Advocates for International Development ("A4ID") was born out of a desire within the legal community to institutionalise the commitment to international pro bono and further the underlying goals and principles of the Make Poverty History campaign.

Following the Asian Tsunami a group of London-based lawyers came together in association with Oxfam to further this cause. Support came from across the profession, with each signatory making a public declaration of their commitment to use their skills to help to reduce poverty. With this, the "1,000 City Lawyers" was born.

A4ID is the independent successor organisation of this movement - pulling together the talent, commitment and enthusiasm generated by 1,000 City Lawyers. A4ID has adopted a broader focus: to use legal skills in support of a range of development actors to champion the United Nations Millennium Development Goals ("MDGs").

• The MDGs represent time-bound and measurable targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women.
• They also recognise a role for the legal profession within the goal to create a global partnership for development.

A4ID receives requests for legal advice and assistance from local and international Non-Governmental Organisations ("NGOs"), Inter-Governmental Organisations, social enterprises and a range of developing and less developed countries and matches them with lawyers who are able to assist ('Legal Partners'). A4ID ensures that its Legal Partners abide by the Pro Bono Protocol and that all work is of the same standard as that done for paying clients.

Legal Partners include a wide range of leading law firms and chambers. A4ID brokers the legal services of its Legal Partners providing international pro bono opportunities and programmes that utilise their skills and expertise. In this way, A4ID facilitates advice on questions of national law as well as international laws and standards.

A4ID's work has a broad base. The organisation works within all areas of legal practice to partner lawyers' skills with the priorities of the developing world. Key areas in which A4ID works are international trade, debt management, development support and capacity-building both within government and civil society. A4ID projects include:

• providing corporate advice on current or proposed legislation;
• building the capacity of national trade negotiation teams to assist their participation in WTO;
• bilateral and multilateral talks;
• assisting tribal peoples in the determination of their land rights; and
• providing technical advice on the terms and structures of debt and trade agreements. 

A4ID believes that education and learning is key. In addition to pro bono assistance A4ID promotes the sharing of knowledge and ideas through an Annual Training Programme, legal and developmental seminars and working groups.

Further details of the diverse range of A4ID's global projects, education programme and existing partners within both the legal professional and the developing world can also be found on this website.