Introduction 

Pro Bono Italia ETS (PBI) is an Italian non-profit organization, registered as ETS (Ente del Terzo Settore; Third Sector Entity) from 2023, serving as a bridge between the legal community (i.e., law firms, lawyers, inhouse counsels, academics and forensic associations), on one hand, and non-profit organizations pursuing social utility goals and individuals in need, on the other hand. While its roots are in Italy, PBI collaborates with partners operating globally who use the law as a tool for social good. 

PBI is the first association in Italy dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of a legal pro bono culture, being a pioneer in a country with no laws nor regulations on pro bono. It stems from a spontaneous pro bono movement that started with the first Italian Pro Bono Roundtable organised in April 2014, and has later developed a proprietary digital platform that counts, at present, over a thousand professionals and set up its own clearinghouse filtering requests coming from non-profits and marginalized individuals. 

Our mission is rooted in the belief that legal expertise is a powerful tool for social equity. By matching complex legal needs with specialized volunteer experts, PBI ensures that those driving social change or facing personal crisis are not sidelined by a lack of resources. 

• Third Sector Legal Support: Empowering Nonprofits and Vulnerable Communities

PBI supports a broad spectrum of third sector organizations dedicated to social good, including nonprofits, public interest groups, and advocates for human and civil rights. PBI helps these entities strengthen their governance, maintain regulatory compliance, and promote their missions to serve vulnerable communities throughout Italy and Europe.

The following cases illustrate the real-world results of this collaboration. You are invited to continue reading to discover how, through the power of pro bono coordination, PBI – leveraging its network of professionals – and other actors help the change-makers of society transition from legal vulnerability to long-term operational resilience.

NONPROFIT SUCCESS STORIES

INDIVIDUALS IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS – SUCCESS STORIES

Conclusions 

Pro Bono Italia (PBI) has established itself as a crucial force in advancing social justice and strengthening Italy’s Third sector, which in Italy involves more than one million people as volunteers and 855,000 employees. Through the dedicated voluntary service of its extensive network of legal professionals, PBI provides– through its members and network’s professionals – legal assistance and representation in court, free of charge and on a voluntary basis, benefitting non-profit organizations and vulnerable individuals

Legal Service & Volunteerism 

• A Network of over a thousand professionals, spanning from nonprofit, corporate, legal clinic, clearinghouses, and the legal section and litigation involving law firms and solo practitioners
• PBI provides legal assistance for representation in court, free of charge and on a voluntary basis, benefitting non-profit organizations and vulnerable individuals
• Our main areas of law include
  • Protection of personal data
  • Administrative law
  • Access to justice
  • Criminal law
  • Labour law
  • Societary law
  • Right of minors
  • Immigration law
  • Family law
  • Third Sector Law
• Significant Annual Pro Bono Hours: Hundreds of hours of legal services are donated annually by member firms and dedicated volunteer lawyers to bridge the justice gap. 

• Network of 80+ Law Firms and lawyers: PBI supports and coordinates over 80 leading law firms and individual lawyers actively committed to structured pro bono engagement including its 51 member firms. 

• Empowering Thousands of Volunteers: Through its support of associated nonprofits, PBI indirectly empowers a network of thousands of registered volunteers, attorneys, and actors by providing the legal framework they need to operate through PBI’s work as a clearinghouse. 

• Specialized Compliance Counseling: Many hours directed towards intensive compliance counseling dedicated specifically to large-scale volunteer centers and international NGOs. 

Client and Community Impact 

• Organizations Supported: Direct legal advice and representation provided to more than a plethora of nonprofit organizations and public interest groups. 

• Hundreds of individuals Reached: Legal aid and crisis intervention delivered to many vulnerable individuals, ensuring access to justice for those in urgent need. 

• Diverse Legal Documentation: Thousands of critical legal instruments drafted or reviewed, including Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), organizational bylaws, formal administrative petitions, and litigation of pleadings. 

Geographic & Sector Scope 

• Nationwide & International Reach: Operations cover multiple Italian regions in addition to nationwide implications while maintaining active collaborations across the country and Europe as a whole. 

• From Urgent Intervention to Structural Reform: Expertise ranges from rapid-response individual cases (e.g., resolving blocked accounts or debt disputes) to long-term structural reforms that ensure the sustainability and regulatory compliance of Third Sector entities. 

• Multidisciplinary Expertise: Specialized focus areas include disability law, immigration and refugee advocacy, debt relief, housing disputes, international law and advocacy and the complex regulatory landscape of the Italian Third Sector. 

PBI’s footprint spans Italy’s multiple regions with volunteer service center strongholds, while extending strategic connections into cross-border partnerships across Europe, predominantly KIND’s CIR collaboration and ATKYE’s Swiss-Italian fundraising bridge. This geographic savvy captures both urban legal deserts and rural Third Sector engines, ensuring no corner of the peninsula – from Bergamo’s mental health volunteers to coastal Kenyan education pipelines – languishes without elite counsel.

From Bergamo apartments reclaimed for psychosocial healing to expatriate passports resurrected in Barcelona, PBI proves pro bono isn’t patchwork charity but precision infrastructure: by the hours committed towards hundreds of organizations and individuals. Through matching elite firms like Dentons, Simmons, and Legance to grassroots crises and structural pivots, PBI doesn’t merely close cases – it rearchitects Italy’s justice ecosystem, ensuring the Third Sector’s many volunteers stand on unbreakable statutory ground while advancing human dignity coast to coast and continent-wide.

As the need for accessible legal support continues to grow, Pro Bono Italia calls upon lawyers, law firms, NGOs, public institutions, and donors to join this impactful movement. Your expertise, commitment, and resources are invaluable in extending PBI’s reach and deepening its impact. 

• Lawyers and Law Firms: Volunteer your skills to a network that values your contribution and connects you with meaningful, socially impactful cases. Elevate your practice while championing justice for those who need it most. 

• NGOs and Third Sector Organizations: Partner with PBI to enhance your legal capacity, ensuring regulatory compliance and governance robustness to sustain and expand your essential work. 

• Donors and Supporters: Your financial support fuels PBI’s mission to build a future where legal barriers no longer hinder social progress or justice.

Contact Pro Bono Italia 

• Official Website: https://probonoitalia.org/en/contact/  

For general inquiries, access to legal assistance, and information about volunteering. 

• Email: info@probonoitalia.org  

Use this for direct questions about services, partnerships, or volunteering. 

Partner with Pro Bono Italia

• For Law Firms and Attorneys Interested in Volunteering: Visit Pro Bono Italia – Volunteer Sign-Up to join a network of legal professionals committed to social impact by connecting applicants with free legal services. 

• For Nonprofit Organizations Seeking Assistance: Explore partnership opportunities and request legal support via our Pro Bono Legal Assistance request portal.  

• For Corporations and Donors Who Wish to Support PBI: Information about corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and donations can be secured through our email progetti@probonoitalia.org. 

• Learn more here 
  • Legal Pro Bono Solidarity Resource Center
  • Know Your Rights

Please DONATE and support this impactful work! Engaging with Pro Bono Italia enables you to contribute to a powerful movement that connects legal experts to those in need, fostering justice and accessibility for all.