October 20

Merryl Lawry-White is member of Debevoise & Plimpton’s International Dispute Resolution Group based in London. Merryl’s practice includes contentious and advisory work across public international law, investment treaty arbitration, commercial arbitration, international humanitarian and human rights law and transitional justice. She acts as counsel on claims and complaints brought before multiple international bodies, including international arbitral tribunals, the International Court of Justice, WTO panels, international conciliation commissions, human rights treaty bodies and domestic courts. Merryl has an active pro bono practice, advising and acting as counsel on complaints to human rights committees, to the European Court of Human Rights, the UK courts, on peace processes, transitional justice processes, and acting on expert committees related to reparation. Merryl is a member of the IBA’s Subcommittee on ESG and the Justice Rapid Response Roster of Experts for the investigation and reporting on international humanitarian law, human rights and criminal law violations. She is also a member of the International Law Association (British Branch) and frequently publishes and speaks on questions of public international law, human rights, and international arbitration.

Moderator: Global Meeting of Corporate In-House Pro Bono Professionals, October 19

Aurelie is Legal Transformation Manager at BNP Paribas and Pro Bono Coordinator for Europe, Middle-East and Africa since 2018.

Aurelie joined BNP Paribas in 2008 in Hong Kong as a derivatives Legal Counsel, and then headed the legal team for asset management in Asia. Prior to joining BNP Paribas, Aurelie practiced law at Allen & Overy in Paris.

Speaker: Impact Investment and SDG 16, October 21

Ronald Lenz works at the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law. Ronald runs the HiiL Justice Accelerator: a training and seed-fund program for startups that transform the justice sector. Ronald and his team work with justice innovators from the HiiL regional hubs in West Africa (Lagos), East Africa (Nairobi, Kampala), Southern Africa (Johannesburg), MENA (Tunis) and Ukraine (Kyiv). Since 2011 the Justice Accelerator has supported over 110 startups that work on Online Dispute Resolution, SME Contract Automation, Fraude & Finance, Crime & Security, Online Claiming and Community Justice Delivery.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in South East Asia, October 19

Giana is the Director/Board Member of Legal Centre for NGO. Giana has over 10 years experience as a lawyer and is specialised in not-for-profit law, charity law, labour law and competition law areas. Giana joined Legal Centre ForNGO since its establishment in 2012. Giana designs and leads most research projects of ForNGO. Giana is the author of ‘Guidelines on NGO’s Labour Law Practices and Risk Control’ and a co-author of ‘2012 Report on the Development of Philanthropic Laws in China’, Annual Report on China’s Civic Philanthropy Development (2012), ‘Law Manual for NGOs in China (2014 Edition), ’Charity Law Handbook (supported by UNDP in 2018). Giana frequently publishes articles on NGO-related legal matters on publications and websites, and provides NGO-related legal services to multinational companies with headquarters in US or Europe.

Matthew leads on openDemocracy’s technical concerns. From developing innovative engagement features to tackling privacy and security issues, he works to ensure effective and impactful journalism for the team. He runs the yourData project which seeks to bring together legal experts, technologists, designers and users to set standards for transparency in content personalisation on the web and elsewhere.

Speaker: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Fred is the principal of the law firm FP Logue, specialising in technology, intellectual property, information law and commercial law. Unusually for an Irish lawyer Fred has a science background and worked as an engineer before becoming a solicitor. Fred has extensive experience and expertise in licensing and exploitation of software and technology. He specialises in advising clients on strategy, contracts, transactions and disputes in business sectors where technology plays a key role, as well as online and digital markets. His clients include software companies, media organisations, NGOs and public authorities. Fred is also a leading information lawyer, advising on FOI, access to environmental information, data protection and privacy. Fred has acted in major information law cases before public authorities, administrative decision makers, Irish Courts, European institutions, and the United Nations.

Speaker: How Pro Bono Lawyers Can Help Unaccompanied and Undocumented Children in Europe Gain Safety and Stability, October 20

Eithne was appointed Pro Bono Associate at A&L Goodbody in 2018; the first appointment of its kind in Ireland. Alongside managing the firm’s pro bono practice Eithne represents clients before the International Protection Office and maintains an administrative law practice in the area of housing rights. Prior to joining A&L Goodbody Eithne worked with the Public Interest Law Alliance and developed rule of law projects, primarily in the area of criminal justice, in sub-Saharan Africa. Eithne is a guest lecturer at the Law Society of Ireland and currently sits on the Board of Irish Rule of Law International.

Moderator: Addressing Systemic Racism, October 20

Jacquelyn MacLennan offers more than 25 years of experience for clients worldwide, representing leading multinational corporations, governments and trade associations. She practices EU law with a focus on litigation and concentrates on competition law, trade and customs law, EU internal market free movement/regulatory/discrimination issues, in addition to European human rights law. Jacquelyn has substantial litigation experience presenting arguments before the EU courts and European Court of Human Rights, as well as amicus briefs before the US Supreme Court. Before working for White & Case, Jacquelyn was part of the External Trade team of the European Commission’s Legal Service. Jacquelyn leads White & Case’s Global Pro Bono Practice, and is actively involved in the African Centre on Law & Ethics Programme, where she teaches legal ethics and business and human rights to young lawyers and law students. She is on the Board of PILnet and Operation Fistula, which works to end fistula globally. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Europa Institute of the University of Edinburgh.

