On Wednesday, March 18, we held an intensive day of discussions at DLA Piper’s Milan office, bringing together members, nonprofits, professionals and experts to discuss issues of great relevance for the legal sector and civil society organisations.
The day opened with the 56th Italian Pro Bono Roundtable, introduced by my opening remarks and those of Ginevra Righini of DLA Piper.
During the meeting, two organisations new to the Pro Bono Italia ETS network were presented: ABIO Milano ODV – Associazione per il Bambino in Ospedale and Fight The Stroke, both engaged in high-impact social projects supporting children, young people and families.
The Roundtable then continued with a series of contributions on issues of both national and international relevance.
James Aiken, Senior Legal Officer at TrustLaw Thomson Reuters Foundation, presented the “TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono”, the leading global benchmarking report on the pro bono sector.
Viktoria Khaitina and Aylen Rodriguez Ferrari of The World Bank Group presented data and findings from the report “Women, Business and the Law 2026″, offering a reflection on the legal barriers that still hinder women’s full participation in the world of work.
Martina Turola of The Good Lobby Italia then explored the phenomenon of SLAPPs, focusing on the latest data emerging from the new European report on the issue.
The day concluded with the Seminar “Referendum on Justice Reform: the case for yes and the case for no”, which I moderated. The discussion between Valentina Alberta and Lorenza Violini, arguing for the yes side, and Giuseppe Iannaccone and Guglielmo Leo, arguing for the no side, led to a lively and engaging debate, enriched by questions from the audience in the room and those attending remotely.
The event also represented an important institutional moment for Pro Bono Italia ETS: during the Members’ Assembly, the financial statements as of December 31, 2025 and the 2026 budget were approved, and the Board of Directors was renewed with the appointment of Mariateresa Veltri, Chiara Capalti and Giuseppe Izzo, as well as my confirmation as President for the 2026–2028 term.
I would also like to personally thank our members for their renewed trust, and outgoing Board members Fabrizio Arossa, Federico Fusco and Giuseppina (Giusy) Pagano for their dedication during their term of office.
We also thank DLA Piper Milan for its hospitality, all the speakers for their valuable contribution, and the participants for their attention and engagement.
