What We Have Done

Beginning in 2012 in Lao PDR, the Asia Pro Bono Conference & Access to Justice Exchange held each year celebrates and emphasizes pro bono legal work and legal ethics, discussing ways to further the outreach of the pro bono ethos in Asia and around the globe.

The Conference & Exchange includes presentations, panel discussions, question and answer sessions, and interactive workshops led by experienced international lawyers and law professors. The sessions speak of the challenges and successes of pro bono work in the lawyers’ respective countries.

Each Conference & Exchange offers simultaneous translation throughout to accommodate many of the different languages represented in the Conference & workshop rooms.

To date, the Conference & Exchange has been held in Vientiane, Laos (2012); HCMC, Vietnam (2013); Singapore (2014); Mandalay, Myanmar (2015); Bali, Indonesia (2016); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2017); Hong Kong, China (2018), Kathmandu, Nepal (2019), virtually (2020) and (2021).

The impact of this yearly convening event can clearly be demonstrated by so many of the participants who have attended it over the years. To read their testimonials of the impact of the Conference & Exchange over the past 10 years, please click the link below:
10 Years of Tesimonial Accounts (Then & Now)

10th ASIA PRO BONO VIRTUAL CONFERENCE & ACCESS TO JUSTICE EXCHANGE, 2021

 Celebrating a Decade of Collaboratively Strengthening Justice & Rule of Law

The participants came together from throughout Asia and the globe, to help ensure greater access to justice and strengthen and expand pro bono initiatives. When we factor in ALL of the APBVC&A2JX we had close to 700 participants and volunteers, from more than 40 countries, and 33 sessions. While the core language of the Conference/Exchange was English, most of the sessions had a simultaneous interpretation of up to 7 different languages, allowing an at-scale greater participation of participants without language being a barrier.

With the live streaming of sessions globally, the event, to date has reached more than 405,000 persons.  This is simply incredible.  The theme of the Conference was Celebrating a Decade of Collaboratively Strengthening Justice & Rule of Law and these numbers are some of the clearest examples of what positive things can happen in a Decade of Collaboration. 

INAUGURAL ASIA PRO BONO VIRTUAL CONFERENCE & ACCESS TO JUSTICE EXCHANGE, 2020

Pro Bono in a Transitioning Environment.

The 9th Asia Pro Bono Virtual Conference & Access to Justice Exchange was held online. There were 990 registrants from 41 countries across the world attended the sessions through 24-28 September 2020. It was also live streamed on Facebook page and reached 212,859 audiences. There were 45 sessions and presented by 173 presenters from numerous countries.

8th ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE & ACCESS TO JUSTICE EXCHANGE, NEPAL 2019

Justice for All: Empower – Engage – Sustain

The 8th Asia Pro Bono Conference & Access to Justice Exchange was held for the first time in South Asia, in Kathmandu Nepal between 13 – 15 September 2019. It was also the formalization of the Access to Justice Exchange where several pre & post-conference access to justice events were held (10-12 & 16-19 Sep 2019). This was the largest gathering of legal service providers working to support pro bono and access to justice initiatives with more than 610 people from 26 countries.

7th ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, HONG KONG 2018

Inspire. Impact

The 7th Asia Pro Bono Conference & Access to Justice Exchange was held for the first time in East Asia in Hong Kong China, between 25 – 27 October 2018.  Over 400 people attended from over 30 countries and territories, participating in almost 30 sessions and events over three full days. The feedback received so far tells it was a great success and an achievement for Hong Kong as it was the first time the city has hosted such an event. 

6th ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, MALAYSIA 2017

Strengthening the Pro Bono Culture: Unity and Diversity

The 6th Asia Pro Bono Conference & Access to Justice Exchange was a 3-day event held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia between 30 September through 2 October 2017. This was the largest convening with over 500 people from 30+ countries coming together. The Conference & Exchange received Continuing Professional Development Accreditation by the Malaysian Bar.

5th ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, INDONESIA 2016

The Impact of Pro Bono on Transformational Change: Working to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

The 5th Asia Pro Bono Conference & Access to Justice Exchange was held in Sanur, Bali from the 29th of August to the 2nd of September, 2016. The conference hosted over 320 delegates from 30 countries across the legal community including lawyers, legal educators, students, judges, government officials and civil society professionals. The theme of the Conference & Exchange was “The Impact of Pro Bono on Transformational Change: Working to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.

4th ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE AND LEGAL ETHICS FORUM, MYANMAR 2015

Pro Bono and Ethics Build A Noble Legal Profession

The 4th Asia Pro Bono Conference and Legal Ethics Forum was held in Mandalay, Myanmar on 3-6 September, 2015; bringing together over 230 delegates from 19 countries. Delegates from across the legal community including lawyers, legal educators, students, judges, government officials, and civil society professionals. The theme of the Conference and forum was “Pro Bono and Ethics Build a Noble Legal Profession.” It was an inspiring exhibition of a strong commitment to pro bono, legal ethics and justice education in the region and internationally.
(click to read the conference report)

3rd ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, SINGAPORE 2014

Public Private People Partnerships

The 3rd Asia Pro Bono Conference was held in Singapore on the 2-4 of October 2014; bringing together over 350 delegates from 25 countries. This was a Conference where pro bono was truly celebrated, not just as the provision of free legal services by lawyers for the public good but as a concept that is driving the positive evolution of legal systems to further justice for the indigent, socially disadvantaged and marginalised people across a diverse range of countries in the Asian region. 
(click to read the conference report)

2nd ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, VIETNAM 2013

Pro Bono Initiatives to Strength Access to Justice

The 2nd Asia Pro Bono Conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on the 11-12 of October 2013; bringing together over 200 delegates from 19 countries. Delegates gathered to share their experiences on Pro Bono Initiatives to Strength Access to Justice and extolled the virtues of pro bono work and looked to the future of pro bono lawyering. The conference and workshop, and delegates were supported by the enthusiastic participation of law students from Cambodia, Singapore, and Vietnam.
(click to read the conference report)

INAUGURAL ASIA PRO BONO CONFERENCE, LAOS 2012

Developing Pro Bono Initiatives to Strengthen Access to Justice in the Asia Region and Internationally

The 1st Asia Pro Bono Conference was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on the 28-29 September 2012; bringing together over 150 delegates from 20 countries. The inaugural Conference/Workshop comprising lawyers, civil society organisation representatives, academics, students, bar association representatives and government officials — gathered together for the first time in Vientiane, Laos, to share their experiences and visions.
(click to read the conference report)