Moderator: Contemporary Issues in Digital Rights and Privacy, October 21

Adriano manages Thomson Reuters Foundation’s programme TrustLaw in Europe, connecting social enterprises and non-profits with law firms that can provide pro bono legal advice. Prior to joining the Foundation, Adriano co-founded KindLink, a social tech startup helping companies showcase their Corporate Social Responsibility activities and impact to increase their employee engagement and reputation. He is also the chairman of the KindLink Foundation, which provides free online tools to non-profit organisations so that they can showcase their impact and raise more funds from their supporters. In the past 7 years, Adriano has been working within the social enterprise sector in London, and he is always keen to learn about the newest trends in tech for good and data and digital rights.

Speaker: Rethinking Technology, Pro Bono, and Access to Justice, October 20

Carlos A. Manjarrez is the Chief Data Officer at the Legal Services Corporation, the largest single funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans in the United States. An urban planner by training, he leads a team of data scientists and social researchers charged with gathering, analyzing, and reporting on the state of civil legal needs and character of legal service delivery. Prior to LSC, he worked as a housing policy researcher at the Urban Institute and then served as the research director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, where he established the first cultural data collection program in the U.S. Federal Statistical System.

Julia Mayerhofer is currently the Interim Co-Executive Director.  She joined the team in July 2018 and in addition to leading the organization, she also oversees all operations and programs of PILnet in Asia. Previously she was with the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) for seven years and led the Network as Executive Director/Secretary General from 2015-2018. Prior to her work with APRRN, Julia worked with a refugee community center in Hong Kong where she supported fundraising, project development, and also community outreach. Julia is an Austrian national and has a B.A. in Educational Sciences and a M.A. degree in Development Studies. In addition she has participated in various trainings related to human rights/refugee rights and remains a strong interest in this area.

Moderator: Rethinking Technology, Pro Bono, and Access to Justice, October 20

Moderator: The Justice Gap and the Legal Profession, October 20

Garth Meintjes is the executive director of PILnet and is based in the organization’s New York office. Prior to joining PILnet, Garth served as the executive director of ISLP for nearly five years. In this role, he led the integration of the organization’s operations in the United States and Europe. Previously, Garth was chief operating officer at the International Legal Foundation, where he oversaw the expansion of their programs in Afghanistan and Nepal. Before this, he led the JEHT Foundation’s international justice program, which focused on challenging U.S. exceptionalism to international justice, particularly in its national security policies. Garth has a B.A. from the University of Stellenbosch, an LL.B. from the University of Cape Town, and LL.M. and JSD degrees from the University of Notre Dame.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab: State of the Art: Asia, October 19

Meenakshi Menon is the South Asia Program Analyst at iProbono and a lawyer. She works closely with the South Asia Regional Director and the Legal Analysts to develop and implement iProbono’s South Asia Program that aims to secure equal access to justice for all. She completed her Masters in Human Rights Law from Geneva Academy. Prior to joining iProbono, she was working with the Programme for Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Delhi, India.

Speaker: Contemporary Issues in Digital Rights and Privacy, October 21

Peter Micek is General Counsel and UN Policy Manager at Access Now, and Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Access Now is an international organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. Peter Micek leads the Legal arm, managing risk to global programming and operations, working closely with the Digital Security Helpline, Grants, and RightsCon, and engaging in strategic litigation. As UN Policy Manager, Peter advances international norms and law on digital rights, including issues like malicious spyware, internet shutdowns, and digital identity programs. Peter is also Lecturer at the Columbia Univ. School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) on internet governance and public policy in the digital age. Peter sits on the Advisory Board of the Univ. of Oklahoma College of Law’s Center for International Business and Human Rights, and formerly the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Cybersecurity.

Anastassiya Miller is a Senior Legal Officer, based out of the New York office. She is a Kazakh human rights lawyer with more than 10 years of experience in the human rights field, focusing on strategic litigation nationally and internationally. Anastassiya is a human rights trainer and specialist in the area of public control of closed facilities (pre-detention centers, prisons, mental hospitals, etc.).In 2015, she held an internship in Germany at the Institutfür Ostrecht, conducting research on various human rights issues in post-Soviet countries and drafting conclusions for the court. She graduated with an LL.M. degree in international human rights law from the University of Notre Dame in 2018.

