DLA Piper wins "Wirtschaft hilft-Award 2025" for Outstanding Pro Bono Work
DLA Piper has been awarded the prestigious Wirtschaft hilft-Award 2025 for their exceptional pro bono work for the animal welfare organization VIER PFOTEN - Foundation for Animal Welfare. The firms collaboration on the “Rescue of Wild Animals” project was awarded first place in the Corporate Volunteering category and was presented at the awards gala on Tuesday 3 June in Vienna. As part of the project, two tiger cubs and three lions in distress were rescued and relocated to animal protection centers in 2024.
VIER PFOTEN is the global animal welfare organization for animals under direct human influence, recognizing grievances, rescuing animals in need, and protecting them.
The Wirtschaft hilft-Awards are presented by the Fundraising Verband Austria to companies for outstanding social commitment and reward the most innovative and sustainable projects with the strongest social impact.
DLA Pipers role in the project included drafting contracts and reviewing agreements to enable animal rescue operations and provide animals in need with a loving and species-appropriate home. The close cooperation between DLA Piper and VIER PFOTEN enabled efficient and smooth implementation of legal measures.
The firm is committed to pro bono work for climate protection, nature conservation, equality, and the protection of the rights of disadvantaged people, especially children, asylum seekers, refugees, and stateless persons. The protection and preservation of wildlife have been one of the main priorities of the DLA Piper pro bono team for many years and falls under one of the firms core focuses of supporting climate justice and nature conservation.
Dr. Claudine Vartian, partner and head of the Pro Bono Practice at DLA Piper Austria, commented: “The rescue of these animals is an example of the positive impact we can achieve through our legal capabilities and shows how important legal support is for animal welfare. We are proud to contribute to the sustainable improvement of the living conditions of distressed big cats together with VIER PFOTEN. This award is a recognition of our continuous commitment to creating a fairer and more sustainable future for people and animals and making a positive contribution to society”.
Josef Pfabigan, CEO and President of VIER PFOTEN, adds: “We are very pleased with this award together with our long-standing partner DLA Piper, and it confirms how effective collaboration in animal welfare can be. In addition to the concrete rescue of wild animals and their lifelong, species-appropriate accommodation, it is also a main focus of our work to bring about systemic changes - for example, through our campaigns against the commercial trade in big cats. The well-founded legal support from DLA Piper is an indispensable part of ending the suffering of animals in the long term and creating a world where animals are treated with respect and compassion”.
For more information about our pro bono activities, please visit our website.
