100% of the 19 projects pitched at the UK and Europe Refugee Rights Roundtables have been matched with at least one legal partner, unlocking hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free legal services for NGOs and Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) in the UK and Europe.
To foster inclusive refugee rights pro bono partnerships and collaborations in the UK and Europe, PILnet partnered with UNHCR, EU-COMAR, Pro Publico, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Herbert Smith Freehills, and LawWorks to organize two Refugee Rights Pro Bono Pitching Roundtables in the UK & Ireland, and the rest of Europe in October 2024. Building on the successful of similar roundtables in Asia (2020 and 2022), the Roundtables were designed to provide a platform for NGOs and Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) to pitch needs-driven projects to the legal community, facilitate new pro bono partnerships and support the implementation of the GRF Legal Community Pledge in the region.
Twelve NGOs and RLOs presented a variety of projects at the Roundtables. Following the pitches, interested law firms held discussions with the presenting organizations to explore the projects further. A total of 19 projects were pitched, including:”
Projects relating to the organizational legal needs of an NGO or RLO, such as legal advice on digital policies, the recruitment of people with lived experience, and the establishment of a new refugee rights project in Cyprus.
Projects relating to the legal needs associated with certain programmes being run by the organization, such as legal support with researching and drafting specialized multi-jurisdictional resources for lawyers and refugees, direct legal assistance to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in the UK and the r completion of freedom of information requests for asylum-seekers that had been rejected by Germany.
The Roundtables have sparked a number of new innovative partnerships, as highlighted by the collaboration between four law firms and the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU). At the UK Roundtable, GMIAU pitched two related projects for pro bono support to help refugees navigate the upcoming e-visa system, set to launch in 2025.
“GMIAU were delighted to have received such interest in our projects. By working in partnership with the 4 firms, we are now able to offer an additional service to our clients, and raise awareness of the forthcoming changes to how refugees and others within the immigration system are required to prove their status. Without the pro bono support, this vital work would not be possible.”
Two law firms will collaborate to create accessible legal guides and videos in multiple languages to inform refugees about the new system, while the other two will provide hands-on legal assistance at GMIAU premises to support refugees to apply for their e-vsias. This collaborative effort will ensure that refugees can continue to prove their status and access their rights – such as employment, housing and healthcare – under the new system.
The following law firms were matched to provide legal support for the projects: Herbert Smith Freehills, White & Case, Dechert, Linklaters, DLA Piper, Freshfields, Orrick, Simmons & Simmons, Squire Patton Boggs UK, Arthur Cox, Clyde & Co, Clifford Chance, and Norton Rose Fulbright.
If you missed out on pitching at the Roundtable but have a project that could benefit from pro bono legal support, please submit this Legal Assistance Intake Form and we will get back to you.
If you wish to provide pro bono support for projects designed to increase access to rights, justice, and solutions for refugees and others forcibly displaced, please contact us as [email protected].
