Today marked the official launch of the 2026 European Pro Bono Week, an annual initiative celebrating the impact of volunteer legal and professional services across the continent.
As a co-host and active participant, Pro Publico extends a massive thank you to all the expert speakers, panelists, and attendees who made today’s opening seminar an incredible success. We were proud to have Pro Publico’s Director Francesco Zatelli join the panel to share our firsthand perspective on how targeted professional skills can directly empower local communities and vulnerable groups.
The launch event highlighted that pro bono is no longer just a “nice-to-have” corporate social responsibility initiative. It has become a vital lifeline for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating in an increasingly hostile environment.
One of the most pressing topics discussed during today’s launch seminar was the gradual, alarming deterioration of civic space across Europe. Data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the CIVICUS Monitor reveals that only 11 EU Member States currently maintain an “open” civic space. Over the last decade, CSOs have faced a barrage of structural hurdles, from onerous reporting requirements to recent funding cuts.
To combat these cross-border challenges, the seminar celebrated the official launch of the 2026 Global Pro Bono Guide. What started as a simple global survey has evolved into a robust, practical toolkit covering more than 100 jurisdictions worldwide, including 40 within the EU. For clearinghouses and lawyers, this guide acts as a vital benchmark by mapping out available pro bono opportunities, identifying key legal players, and highlighting local awards and formal recognition frameworks.
The evolution is massive: pro bono has grown from a handful of pioneering nations to a globally recognized standard. Lawyers want to do pro bono work, and we are finally seeing stronger clearinghouses and more enabling regulatory environments take shape. However, significant untapped opportunities remain, particularly in driving strategic collaborations between countries to fight shared legal threats.
Finally, today’s discussions focused on the European Pro Bono Alliance and the crucial need to recognize volunteer legal professionals. Celebrating these contributions via formal awards and recognition lists isn’t just about giving praise; it builds institutional credibility. Achieving this requires a highly supportive, interconnected network. Clearinghouses, law firms, and CSOs must seamlessly collaborate with traditional institutions like local Bar Associations and EU policy-making bodies to ensure pro bono work is structurally supported, legally protected, and expanded.
What’s Next? Join the Rest of European Pro Bono Week!
The launch event was just the beginning. A full week of specialized workshops, panels, and networking events is taking place across Europe to foster deeper collaboration and share legal strategies.
We are also looking forward to our highly anticipated roundtable session on June 11th, where Pro Publico and Mayer Brown will lead an in-depth, collaborative discussion alongside our alliance partners. While registration for this specific session is now fully booked, you can still view the panel themes and speaker lineup on the official Roundtable Session Poster.
Special thanks to all the speakers:
🎙️ Kathryn Beck – Head of Legal, TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
🎙️ Carlotta Besozzi – Director, Civil Society Europe
🎙️ Toby Brown – Chair, Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee of England & Wales
🎙️ Marion Edge – Pro Bono Counsel, Dechert LLP
🎙️ Lune de Rijck – Project Officer, Pro Bono Connect
🎙️ Lauren Meyer – Deputy Public Service Counsel EMEA, Latham & Watkins
🎙️ Eve Runyon – President, Pro Bono Institute
🎙️ Francesco Zatelli – Director , Pro Publico
With thanks to the 2026 Steering Committee:
📍PILnet
📍 Hogan Lovells
📍 Thomson Reuters Foundation
📍Dentons
📍 DLA PIPER
📍Norton Rose Fulbright
📍Pro Publico
📍Cleary Gottlieb
📍Pro Bono Connect