On Wednesday, October 15, the 55th Italian Pro Bono Roundtable took place in Rome, hosted by Legance Avvocati Associati, our founding member (represented by partner Cecilia Carrara), whom we warmly thank for the valuable organizational and logistical support.
Over 90 participants, both in-person and online, took part in the meeting, during which:
- Pascale Bird presented the non-profit Legal Response International, which provides free legal assistance to developing countries on laws and policies to tackle the effects of climate change;
- Giovanni Carotenuto shared several updates on the Association’s activities, including those of the Permanent Working Groups. On the one focusing on immigration law, Mariateresa Veltri, Tommaso Marilli, and Piergianna Menga spoke about the paper currently being developed by lawyers and in-house counsel for the benefit of several non-profits, which will be presented next month;
- Giulia Patanè presented the content and speakers of the PILnet Global Pro Bono Forum 2025; and
- Elena Esposito provided an overview of the main updates to our digital platform.
Following that, the seminar “Whistleblowing between Institutions and Corporations: beyond compliance, towards real effectiveness” (in collaboration with Advisora, Transparency International Italia, and AIGI) featured the participation – in addition to Giovanni Carotenuto – of Giorgio Martellino, with expert moderation by Michele Calleri, and contributions from:
- Niccolò Bertolini Clerici (Legance), who delved into the relevant legal framework, highlighting the connection between whistleblowing and the 231 Model, the crucial role of the Supervisory Body, and the limits related to the protection of the whistleblower in relation to the right of defense;
- Cosimo Pacciolla (Kuwait Petroleum Italia), who underlined the importance of adequate internal governance for the proper implementation of the legislation, as well as the need to protect the “reported” party (in addition to the whistleblower);
- Alessia Bausano (Confindustria), who illustrated the operational impact of the new legislation, emphasizing the need for flexible organizational solutions that can preserve existing structures and limit the burden on companies.
Transparency, a culture of legality, and practices of sound governance based on integrity are now essential pillars for companies, non-profits, and professionals alike, also in the perspective of a shared pro bono commitment.
We look forward to welcoming you in Rome, from November 11 to 13, for the PILnet Global Pro Bono Forum, where over 400 participants from around the world will gather to discuss pro bono, ethics, legality, and human rights.
