MOFO PRO BONO
Changing Lives Worldwide
Here is just a glimpse at the pro bono work our lawyers engage in across the globe to help change clients’ lives, and our lawyers’ lives, as well. View our Pro Bono Matters Brochure to learn much more.
MoFo, in partnership with the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, led a multi-national, multi-firm research project to survey the laws and standards governing gender-affirming care for transgender people in 44 jurisdictions around the world and several international human rights bodies. Its purpose is to assemble positive comparative precedents that support Human Rights Watch’s legal efforts to challenge anti-trans legislation. Lawyers in our Asian and European offices took the lead, supported by colleagues in the U.S., and contributed more than 900 hours to this important work. With the rights of transgender people currently unsettled and under attack in so many places across the globe, we have welcomed the opportunity to advance this important project, knowing that Human Rights Watch will use our work to advocate legal safeguards for transgender people.
International Survey of Laws Governing Gender-Affirming Care
Lawyers in MoFo’s Hong Kong office worked with Justice Centre Hong Kong to address legal aid gaps for people at risk of, or experiencing immigration detention in Hong Kong, while expanding the capacity of local legal actors to effectively advance the legal rights of affected populations. The project included direct engagement with asylum seekers and families of those in immigration detention as we produced a Detention Self-Help Toolkit. Our lawyers joined the Justice Centre to deliver community information sessions to promote the Toolkit, and prepared a database that summarizes and analyzes case law relating to immigration detention in Hong Kong. This project will improve the effectiveness of Justice Centre and its partners in educating the local community on immigration detention-related issues and delivering effective legal remedies for former and current detainees and will inform future advocacy and litigation work.
Addressing Immigration Detention in Hong Kong
MoFo lawyers in London are collaborating with Not Beyond Redemption (NBR). NBR provides, through its in-house team and network of external volunteer lawyers, advice and advocacy to women in prison who need family law support especially to maintain a relationship with their children. The project involves visiting clients in prison clinics and providing follow-up advice and support. This ranges from writing letters of advice to making formal court applications and attending hearings to advocate for clients to have a relationship with their children. So far, MoFo volunteers have assisted with letters of advice, letters to social services, and beginning the process for a Whereabouts Order in the Family Court.
Advocacy for Women in Prison
LGBT Legal Guide
Lawyers in MoFo’s Berlin office are working with Familien-Und Sozialverein Des LSVD+ - Verband Queere Viefalt E.V. ("LSVD"). The LSVD, which represents the interests and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, has published an online Legal Guide. Our lawyers are updating a section on illness and death to ensure it reflects recent changes in the law. Learn more about the LSVD Legal guides.