Speaker: Protecting the Future of the Planet, October 21

Maria Generosa Mislang is a lecturer on Environment and Natural Resources Law at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, Philippines. She has been a member of Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense of Nature, a public interest environmental law office) since 1999 providing direct legal services to community clients and conducts community paralegal training and environmental legal education for communities, law enforcers, government agency and local government officials, lawyers, judges and prosecutors. In 2018-2019, she served as the National Coordinator of the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), a coalition of non-government organizations with legal program components that adhere to the principles and values of alternative or developmental law.

Speaker: Partnering for Children’s Rights: Unfolding Collaborations, October 21

Founder and Director of the HUG Project Thailand, under the Family Connection Foundation, Boom Mosby is dedicated to preventing, protecting, and restoring child victims of sexual abuse and human- trafficking. In June 2017, she was honored by the U.S. State Department as a TIP Report Hero as part of their 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report. Ms. Mosby is the first Thai woman to receive this distinction. EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS Career highlights include the opening of Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in Chiang Mai – the first children’s advocacy center in Southeast Asia- which she now directs; and the formation of TICAC (Thailand Internet Crimes Against Children) task force- in which she participates actively. As a TICAC member, Ms. Mosby collaborates with law enforcement and other agencies to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of Internet-facilitated crimes against children in Thailand. TICAC and CAC were mentioned in the TIP Report three years in a row. Her latest efforts include of the formation of TATIP (Thailand Anti Trafficking in Persons Taskforce) working with Thai law enforcement and related government sectors in protecting victim of human trafficking utilizing victim centric approach.

Speaker: Examples of Legal Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Ellie Mulholland is the London-based Director of the non-profit Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative and a Senior Associate in the climate risk governance team of commercial law firm MinterEllison. Ellie sits on the steering committee of The Chancery Lane Project, a pro bono collaboration among the legal profession to re-wire contracts and laws to tackle climate change. She is also part of the core team of the Oxford University Sustainable Law Programme and a member of the Technical Working Group for the Climate Disclosure Standards Board.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab: America-Europe Exchange of Ideas, October 19

She graduated as an attorney and notary from Universidad Rafael Landívar; she has postgraduate studies in Constitutional Law from the Constitutional Court of Guatemala, as well as a certificate in legal English from Pontificia Universidad Javierana de Bogotá. Claudia is the executive director of Fundación Pro Bono Guatemala (currently being established), in which coordination from Central American countries is being done specifically in pro bono cases. For several years she worked as program director for the public defense division at the URL Law School, where she also taught Constitutional Law and Theory of the State. In addition to that, she was in charge of the Legal Enforcement Division, which followed up on migrant services, as well as coordinating the legal departments of some law firms, and handling cases in the Department of Registry Operations at the General Registry of Real Estate. Her areas of expertise include Constitutional Law, Corporate Law, Law of Banking, Registry Law, Notarial and Contract Law, as well as project management and supervision. She is currently using her knowledge, experience and trajectory as an attorney and notary to make contributions in matters of social service.

Speaker: Global Meeting of Corporate In-House Pro Bono Professionals, October 19

Maree is General Counsel, Asia Pacific for Aquila Capital.  She has broad transactional experience in corporate, commercial and financing transactions, with a focus on renewable energy and infrastructure projects.

In 2018 Maree was honoured to win the “General Commercial” award the Global Counsel Awards at an event in New York and was included in ALB’s In-house Counsel “40 Under 40” List for Asia Pacific in 2018.

Maree has lived and worked in Singapore for 13 years (originally from Australia).  Before moving to an in-house role, Maree was a senior associate at Latham & Watkins in Singapore.  She is a board member of the Association of Corporate Counsel in Singapore.  Maree has been actively involved in the pro bono community in Singapore, serving in various roles to facilitate pro bono opportunities for international lawyers in Singapore.

Moderator: Working with Vulnerable Clients: Trauma-Informed Advice from Clinical Psychologists, October 21

Becca is a Senior Associate in Reed Smith’s Pro Bono Team and Head of Pro Bono for Europe, The Middle East and Asia. Becca joined the firm in February 2014. Becca has worked in Greece and Jordan as part of our Refugee Protection Project. In 2018, Becca went on a part time secondment to Safe Passage as Joint Head of Casework & Programmes to assist on reuniting unaccompanied children with their relatives in Europe. Becca works on cases for undocumented children who have the right to remain in the UK with Kids In Need of Defense UK. Becca previously volunteered at Reprieve, in their Abuses in Counter Terrorism Team and during her training contract went on secondment to Liberty, the civil rights organisation.

Andrej Nosko is PILnet’s Interim Co-Executive Director. Prior to joining PILnet, Andrej was head of a division at an international foundation overseeing portfolios on policy research, innovation, democracy, governance, anti-corruption, and law enforcement. There he also spearheaded design, innovation and uptake of new technologies in research and communication. Andrej also worked for European Commission on law enforcement and internal security. Nosko received his PhD (Summa Cum Laude) in political science from Central European University in Budapest.

Currently working on establishing PILnet’s Environment and Climate Justice program and increasing awareness of civil society to opportunities that Environmental, Social, and (Corporate) Governance (ESG) offers.

