The International Bar Association (IBA) is to create a 'clearing house' to link large commercial law firms with international pro bono projects, the Gazette has learned.


Funded by the Open Society Institute (OSI) - a private foundation set up by financier George Soros - the clearing house will put firms in touch with both funders and bar associations in the developing world. It forms part of the next stage of the IBA's rule of law campaign, led by its president and English solicitor Francis Neate.



The initiative hopes to build on the success of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, which was set up last year to support human rights cases, advise on constitutional advocacy and train in human rights and rule of law issues.



Speaking to the Gazette at the IBA annual conference in Chicago, Mr Neate said: 'The biggest challenge is not getting the firms to sign up - they will leap at it - but getting the developing world through the bar associations to identify what they need.'



The campaign will also follow up the rule of law symposium held in advance of the conference in conjunction with the American Bar Association. Mr Neate said this should include more work on anti-corruption and corporate social responsibility, as well as the ongoing education of both the public and profession in rule of law issues.



He also welcomed the warning from US Senator George Mitchell, who gave the keynote address to the opening ceremony, of a rising tide of hostility towards his country worldwide. 'To many people, our power and principles appear to be diverging,' he told delegates.



The clearing house was strongly supported by Law Society President Fiona Woolf, who encouraged firms to sign up. Speaking in Chicago, she said: 'The symposium was an attempt to make concrete what we mean by the rule of law - and to get bars around the world to work together to get the attention of governments and the public about the rule of law.' However, she stressed that more work was needed to make it relevant to the public.



Neil Rose