Lex Mundi Establishes Global Pro Bono Legal Foundation
Lex Mundi Establishes Global Pro Bono Legal Foundation
Lex Mundi, a Washington, D.C.-based association of independent law firms, has announced the creation of a charitable foundation to support international pro bono legal projects.
Through a global network of 160 commercial firms, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation will provide free legal assistance to social entrepreneurs around the world. To that end, organized teams of experts from member firms will design and implement selected legal reform projects in less developed areas of the world, while the foundation will support legal reform initiatives, including property rights and other work sponsored by the Investment Climate Facility for Africa.
Supported by voluntary contributions from Lex Mundi member law firms as well as the David and Lucile Packard and Shell foundations, the foundation has already established collaborative arrangements with several foundations and organizations that aid social entrepreneurs. They include the Acumen Fund, Ashoka Innovators for the Public and Ashoka Advocates for Social Entrepreneurs, the Avina Foundation, the Draper Richards Foundation, Echoing Green, the European Venture Philanthropy Association, the Global Fund for Children, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Social Enterprise Alliance, and Venture Philanthropy Partners.
"As social entrepreneurs improve the lives of the poor and disenfranchised around the globe, Lex Mundi's foundation will provide them with access to first-class legal advice," said Lex Mundi president Carl Anduri. "Social entrepreneurs are innovative and inspiring leaders who use entrepreneurial approaches to solve social problems in neighborhoods, communities, regions, and countries throughout the world. By providing them critically needed legal assistance, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation joins the global social entrepreneurship movement for positive social change."
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