Pro Bono for EU Engagement
Category : impact story
Pro Bono for EU Engagement
Pro Publico connected the Open Government Partnership (OGP) with Covington & Burling’s Public Policy Practice in Brussels. Covington’s advice focused on enhancing OGP’s engagement with the EU, aligning with OGP’s mission of advancing transparency, accountability and public participation in governance.
Why EU Engagement Matters
The EU is a powerful force in global governance, setting standards that impact millions. However, international organisations like OGP that work towards transparency and good governance, can benefit from expert insight into the EU’s intricacies and strategic ways to engage with EU institutions. Effective engagement can amplify their voice, enabling these organisations to better shape policies for the public good. That’s why OGP sought specialized pro bono support to navigate this complex landscape.
About the Open Government Partnership
OGP works globally to empower citizens and ensure governments are open, transparent, and accountable. With over 70 member countries, OGP drives reform and fosters collaboration between governments and civil society to make governments more open and responsive to citizens’ needs. For their EU-focused initiatives, OGP was looking for policy and stakeholder mapping research in order to create a strategy to engage effectively with EU institutions.
Covington & Burling: Expertise in EU Policy
The Brussels office of Covington & Burling, a leading global law firm, is well-regarded for its in-depth expertise in EU public policy. That is why Covington’s pro bono lawyer Stanislaw Kuźmierkiewicz brought together a team comprised of some of the best specialists in town like Pauline Agius, Matthieu Coget, Atli Stannard and Bart Szewczyk. Having extensive experience in helping clients navigate complex EU regulatory landscapes, their knowledge made them an ideal strategic advisor to guide OGP in this matter.
Pro Bono Strategy Development for OGP
This dedicated team offered OGP insights into EU engagement, focusing on relationship-building with EU officials and key stakeholders. To provide actionable guidance, Covington employed a structured approach, conducting a dozen interviews with officials from the European Commission and OGP’s partner organizations. This process provided Covington with a nuanced understanding of OGP’s work and reputation, leading to targeted recommendations.
Strategic Insights and Next Steps for OGP
Through Covington’s pro bono support, OGP gained valuable perspectives on EU priorities and different approaches for structuring their engagement. With the help of this input, OGP developed an EU engagement strategy with priorities fitting the purpose and resources of the organisation.
Carina Paju, Senior Regional Coordinator at OGP, noted, “we are glad for the insights we received into EU priorities and ways of thinking, as well as options for structuring our EU work going forward.” Equal satisfaction was expressed by the members of Covington’s team, with associate Matthieu Coget emphasizing that “to sustain a balanced democracy, it is essential to encourage more pro bono work by corporate lawyers for NGOs.”
Pro Publico remains dedicated to bridging civil society and pro bono legal expertise. If your organization needs support, submit your case through Pro Publico’s website and join us in making a meaningful impact.
@Pro Publico connected @ Open Government Partnership (OGP) @ Covington & Burling
@Bart Szewczyk @Pauline Agius @Matthieu Coget @Atli Stannard @Stanislaw Kuźmierkiewicz
#EUengagement #OpenGovernment #Transparency #PublicPolicy #ProBono #CivilSociety #ProPublico