DLA Piper helps build pro bono culture in Colombia

New Perimeter, DLA Piper's nonprofit affiliate that provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world, recently taught an online seminar on pro bono to more than 30 undergraduate law students at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia.

During the course, which was held on November 18, Lisa Dewey, DLA Piper’s pro bono partner and director of New Perimeter, and Sara Andrews, senior international pro bono counsel and assistant director of New Perimeter, spoke to the participating students about the importance of pro bono legal work and how they can get involved in pro bono over the course of their legal careers.

The project is part of an eight-year relationship between New Perimeter, the Universidad del Rosario and Fundación Pro Bono Colombia to encourage and help create a culture of pro bono in Colombia. Over the course of the collaboration, New Perimeter has sent lawyers to Colombia to teach law students and practicing lawyers about legal social responsibility, the use of pro bono to address unmet legal needs and increase access to justice, and the history of pro bono in the United States and around the world. This is the first time New Perimeter connected virtually with Colombian students.

“It is always a pleasure to speak to Colombian law students about pro bono,” Dewey said. “Even though we weren’t able to be there in person this year, it was exciting to connect virtually to hear about the important issues the students are passionate about and how they plan to use their legal degrees to make a difference in Colombia.”