Pro Bono

Seeking justice and defending human rights is one intrinsic part of the legal profession. There are regulations in Mexico that require community service, although the penalties for those who do not fulfill this duty are not particularly strong. We are also aware that a social conscience is a question of human values and that is why the firm has a special interest in this area.

Pro bono is known as the providing of free legal services, however, it goes beyond not charging; it is being sensitive to the problems that surround us; it is demonstrating that we are not unaware of the poverty and social inequality that exists; it is to take a pro-active role in improving society. Being aware of this, several years ago Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C., began the work of sowing and developing a culture of pro bono work among its members.

It is important to mention that Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C. has recently taken certain formal steps to fulfill such commitment. For one, our firm signed an agreement for the promotion of pro bono work with the Legal Services Association (Asociación de Servicios Legales, A.C.) (ASL), subsidiary of the Mexican Bar Association (Barra Mexicana Colegio de Abogados, A.C.), the principal purpose of which is the commitment of the firm to file a quarterly report with the ASL stating the number of pro bono hours worked during that period, as well as a detailed description of the work done and the clients to whom it was provided. We have been fulfilling this obligation since January 1, 2007. In addition, the undersigned participated on the committee that prepared the preliminary draft of the “Declaration of Pro Bono Work for the American Continent”, the purpose of which is precisely the promotion and development of pro bono legal activity throughout Latin America.

We consider that with this work our Firm supports access to justice for the least protected in our society which is a right that everyone should have in a truly democratic country.

We are proud to say that our pro bono work is done with different cultural, social, athletic and other types of associations and that we quarterly invest more than 300 hours in pro bono.

The magazine “LATINLAWYER”, in its volume six, recognized VWYS for its work in the area of pro bono, publishing its name among a list of three firms that, in the judgment of a committee made up of experts in the area, have demonstrated to date the greatest commitment to pro bono activity in all of Latin America, not only with regard to the number of pro bono hours worked, but also the creation of a structured program applicable to such activity.