The workshop is organized by Nina Reiners, Professor at the NCHR at UiO and PI of the PROBONO project, together with Lola Avril, Junior Professor at CNRS, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne (CESSP). The event is hosted in collaboration with the Centre Universitaire de Norvège à Paris and funded by the European Research Council.
This two-day workshop brings together scholars researching pro bono actors and activities in global politics and law. It aims to foster a collaborative discussion that bridges the gap between social science research and legal practice in the realm of pro bono services.
The workshop explores the growing role of private actors in transnational pro bono advocacy, examining who engages in this work, what strategies they use, and how existing theories explain their influence. It investigates the motivations behind pro bono work, the influence of domestic factors in shaping the impact of pro bono, possibly resulting in conflicts of interest. Finally, the workshop asks how pro bono advocacy by for-profit actors benefits from a shrinking space for civil society and redefines the public/private divide.
Research Paper Presentations
During the panel entitled “Pro Bono, Professions and Professional Ideals” Nina Reiners will present her research paper on “Pro Bono, Anti bono, and the Authoritarian Challenge”. PROBONO members Ellen Vrålstad and Nina Reiners will introduce their paper on pro bono work in global governance institutions during a panel on “Pro Bono and Advocacy”.