Transnational advocacy: big law, pro bono, and the rule of law

As part of CISD’s New Frontiers in Diplomacy Seminar Series (DiploSem), this Masterclass examines the changing landscape of transnational advocacy at a moment of rising authoritarianism and shrinking civic space. 

When human rights protections are under pressure, who has the access, resources, and networks to push back and with what implications for legitimacy and accountability? The session focuses on the growing role of big private law firms in advocacy work, particularly through pro bono legal services. 

Equipped with elite expertise, expanding revenues, and influential transnational networks, large firms may be uniquely positioned to support human rights and environmental causes including in contexts where civil society organisations face heightened constraints. Professor Nina Reiners (University of Oslo) will introduce the ERC-funded PROBONO project (2025 to 2029), which investigates the scope of private law firms’ pro bono work, how autocratisation shapes these activities, and what this means for human rights, the rule of law, and democracy.

Drawing on quantitative and qualitative research on leading firms’ pro bono efforts across domestic and international settings, the talk will highlight how pro bono work functions as a tool of transnational advocacy, and the dilemmas it raises. Key themes in this talk include:

• Advocacy under authoritarian pressure and constrained civic space.
• Big law firms as transnational actors: capacity, access, and influence.
• Pro bono work and its implications for rights, democracy, and accountability.

Event series

This DiploSem Masterclass is organised by the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS University of London as part of DiploSem: New Frontiers in Diplomacy.