7 Nov 2016 - by A4ID

A4ID welcomes 3 more US-based legal partners

Three international US law firms, Milbank, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Winston & Strawn have joined A4ID as legal partners.

US law firms often have a strong tradition of undertaking pro bono work and increasingly set pro bono hours targets for all their lawyers globally. In recent years, The American Lawyer has been ranking US law firms on their pro bono activity internationally. In 2016, it ranked Dechert (also an A4ID legal partner) as the top firm for international pro bono, with a yearly average of 49 hours of pro bono work completed per lawyer in its non-US offices, and 85.1% of lawyers undertaking at least 20 hours.

Yasmin Batliwala, A4ID’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to partner with these firms. They have demonstrated a commitment to using their lawyers’ skills for the benefit of the world’s poorest people, and we look forward to them joining us in furthering the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At present, limited access to legal expertise restricts the ability of development organisations to use the law as an effective tool. Already these three firms have taken on nine A4ID pro bono projects between them, including corporate structuring, commercial contracts, employment law, licensing, and policy reviews for international development organisations around the world.”

On why his firm joined A4ID, Russell Jacobs, a partner in Milbank’s London office said: “Milbank, is an international law firm with a broad footprint and a strong record of commitment to pro bono and corporate social responsibility. As part of a wider effort to expand the pro bono and CSR programme in the London office and match our lawyers’ interest in international pro bono work, Milbank began working with A4ID this year. The clients referred to us by A4ID have provided our lawyers with interesting and rewarding work. We look forward to continuing to work with A4ID to expand our pro bono capacity to help those clients who are serving the needs of vulnerable populations around the world.”

“A4ID’s legal partners don’t just get interesting international pro bono legal work when they join us. We also equip their lawyers to advise responsibly in fee-earning matters with programmes such as our training on business and human rights. Our partners also work with us to advance thinking and practice on the law’s relationship to development. They are our key financial and strategic supporters, ensuring the law and lawyers play their full role in the eradication of poverty,” said Elisabeth Baraka, Head of Partnerships and Legal Services at A4ID.

“As a core value, the firm believes that lawyers have a responsibility to use their skills and talents on behalf of the many deserving persons and organisations that are unable to afford legal counsel,” said Peter Crowther, managing partner of Winston & Strawn’s London office. “A4ID has tremendous experience in leveraging law firm expertise to positively impact organisations around the world and our London attorneys are delighted to collaborate as a legal partner of the organisation.”

Read about this in The Law Society Gazette.

 

Milbank
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP is a leading international law firm that has helped shape the legal landscape since its founding in New York City in 1866. Milbank’s pro bono work stretches back more than a century and reflects the passions, interests and concerns of Milbank attorneys, from redressing human rights violations to bringing safety and security to battered women.

Sullivan & Cromwell
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provides the highest quality legal advice and representation to clients around the world. The results the firm achieves have set it apart for more than 130 years and have become a model for the modern practice of law. S&C comprises more than 875 lawyers who serve clients around the world. In 2015, S&C devoted more than 64,000 hours to a range of pro bono activities, benefiting not only individuals but also legal, charitable and government organisations.

Winston & Strawn
Throughout its more than 160-year history, Winston & Strawn LLP has handled many significant, high-profile matters for its clients – from patent litigation to cross-border mergers and from energy transactions to complex commercial disputes. The firm has grown through a series of mergers, office openings, and lateral hires that have resulted in a global law firm with more than 850 attorneys across the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Winston & Strawn strongly supports and encourages its lawyers to pursue pro bono work. In 2015, Winston & Strawn attorneys donated in excess of 50,000 pro bono hours and more than 75% of its attorneys contributed at least 20 pro bono hours.

A full list of A4ID’s legal partners can be found here.

Information on becoming a legal partner can be found here and by contacting Elisabeth Baraka or Joe Tan.