Bangkok Roundtable Meets APBC Best Practice Guide

Recently Annette Bain, Pro Bono Counsel – Asia at DLA Piper Hong Kong, gave a talk on Growing your pro bono practice to pro bono enthusiasts at the second Bangkok Pro Bono Roundtable which was hosted by TrustLaw. The talk focused on where to find pro bono referrals, the business case for pro bono and how to manage your firm’s pro bono in-tray. Annette spoke about the resources developed by the Australian Pro Bono Centre and handed out a copy of the Best Practice Guide. Annette commented: ‘This guide is user-friendly and adapts well in different pro bono environments – plus it saves the user several years of trial and error experienced by the first generation of pro bono practitioners!’

Jessica Marsh, who is based in Thailand, spoke of Pro Bono Opportunities in Thailand and across Asia-Pacific and how TrustLaw can assist lawyers increase their pipeline of pro bono matters. Jessica is the Legal Program Manager, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Pacific, for TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono connection service.

The attendees included representatives from the Thailand Institute of Justice, DLA Piper, Herbert Smith Freehills, Clifford Chance, Linklaters and two local firms Thanathip Partners & Weerawong C&P.

The first Roundtable was established by Catriona Martin, Pro Bono Director, Asia Pacific, at DLA Piper Bangkok. The plan is to convene these meetings on a quarterly basis, and the next two will be hosted by Clifford Chance later this year then Herbert Smith Freehills early in 2017.