With a new counselor’s participation format, the Pro Bono Foundation held its 2019 Advisory Council meeting, which began with a commitment to hold two sessions annually.
The meeting that took place in the first semester was held in the offices of Guerrero Olivos, and was headed by the foundation’s president, Pablo Guerrero along with the president of the Advisory Council, Pedro Pablo Gutiérrez, and the foundation’s executive director, Carolina Contreras, in addition to the majority of board members. At the meeting, Carolina explained in detail the 27,612 hours of pro bono work reported in 2018 by lawyers from law firms and prosecutor’s offices, which were carried out by 895 professionals (31 average hours per lawyer) registering an increase in both indicators compared to previous years.
She also explained that the aid was provided to a wide spectrum of vulnerable groups, highlighting migrants and people with disabilities.
Regarding the more than 14 areas of law in which the foundation worked, the list was headed by corporate law (74%), labor law (54%), commercial law (54%), inheritance law (43%) and criminal law (40 %). Among the most common legal services provided were the delivery of legal advice (77%), representation in court (74%), modification of statutes (71%), constitution of non-profit organizations (65%) and legal education (63%).
Pro Bono 2020
After the presentation, the counselors worked in groups where they evaluated how the foundation functions and the mission and vision of the foundation, with the aim of generating a valuable debate to strengthen its role and define new challenges, upon the commemoration of the organization’s 20-year anniversary.
Each working table had the active participation of a Pro Bono director, who was key in transferring strategic and operational aspects of the organization’s work.
Among the aspects addressed by the counselors were the period of permanence in this position, the renewal and the key role they play within law firms and prosecutors’ offices for encouraging volunteering among their teams. They also discussed the need for the foundation to address new issues and the opportunities offered to young lawyers by including in this work. Participants also discussed challenges in terms of positioning the relationship with law schools throughout the country.
The meeting was attended by: José Tagle Q., Francisco Pfeffer U., Guillermo Morales E., Pablo Mir B., Juan Tagle Q., Michael Grasty C., Rodrigo Velasco A., Juan Pablo Matus, José María Eyzaguirre G., Gonzalo Fernández R., Nancy De La Fuente H., Marianela Villarroel V., Juan Pablo Olmedo B., Matías Insunza T., Verónica Undurraga V., Macarena Ravinet L., Rony Jara A., Pilar Aspillaga V., and Ciro Colombara L.
September 4th, 2019
Source: Pro Bono Foundation