Pro Bono and Community Service

At Cleary, pro bono is at the core of our culture and founding principles. We are dedicated to using our skills and talents to improving the communities in which we live and work, and take pride in serving those who might not otherwise have the benefit of strong legal representation, domestically and across the globe.

Brussels lawyers at all levels of seniority are supported and encouraged to take part in pro bono matters. Some notable recent pro bono efforts include:

• Partnering with the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) to assist with the resettlement applications of particularly vulnerable refugees in the Middle East. 
• Representing a British national in relation to the exequatur of a judgment, in a case involving women’s rights and gender equality principles.
• Assisting WeExist, a Belgian nonprofit founded by Syrian refugees to facilitate the access to the labor market for people who fled conflict and persecution.
• Assisting Independent Diplomat, a nonprofit nongovernmental organization working with disadvantaged and vulnerable groups to help them achieve their political goals through diplomacy.
• Working with TRIAL International, a Swiss-based nonprofit that investigates international crimes on a worldwide survey of international jurisdiction cases.
• Advising impact investing firms on Belgian regulatory and corporate law matters.
• Providing GDPR advice to various nonprofit organizations.

We approach our pro bono work exactly as we approach our paying cases: putting the full resources of the firm toward the needs of the client. The involvement of our lawyers in pro bono matters is highly valued and enables them to branch out their core practice area, often working in cross-office teams.

To learn more about Cleary’s pro bono practice, accolades, and initiatives, please visit our Pro Bono Practice page.