In Summer 2025, The Global Pro Bono Bar Association hosted the Global Public Interest Lawyering (GPIL) Summer Intensive Program at the Hague Humanity Centre, focused not only on promoting practical skills for international law practice in pro bono or public interest contexts, but also on the key role of conscience in international lawyering.  Event signage as well as notebooks and t-shirts provided to the participants reminded us all that "It's bring your conscience to work day," calling for a central focus on conscience in international lawyering and a greater sense of moral ambition that requires more from the global legal profession than what has been called the "least common denominator lawyering" that results from the mere application of many domestic legal professional ethics rules alone.  

As this was the inaugural GPIL Summer Intensive Program, we started small and with reasonable expectations.  Given the space requirements of our room at the Hague Humanity Hub, we welcomed seven (7) in-person participants along with remote participants joining from around the world.  In-person participants included early career professionals based in Amsterdam or the United States and international law students from Leiden University.  Below is what they had to say at the conclusion of the program when asked the question "What did the GPIL Summer Intensive Program experience mean to you?" 

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It provided a great foundation on relevant topics in public interest lawyering. It provided insights into some potential areas where more legal assistance is needed, and therefore where I may be able to assist in the future. The new conscientious colleagues through speakers, coordinators, and students were inspiring and will also help encourage and keep each other accountable in the future in undertaking endeavors to advance pro-bono assistance. Most importantly, I am excited to learn more and find ways to stay engaged now and in the future.

I found the GPIL program to renew my interest in public international law, specifically from the public interest perspective, which in daily practice is important to take into account and incorporate as far as possible. I found the diversity of the lecturers and their experiences very nice to hear, in terms of certain mistakes they made early in their careers or other learning experiences. I also found it very helpful to hear from speakers associated with specific international institutions on their work and how it may be possible to be involved.

To me it was a good introduction on the importance, the ethics and the strategies of public interest lawyering. I will take these insights to apply to my practice but also to develop further ambitions and next steps in my career.

I found it a very insightful course and really enjoyed connecting with other professionals who feel passionate about these kinds of topics.

So much! This was an excellent program. Thank you. I feel that I gained so much knowledge and am reinvigorated to pursue public interest work. I truly appreciate everyone’s time and energy into making this an incredibly smooth, successful program.

It was a wonderful way to meet passionate people who, despite differences in background, all want to make a meaningful change through their practice. It has also taught me to think creatively about certain issues, including how non-State actors and even private practitioners can also have a role in using PIL for public interest matters.

I’ve learned a lot of new concepts in the program, also have a chance to touch some new area!

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One of the aspects of the GPIL Summer Intensive Program that was best received among participants was the International Advocacy Exercise organized by our Program Coordinator (Europe) Sarah Mack (pictured below at the Hague Humanity Hub addressing some members of the group in preparation for the exercise).

Program Coordinator (Europe) Sarah Mack guiding GPIL participants during the international advocacy exercise at the Hague Humanity Hub during the GPIL Summer Intensive Program 2025

The Best Advocate award this year was awarded to Emma Staats of Washington, DC (appearing at extreme right in the photo) with Honorable Mentions going to Jennifer McClean, also of Washington, DC (just to the left of Emma in the photo), and Mona Ghyoot of The Hague (center front in the photo facing away from the camera).  

Overall, the results of this year's GPIL Summer Intensive Program far exceeded our expectations.  Even with the inevitable technical difficulties and organizing growing pains that always come with new programs like this one, both we and the participants were very pleased with the result.

Our goal in developing the GPIL Program was not to add yet another legal training program to the already impressive array of educational options available in public international law (and at The Hague in particular).  Rather, in keeping with our organizational vision, our goal remains to give Advocates of Conscience around the world the necessary background and tools in public international law to empower them to get out into our world, roll up their sleeves, and do what they can -- whether through their law firm pro bono practices or other public interest work platforms -- to make positive change for the future of the human family around the world, including with respect to the protection and promotion of the rule of law, international human rights, or environmental justice.

The GPIL Program will continue to provide breadth of training as well as depth with foundational content in a range of disciplines (e.g., IHRL, IHL, etc.).  We are already planning the next iteration of the GPIL Summer Intensive Program, tentatively organized around the topic of "Protection of the Commons" with appropriate focus to be placed on how individual Advocates of Conscience can get involved with the current public conversations over the development of a Plastics Convention, building concerns over pollution in Space Law, the critical need for progress in Climate Change, recent controversies in deep-sea mining, and beyond.  We anticipate selecting a new general topic like this one each year while maintaining our broad focus and low barrier to entry, facilitating engagement among those without a prior background in public international law.   

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 in signing this pledge to affirm the freedom of all legal professionals who work for them (absent any clear legal barrier) to provide 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.

The Global Pro Bono Pledge is available at this link, and The Global Pro Bono Bar is actively accepting signatories by form submission via the link available on the relevant page of The Global Pro Bono Bar website.

Any inquiries in regard to The Global Pro Bono Pledge may be sent via the Contact Us page, also on the website of The Global Pro Bono Bar.