The Global Pro Bono Bar Association Blog

Program Preview: 2025 GPIL Summer Intensive in The Hague- Developing Your Pro Bono Practice in Public International Law

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 23:07:26 GMT

Program Preview: 2025 GPIL Summer Intensive in The Hague- Developing Your Pro Bono Practice in Public International Law

The pressing challenges of today’s world do not stop at national borders. Each day brings new stories of cross-border crises—from human rights abuses and climate-related disasters to cyberattacks. Yet despite the growing complexity of the legal issues embedded in these crises, too few legal professionals are equipped to respond. The Global Pro Bono Bar Association developed The Global Public Interest Lawyering (GPIL) Program to change that.

This summer, from July 28 to August 2, GPIL will offer a rigorous week-long intensive program designed to prepare lawyers, law students, and legal educators to engage meaningfully in cross-border public interest legal work. In person participants will travel to The Hague to engage with lectures, case studies, and hands-on advocacy exercises. Remote attendance is also available.

Program Highlights

Lectures and panels with leading international law faculty and practitioners from institutions including Notre Dame Law School, Leiden University, King’s College London, and the International Committee of the Red Cross
Topical coverage spanning human rights, treaty law, climate and environmental law, refugee and migration law, space law, international trade and investment law, state responsibility, cyber operations, and more
Ethics-focused sessions on lawyering in global contexts and cross-border pro bono practice
A practical advocacy exercise simulating real-world international legal challenges
In person tours of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) and the International Criminal Court (ICC)
A certificate ceremony and group lunch to cap off the week

The Legacy of The Hague

In-person participants will find themselves immersed in a city unlike any other. Known globally as the “City of Peace and Justice,” The Hague has shaped the contours of international law for over a century. In 1899, the First Hague Peace Conference helped lay the foundation for modern international legal frameworks. Today, The Hague is home to many institutions dedicated to global peace, diplomacy, and human rights, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Program sessions will take place at the Hague Humanity Hub, a collaborative space where NGOs, innovators, and international advocates converge to tackle global challenges together. For participants, this is anticipated to feel like more than just training—it’s a firsthand encounter with the foundations of international justice.

GPIL Global Network

One of the most powerful aspects of the GPIL Program is its community. Participants join a vibrant, informal and interdisciplinary network of legal professionals, academics, and students from across the globe through the GPIL experience. Whether engaging in small group case studies, working through an international legal scenario, or connecting during social events, the relationships built at GPIL are designed to last long after the program ends.

Who Should Apply?

Law students & early-career professionals seeking to undertake international legal work
Practicing lawyers looking to expand their pro bono or public interest portfolio with global issues
Academics and legal educators seeking a fresh, practice-oriented approach to teaching international law

Voices from the Program

“The GPIL Program is designed to bridge the gap between the academic study of public international law and the reality of conscience-driven advocacy across borders for the issues that matter in our world today. It is an excellent starting point for a lifetime of international advocacy, whether a participant's passion is for human rights, climate change law, or public international law more broadly.”
— Rob Houston, Executive Director, The Global Pro Bono Bar Association

“The GPIL Program has been a truly enriching experience. I’ve learned so much about international law, and each week brought new insights and exciting discussions. The energy and passion shown by Adina and Rob were incredibly inspiring. They gave me confidence that my learning is in the right hands. There’s really nothing else like this program, and I feel honoured to have been part of such a meaningful journey. From engaging conversations on international law to fascinating deep dives into space law, the program has broadened my thinking in ways I didn’t expect. I not only enjoyed myself, but I also gained practical skills in negotiation and resolution drafting. I highly recommend it!”
— Nelani Mbewe, Past Participant in the GPIL Space Program

“In a world confronting the adverse effects of climate change, humanitarian crises, and human rights challenges, the study of public international law offers a crucial foundation for those seeking to serve the public interest. The GPIL Program seeks to educate and empower advocates of conscience around the world, with a focus on LDCs, by offering practical and hands-on training in public international law.”
— Adina Darbyshire, Director of Programs, The Global Pro Bono Bar Association

Learn More & Apply

The 2025 Summer GPIL Intensive Program is available for both in-person and remote participants thanks to the support of The Global Pro Bono Bar Association. Early application is encouraged, as space is limited.

Visit https://www.probonobar.org/GPIL for more information, including the GPIL Program Overview and application.
Online Registration

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need a background in international law to apply?
No prior experience in international law is required. The GPIL Program is designed to support participants at various stages of their legal careers, including law students, early-career attorneys, and seasoned practitioners transitioning into public international legal work.

What are the program costs?
Please check the website of The Global Pro Bono Bar Association for updated program fees for either in-person or remote participation. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation if attending in person.

Can I attend the program remotely?
Yes. While we encourage in-person participation in The Hague for the full immersive experience, the program is also open to remote attendees.

What kind of certificate will I receive?
Participants who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion from The Global Pro Bono Bar Association. The GPIL Program does not currently offer university credit.

Is the program suitable for legal educators?
Absolutely. Legal educators looking to bring more practice-oriented, globally focused content into their classrooms will benefit from the GPIL Program’s case studies, materials, and peer exchange.