Speaker: Understanding a Trafficking Survivor’s Journey, October 20

Leah is an advocate of the high court of Kenya having practiced as such for the past eight years, representing a diverse range victims of crime. Her passion for victim rights within the justice system lead to her appointment as the vice-chairperson for the Victim Protection Board of Kenya. Leah continues to dedicated her time offering pro bono representation to victims of child sexual abuse and human trafficking. When not tucked in the couch catching up on movies, Leah loves socializing. She is also the official arbitrator for dispute resolution among her three children on a daily basis. Leah is YALI Fellow, completed the Public Management track of Mandela Washington Fellowship at Bridge Water State University. She attained her LLB degree at Makerere University Uganda and is currently pursuing her LLM degree.

Moderator: Understanding a Trafficking Survivor’s Journey, October 20

Sophie Otiende describes herself as a feminist, teacher, and survivor advocate for human trafficking. She has worked with grassroots organizations for the last decade, primarily in program development, management, and fundraising. She is dedicated to growing grassroots organizations to develop programs that influence policy change and ensuring that survivors are included in all interventions. For the past, seven years she worked with Awareness Against Human Trafficking to start and manage their protection department. In this capacity, she coordinated all services offered to survivors of trafficking, started a shelter dedicated to survivors of trafficking and also authored three manuals on creating awareness on human trafficking and best practices for assisting survivors of trafficking. She currently serves at the board of HAART and works for Liberty Shared as the Regional Operations Manager – Africa where she works with organizations to train on data management, ethical case management practices and implement Liberty Shared’s Victims Case Management System. She is also the recipient of the Trafficking in Persons Report Hero 2020.

Speaker: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Cara O’Mahony is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Law and the Environment at University College Cork.  She is working on the Teaching Environmental Law for Policy Innovation and Impact project funded by the Higher Education Authority and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Speaker: Examples of Legal Professionals Tackling Climate Change, October 20

Marion has spent over 20 years working with lawyers on scientific matters relevant to their legal practices. She is a founder member of the Science Unit which was formed to streamline the acquisition and processing of scientific evidence in scientifically complex legal matters resulting in a more precise and economical service for clients. Her expertise lies in the identification of the relevant scientific themes in complex matters, identification of expert witnesses, analysis of scientific material and briefing lawyers with the information essential to their successful handling of the matter. She has considerable experience of co-ordinating the provision of scientific material in cases bridging several jurisdictions to ensure consistency and accuracy of scientific argument.  Marion’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including life sciences and health care, retail and consumer goods, food and beverages, and media and telecoms.

Speaker: Strategic Litigation: What Works, What Doesn’t, and How Can Pro Bono Help? October 20

Markella Papadouli has been associated with The AIRE Centre since 2012 and she returned in 2013. Markella is a UK Registered, Greek qualified, European lawyer and AIRE Centre’s Europe Litigation Coordinator. In this capacity she coordinates the AIRE Centre strategic litigation team, specialising on taking asylum, and trafficking cases before the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the EU. She leads the AIRE Centre’s asylum, law of the sea, and trafficking work, providing free legal advice and representation to victims of trafficking, the delivery of training to relevant stakeholders and the representation of the AIRE Centre at conferences and meetings worldwide on both issues of interest. Markella represents the AIRE Centre in the Frontex NGO Consultative Forum and the EASO Consultative Forum. Markella is a Lecturer at London South Bank University for the Msc in Refugee Studies on European Asylum Law and Policy and International Refugee Law since 2013.

Moderator: Global Clearinghouse Lab: Kickoff & Exchange of Ideas, October 19

Giulia Patane is a Senior Legal Officer at PILnet’s Hong Kong office. Giulia is leading the Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Project across five jurisdictions in the region (Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Hong Kong) since 2018. She holds an Integrated Master Degree in Law, a Specialization Degree in Law and a Master of Art in Human Rights. After working for a civil and criminal law firm and assisting the Public Prosecutor Office in Italy, Giulia moved to Asia in 2012 to design and implement NGOs and academic projects predominantly investigating Access to Justice for victims of trafficking in the South East Asian territory.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in Europe, October 19

Rachel works with FLAC’s Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), a public interest law network that seeks to engage the legal community and civil society in using the law to advance social change in Ireland.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in Europe, October 19

Kai Praum has been with UPJ as project manager since 2019. His responsibilities include the coordination of the UPJ Clearinghouse, a project to provide Pro Bono Legal Advice for Non-Profits project. Prior to this, the sociologist was editor-in-chief of a CSR magazine and a magazine for foundations and philanthropy.

