ProBono
Pro Bono Declaration
Pro Bono Declaration
We, the undersigned members of the Czech legal profession, hereby declare our solemn intention to bear our share of responsibility for protecting human rights and the public interest and to carry on the tradition of volunteer work by attorneys in these areas.
Our society is developing rapidly, both economically and socially. The law plays an important role during this development. We are convinced that it is very important not to forget that it is the task of a modern state, based on the rule of law, to provide the widest possible access for all to qualified legal aid.
By signing this Declaration we are supporting the idea, expressed in the Code of Conduct for European Lawyers, that ‘In a society founded on respect for the rule of law the lawyer fulfils a special role.’ We also build on Recommendation Rec (2000) 21 on the freedom of exercise of the profession of lawyer, which encourage to promote access to justice of persons in economically weak position, in particular provision of legal aid and advice.
We therefore support the development of the provision of pro bono legal services. We believe it is important for attorneys to voluntarily devote some of their capacity, as far as they are able, towards providing free legal services to the benefit of disadvantaged individuals, groups and interests.
In this context we must point out the irreplaceable role played by the state in providing access to legal aid. We hereby emphasise that the development of the pro bono concept does not relieve the state of its own responsibility in this area.
Aware of these circumstances, we want to support the development of the idea of pro bono in order to express not only our interest in public and social affairs and to encourage ethical conduct within the legal profession. As an influential professional group, we also want to contribute to the development of civil society.
Our aim is to support, to the greatest possible extent, those institutions and individuals contributing to the protection of the public interest, including the protection of human rights. We recall the exceptionally important role played in these areas by non-governmental, non-profit organisations (NNOs). We consider cooperation between attorneys and NNOs to be both natural and desirable.
We are aware that not all attorneys in the
1) Preamble, Code of Conduct for Lawyers in the European Union, adopted at the CCBE Plenary Session held on 28 October 1988, and subsequently amended during the CCBE Plenary Sessions on 28 November 1998 and 6 December 2002.
2) Recommendation Rec(2000)21 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the freedom of exercise of the profession of lawyer (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 25 October 2000).
Support to the pro bono declaration expressed:
Ludvík Juřička, advokát
David Strupek, advokát
Petr Svoboda, advokát
Alena Straubová, advokátka
Pro Bono Declaration was drafted within project „ Support to pro bono work to Czech attorneys.,“ implemented by Pro Bono Alliance (www.probonoaliance.cz, www.probonocentrum.cz). Declaration was opened for signature at the official clearinghouse opening in