World Day Against Child Labour 2020

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:29:18 GMT

On this World Day Against Child Labour, The Global Pro Bono Bar calls for continued efforts by those in the private sector, public sector, and broader civil society alike to work together at this time of global public health concern toward the full realization of UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 and an end to child labour in all its forms by 2025.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-day-against-child-labour

Time for Reflection

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:24:11 GMT

The Global Pro Bono Bar has been watching closely recent developments in the United States and in a number of other cities around the world and calls for critical reflection on the centuries of exploitation and abuse of vulnerable populations across the globe arising from the scourge of slavery as well as from the dark legacy of institutionalized racism that has persisted in various forms for generations.

We denounce police brutality and injustice wherever they may appear as well as the oppressive use of force by governmental or other authorities. At this critical juncture, we urge all stakeholders to seek unity beyond politics, real justice, and a path of strength together toward healing and reconciliation both in the United States and around the world.

- The Global Pro Bono Bar Association

How Will You Observe UN World Day of Social Justice in 2020?

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 22:20:49 GMT

February 20, 2020 marks the United Nations’ World Day of Social Justice.

In a world of frenetic globalization, fueled by technology and financialization, justice for the oppressed, exploited and persecuted in the world’s societies is just as paramount a concern now as it was in 2008 when the International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization.

Like the ILO, The Global Pro Bono Bar Association seeks to stand in the gap for those left behind or forgotten in globalization.

Our vision is to empower individual Advocates of Conscience around the world to work together to realize universal human rights, human dignity, and critical public interest advocacy in areas of broad moral consensus. In order to support those negatively impacted by or forgotten in globalization, we transfer the capacity for high-quality, impactful, and meaningful engagement from areas of overabundance to areas of need.

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people".

Are you looking for a way to help make a difference in the world? Join The Global Pro Bono Bar today.

Wells in the Desert: Finding the Meaning in Your Legal Practice

Rob Houston — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 22:17:29 GMT

"What makes the desert beautiful," said the little prince, "is that somewhere it hides a well...." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

The legal profession is both a business and a calling. Popular stereotypes of lawyers readily conjure up images of the former, understanding of the latter is more elusive. While it is true that legal practice has been known to provide material benefits for some, something a bit less tangible and far more noble draws a significant number of us to study and to practice law, namely, the desire to advocate on behalf of those in need to change bad situations for the better, whether in a single client’s life or in the world at large. As with so many of life’s dreamers, legal professionals often begin their careers with the best intentions, but lose sight of their noble goals amid the challenges life presents along the way.

But wait. What if it were possible for those who have legal training, legal experience, and a heart to make positive change to put their legal talents to meaningful use in parts of the world where they are needed most, whether near or far, and whether as practicing lawyers or other legal professionals, law students, law professors, or even former lawyers who retired or left the practice of law to raise families? Realizing the powerful implications of the answer to this question is the purpose and the promise of The Global Pro Bono Bar Association (“The Global Pro Bono Bar”). The Global Pro Bono Bar is about working to channel pools of good will and excess legal capacity that often lay waste in globalization’s legal landscape into transnational pipelines, supporting local advocates struggling to do good in areas thirsty for public interest legal support around the globe. At the same time, it is also about reclaiming the noble dreams of those who once came to the law to make a difference, making it possible for them to rediscover their own wells in the desert.

Are you looking for a way to make a difference with your legal skills? Join The Global Pro Bono Bar Association today.

Happy 2020 From The Global Pro Bono Bar!!!

Rob Houston — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 06:43:28 GMT

Dear Fellow Member of the Bar,

With the arrival of 2020, we turn the page not only on another year, but also on another decade, and what an auspicious new year it is!

In 2020, The Global Pro Bono Bar prepares to celebrate the momentous milestone of two years of incorporation with the launch of two core initiatives intended to lay the groundwork for a brighter future for conscientious pro bono or public interest advocacy as well as for a more meaningful living, breathing legal professionalism across the global legal landscape.

First, in A Call To Revolution, our open letter to fellow members of the Bar around the world, we invite all individual legal professionals to join with us in a call for moral awakening across the global legal profession in recognition of the individual imperative we all share to work hand-in-hand within and across borders to build a better future for our common humanity. If you have not yet had a chance to read this open letter and to join as a signatory, please take a moment to do so now.

Second, The Global Pro Bono Bar is pleased to announce the launch of The Global Pro Bono Pledge, calling upon leaders in the private sector to join with us in affirming the absolute necessity for all legal professionals who work for them (absent any clear legal barrier) to maintain freedom in selecting pro bono projects and providing pro bono or public interest legal services as a matter of individual conscience and legal professionalism, not only when it is convenient for market positioning, but rather as and when there is an opportunity to make a difference.

A new year has arrived, and with it new possibilities for us as individual legal professionals and for the global legal profession. If you, your friends, or colleagues have not yet become members of The Global Pro Bono Bar, please take a moment to do so now.

There has never been a better time than 2020 to join us in The Legal Revolution to Fight Global Injustice!

Sincerely Yours in The Bar,

Rob

Rob Houston
Executive Director
The Global Pro Bono Bar Association