Speaker: Collaboration to Tackle Grand Corruption, October 20

Paul Radu (@IDashboard) is a co-founder and co-executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project www.occrp.org a co-creator of the Investigative Dashboard concept https://id.occrp.org/, of Visual investigative Scenarios visualization software vis.occrp.org and a co-founder of RISE Project www.riseproject.ro a platform for investigative reporters and hackers in Romania. He has held a number of fellowships, including the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship in 2001, the Milena Jesenska Press Fellowship in 2002, the Rosalyn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in 2007, the 2008 Knight International Journalism fellowship with the International Center for Journalists as well as a 2009-2010 Stanford Knight Journalism Fellowship. He is the recipient of numerous awards including in 2004, the Knight International Journalism Award and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, in 2007, the Global Shining Light Award, the Tom Renner Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, the 2011 the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting and a 2015 European Press Prize. Paul is an Ashoka Global fellow and a board member with the Global Investigative Journalism Network gijn.org and other organizations. Paul was working the Panama Papers and the Russian, Azerbaijani and the Troika Laundromat.

Speaker: Building Legal Resilience to SLAPPS, October 21

Katie Redford is a lawyer with expertise in international law, human rights and environmental justice.  She is currently the Executive Director of The Equation Campaign, a new ten-year a new ten-year funding initiative working to bring about a safe and just future by enhancing the power of movements to keep oil and gas in the ground. The Equation Campaign supports the climate movement by funding resistance on the ground and diminishing the industry’s sources of financial support; making grants for strategic litigation and the legal defense of activists; and working to revoke the industry’s social license by countering their deception with fact-based projections that a clean and just economy is attainable now.  Prior to her work there, she co-founded and served as the Director of EarthRights International, an international NGO that combines the power of law and the power of people in defense of human rights and the environment.  She is an Echoing Green Fellow, and Ashoka Fellow, and a member of the Massachusetts Bar and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Speaker: Rethinking Technology, Pro Bono and Access to Justice, October 21

Roman is a human rights defender, civil rights activist practicing lawyer with more than 8 years of experience in the field of civil rights, focusing on direct legal assistance in civil cases. He is a specialist, in the area of election law, freedom of assembly, right to justice and a fair trial. He is an active participant of the Coalition of the New Generation of Human Rights Defenders of Kazakhstan, which took an active part in preparing an alternative report of the Universal Periodic Review from Kazakhstan for the first time in 2019, as well as presented his report in Geneva, Switzerland. As a civil rights activists he is a specialist of preparation and providing an independent observation of campaigns during the Kazakhstani election period and a trainer of independent observers.

Speaker: Working with Vulnerable Clients: Trauma-Informed Advice from Clinical Psychologists, October 21

Mary Robertson is a Chartered Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has been working in the field of adult mental health for 30 years. She trained in South Africa and was the head of the specialist Trauma Clinic in South Africa at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, in Johannesburg as well as elsewhere in Africa consulting on trauma care in conflict zones such as Rwanda. Since 2004, she has been the head of the Traumatic Stress Clinic at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist service for the assessment and treatment of complex PTSD. Over the past twenty years, she has specialised in working with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a range of different contexts. In these roles, she has assessed and provided evidence-based treatment to hundreds of trauma survivors including torture survivors, trafficking victims, veterans, child abuse survivors and people traumatised as a result of terrorist attacks and major incidents. She has trained, supervised and offered consultation to a range of professionals working with PTSD including doctors, psychologists, nurses and legal professionals.

Speaker: Protecting the Future of the Planet, October 21

Richard worked as a barrister in London, an attorney in San Francisco, and a senior United Nations lawyer at several UN war crimes tribunals – he was the Senior Legal Officer at the Appeals Chamber of the UN Tribunal for Yugoslavia, Principal Defender at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and Chief Legal System Monitor in Kosovo. Richard has particular expertise in the cross-section between international criminal law and mass environmental destruction, and testified to this issue before the US Congress. He is a founding partner of Global Diligence LLP (an international legal advisory firm specialising in international crime and human rights) and Executive Director of Climate Counsel (a non profit focusing on environmental crimes). He is a Member of an expert Panel being established to develop a new definition of ‘ecocide’ under international criminal law. Richard is on the advisory board of the Stop Ecocide Foundation and a Trustee of Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre (Guyana).

Welcome from PILnet in North America, October 20

Travis Rundlet is Managing Partner of Rundlet Advisory PLLC, a corporate and transactional law firm based in New York City.  Prior to founding Rundlet Advisory PLLC, Mr. Rundlet was associated with the New York law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.  Mr. Rundlet holds a B.A. With Honors from Williams College, a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Moderator: Climate Change, Human Rights, and Public Interest Law, October 20

Dr. Áine Ryall (Convenor/Moderator) is Co-Director of the Centre for Law and the Environment at University College Cork.  A qualified barrister, she is Vice-Chair of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee.  She is currently leading a research project on Teaching Environmental Law for Policy Innovation and Impact funded by the Higher Education Authority and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. 

Moderator: Protecting the Future of the Planet, October 21

Rowan Ryrie is a lawyer from the UK who has co-founded parent-focussed climate movements in the UK and globally (Parents For Future UK/Global). Rowan previously worked for Oxfam, EarthRights International and ClientEarth and since becoming a mother to two young girls, has brought her years of human rights and environmental law to grassroots climate organising. Her focus is now on expanding intergenerational climate activism and engaging professionals alongside grassroots activists in securing a healthy planet all our children’s future.

Leila Saad is the Executive Director of PILnet and is based in the organization’s New York office. She served as Deputy Director from 2019 through 2021. Prior to joining PILnet, she was a non-profit consultant for many years, working with organizations in the New York and Washington, D.C., areas. Previously, she worked at the JEHT Foundation, where she helped run the International Justice grantmaking portfolio to challenge U.S. exceptionalism to international law and legal mechanisms. She is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, where she studied international political economy. 

2020 Global Awards Ceremony, October 21

Barbara A. Schatz is Clinical Professor of Law Emerita at Columbia Law School where she has taught and supervised students in representing nonprofit organizations since 1986. Her principal areas of interest are nonprofit organizations, social enterprise, community development, and clinical teaching.​​She has served on the PILnet board since its incorporation in 2006 and chaired the board from 2006 until 2017. She currently serves on the boards of The Bank Street College of Education, Trickle Up, and Nonprofit New York.  She also serves on the Emeritus board of Human Rights First, an organization that she co-founded and on the board of which she served for more than 35 years. She has taught and consulted with law faculties in China, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Poland, Hungary, and several other countries in central and eastern Europe in connection with their efforts to establish clinical legal education programs. Prior to joining the faculty of Columbia, she served as executive director of the Council of New York Law Associates (now the Lawyers Alliance for New York). As director, she administered a pro bono program for 1,800 lawyers, created the organization’s Community Development Legal Assistance Center and co-founded Court Appointed Special Advocates, a program of advocacy for children in foster care, as well as Human Rights First. She also represented nonprofits, particularly developers of low-income and special needs housing, in corporate, tax and real estate matters.

Speaker: Impact Investment and SDG 16, October 21

Johannes leads the private sector engagement activities helping companies have a greater positive impact when working in conflict-affected countries. His responsibilities include oversight of company assessment and engagement for the Peace Investment Fund. Johannes joined PeaceNexus with experience in both the private and public sectors. Previously, he was with the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, where he worked on a range of policy development and programme management issues such as identifying innovative financing options for peacebuilding and managing a US $30 million portfolio of Peacebuilding Fund investments in Liberia, South Sudan and the Philippines. Before that, he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Oikocredit, Revenue Watch Institute and the World Bank. During his five-year period at BCG, a portion of his work was focused on consumer goods, private equity and social impact. Through his work, Johannes has lived in the USA, the Netherlands, Ghana and South Sudan. Johannes has a Bachelors and a Masters degree from the University of Amsterdam and has also studied at Sciences Po, Paris. He speaks Dutch, English and French.

Jasmine Simperingham is currently the Global Project Coordinator (Forced Displacement) with the Hong Kong Office. She is working with the global legal community to use the power of law to protect and find solutions for refugees and others forcibly displaced. Jasmine joined the team in September 2020, coming to PILnet with over 15 years of international experience in the refugee protection, human rights and justice sectors. This includes more than 8 years experience with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as well as experience in the legal and justice sectors working for government authorities in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Jasmine holds a Master of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, specializing in international human rights and international criminal law.

Speaker: Collaboration to Tackle Grand Corruption, October 20

Till Steinvorth is a partner at the European law firm Noerr LLP. He is a member of the firm’s Regulatory & Governmental Affairs group, advising primarily on antitrust and competition law as well as on the installation and implementation of compliance programmes. Till has provided pro bono legal advice on competition and on anti-corruption issues. Before joining Noerr’s Hamburg office in 2020, he practiced in several other European cities, including in Düsseldorf, London, Brussels and Berlin.

Welcome Back from PILnet in Europe, October 21

Diane Stewart is an attorney, international legal consultant, investor and board member (profit and non-profit). A former BigLaw partner, she now has her own corporate legal and advisory practice specializing in corporate finance transactions and general counsel services to private US and international companies and to private equity and social impact investors. She also serves on the board of directors of Dallas-based Pieces Technologies, Inc. (a healthcare technology company) and is a venture partner in Ascension Ventures UK (a venture capital investment group investing in UK start-ups).

Speaker: Collaboration to Tackle Grand Corruption, October 20

Joe manages the pro bono legal services portfolio at Advocates for International Development (‘A4ID’), a global legal charity working at the intersection of law and development to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and eradicate global poverty by 2030. He is passionate about prioritising access to justice by the non-profit ‘third sector’ in order for them reach their true potential impact on a global scale. Qualified as a barrister and solicitor in Australia, Joe’s work in private practice as a commercial litigator in a large international law firm include Royal Commissions of Inquiry into fraud leading to two of the largest collapses in Australian corporate history. Developing of an expertise in financial crime, he also worked on global asset-tracing and recovery proceedings on behalf liquidators in the context of large scale fraud. Highlights of his other international work include a successful prosecution in the first case at the International Criminal Court for recruitment of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, assisting the pre-trial judge in a terrorism trial against the Hezbollah accused in the assassination of Lebanese President Hariri, and the overturning if the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda.

Speaker: Impact of Covid-19 on People in Vulnerable Situations, October 20

Katrine Thomasen is a Senior Legal Adviser for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights where she has worked since 2013. Previously, she worked with the Open Society Justice Initiative, Human Rights Watch and the International Service for Human Rights. Katrine has substantial experience working with a range of stakeholders on human rights advocacy and the use of international human rights standards to advance SRHR. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in law from the University of Copenhagen.

Welcome Back from PILnet in North America, October 21

Laura Tuell is the Firmwide head of Pro Bono at Jones Day and continues her efforts as an active pro bono practitioner representing numerous immigrants seeking asylum, particularly women seeking protection against gender persecution. Laura also has experience in housing discrimination, voting rights, landlord-tenant law, and death penalty issues. She was instrumental in working with the D.C. Bar to create the Free Legal Advice and Referral Clinic and has participated in that clinic for more than 10 years. Laura is chair of the board of the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and secretary of the board of Bread for the City. Among many awards for her efforts, she was named D.C. Bar Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art:  Pro Bono in Eurasia, October 19

Alexander Turcan founded the firm in 1999. Alexander’s practice focuses primarily on the areas of corporate and commercial, banking and finance, telecommunications, energy, real estate, tax and non-profit law, as well as dispute management. He is recognized as the leading lawyer for business and investment in Moldova by clients, peers and international market researchers (Chambers Global/Europe, Legal 500, IFLR1000, PLC Which Lawyer?, Who’s Who Legal in M&A, etc.).  Alexander has been involved in some of the most complex projects in Moldova, acting as legal advisor for international finance organizations, foreign governmental agencies, transnational corporations, regional investors in such sectors as energy, telecommunication, banking and finance, food processing, retail and distribution, as well as the traditional Moldovan wine and brandy industry. Alexander Turcan is also involved in the development of Moldovan legislation and is an active member of the country’s business community.

Welcome from PILnet in North America, October 20

Suzanne E. Turner is a partner and the chair of Dechert’s firm-wide Pro Bono practice, which provides legal representation to individuals and organizations that otherwise could not afford it. Her practice involves a wide range of human rights and civil rights litigation. Throughout her career, Ms. Turner has been active in many organizations focused on access to justice and civil rights issues. Currently, Ms. Turner is co-chair of the board of PILnet and a board member of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. From 2005-2009, she served as a member of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. She is the former chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Public Interest Section, founded and co-chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Law Firm Pro Bono Committee and served as vice-chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities Equal Access to Civil Justice Committee.

Speaker: Protecting the Future of the Planet, October 20

Dennis van Berkel is legal counsel to the Urgenda Foundation in the Netherlands, the organisation which won the first case in the world in which a government was ordered to increase its climate change ambitions based on its human rights obligations. He is the co-founder and co-director of the Climate Litigation Network, which supports litigation around the world that seeks to increase national climate mitigation ambitions.

Speaker: Collaboration to Tackle Grand Corruption, October 20

Eva is a financial crimes barrister and investigator, she leads ILP’s Anti-Corruption, Environment and Media Defence projects globally. She previously worked at Transparency International for several years, as TI UK’s legal counsel and for TI’s global Defense Program, where she led anti-corruption projects in Ukraine, Nigeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, and the DRC, among others. Eva managed the movement’s flagship Government Defense Anti-Corruption Index, TI’s largest ever international assessment, evaluating 136 countries’ governance controls. After the Rose Revolution, she moved to Tbilisi to work for TI’s Rep. of Georgia chapter, where she also served as a member of the Rule of Law Subcommittee at the American Chamber of Commerce, advising on state asset misappropriation and monitoring court proceedings. Previously Eva worked for Goldman Sachs and UBS, advising on anti-money laundering, for the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s market abuse division and for PwC’s Forensic Investigations Team, where she specialized in asset tracing and seizure investigations. A UK qualified barrister and Middle Temple Scholarship recipient, she worked as a lead researcher for ‘Insider Dealing: Law and Practice’, published by Oxford University Press.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab: State of the Art Pro Bono in Eurasia, October 19

Vitalii Vlasiuk is an advocatewith a Ph.D. in International Law. Vitalii graduated from the Institute of International Relations of the Kyiv National University of Taras Shevchenko in 2012. Mr. Vlasiuk researches in International Law mainly: use of force, Rtop, hybrid warfare, asset tracing and recovery, jus in bello. Also, he works with the ECtHR practice and artificial intelligence legal regulation. A number of his works has been published, including abroad (in English). As a legal professional, Vitalii is a managing partner with the ‘ePravo Law Firm’ (since 2012), the most important practice of which is connected to Antitrust, Asset Recovery and IT Law: intellectual property, contracts, e-commerce, tech and white collar crimes. Vitalii Vlasiuk is the Chair of International Law Committee of UNBA, and the Deputy Chair of the International Relations Committee. Among his main responsibilities is to develop international connections of the UNBA: cooperation with regional and international bars’ organisations, UNBA representative offices establishing, communication with diplomatic missions. A number of pro bono projects are being leaded by Vitalii: assisting a children house to get back its property, drafting a bill to fight bullying in schools etc.

Speaker: Partnering for Children’s Rights: Unfolding Collaborations, October 21

Priya Watwani is a Senior Program Analyst and lawyer at iProbono’s New Delhi office. After gaining in-house corporate experience, Priya built an expertise in child protection at iProbono with a focus on India’s POCSO legislation. She manages iProbono’s Child Rights Litigation Program working with various child rights organisations and lawyers at a national level to ensure legal representation at court for child survivors of sexual abuse. Priya also supports legal interventions and capacity building on domestic abuse, minority rights and other social justice issues with an aim to promote and build a culture of pro bono.

Speaker: Strategic Litigation: What Works, What Doesn’t, and How Can Pro Bono Help? October 20

Adam joined ClientEarth, an environmental NGO, in March 2020. He is involved in ClientEarth’s work to combat chemical and plastic pollution and overfishing, and to support sustainable seafood. He is a lawyer who previously worked for NGOs defending victims of human rights violations in Europe, particularly migrants and ethnic minorities. Before joining Client Earth, he had a wide-ranging practice at the European Roma Rights Centre, including litigation spanning eighteen countries, with cases before national courts, the European Court of Human Rights, UN treaty bodies, and the European Committee of Social Rights. Before that, Adam worked at the AIRE Centre in London, working on migrants’ rights under EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights. Adam is a member of the board of two NGOs: the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (Brussels) and Focus on Labour Exploitation (London). He has published numerous academic articles and blogs and has trained lawyers, judges, and NGOs. He holds an LLM from King’s College (University of London), a JD from Columbia Law School, a diplôme d’études approfondies from the University of Paris-IV (La Sorbonne), and an undergraduate degree from Harvard University. He speaks English, French, Spanish, and Hungarian.

Speaker: How Pro Bono Lawyers Can Help Unaccompanied and Undocumented Children in Europe Gain Safety and Security, October 20

Phil is the Managing Director of European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL), an NGO that provides free legal assistance to asylum seekers on the Greek islands of Lesvos and Samos through its team of Greek lawyers and volunteer European lawyers. Phil has been running ELIL on Lesvos for almost five years and, prior to that, worked in London as a solicitor for six years. Phil studied at the University of York, the University of Cambridge and BPP Law School.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, State of the Art: Pro Bono in Eurasia, October 19

Speaker: State of the Art: Pro Bono in sub-Saharan Africa, October 19

Teresa Yates is National Director of ProBono. She has not only legal training, but a background in human rights and development on the continent. In her 18 years of experience, she has worked at NGOs, for government and as an independent researcher and evaluator. She has acquired not only a range of important management skills, but has also been directly involved in strategic planning, law reform and policy development, fundraising and budgeting, monitoring and writing, and leading diverse teams. Teresa led substantial design work on Alternative Dispute Resolution in the South African Department of Land Affairs in 2000s, where she worked in the Tenure Directorate. She has also worked as the Deputy National Director of the Legal Resources Centre, gender justice coordinator with Oxfam in Tanazania, the South African government and Nkuzi Development Association, a South African land organization focusing specifically on farm workers, land rights and land reform.

Speaker: Global Clearinghouse Lab, The Americas and  Europe –  Exchange of Ideas, October 19

Martin Zapiola Guerrico was the founding president of Comisión Pro Bono, within the Buenos Aires Law Association (2000-2008) and is currently a member of its Advisory Board. He is also member of the Executive Committee of Red Pro Bono de las Americas (a network of pro bono initiatives in the Americas). Martín has been practicing the law for more than three decades and specializes in Insurance Law, Civil Liability, New Technologies and Complex Litigation. He is founding partner of the law firm Zapiola Guerrico & Asociados.

Speaker: Building Legal Resilience to SLAPPs, October 21

Lady Nancy Zuluaga Jaramillo joined the Resource Centre in December 2019 as a Legal Researcher with the Civic Freedoms & Human Rights Defenders and Corporate Legal Accountability programs. Prior to joining the Centre, Lady Nancy was a staff attorney at the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) where she was directly entrusted with cases pending before the Inter-American System of Human Rights in Central America. At CEJIL she worked on issues regarding gross human rights violations, economic social and cultural rights, migration and persons deprived of their liberty. Lady Nancy has also been a lecturer in Public International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at the University of Medellin where she was also the coordinator of a research seminar on the Inter-American System of Human Rights. She also has experience working in the Judicial Branch in Colombia. Lady Nancy holds a Law degree from the University of Medellin (Colombia), and an LL.M in International Human Rights Law from the University of Notre Dame (USA).