Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has launched two new initiatives to help countries, particularly the least developed nations, find the right pro bono legal support to improve access to justice for all.
She announced the initiatives at an event in London on 19 March 2025 in the presence of high commissioners, legal practitioners, academics and civil society representatives.
Operating virtually, the Commonwealth Pro Bono Centre will connect attorneys general and law ministers from 14 least developed Commonwealth countries with free legal expertise from six leading law firms.
Least developed countries often lack the resources or expertise to take full advantage of opportunities. Securing external support can be costly and complex.
The Pro Bono Centre will provide government officials with expert legal counsel otherwise unavailable to them, helping them navigate complex legal areas such as investment contracts and human rights, which directly affect their people.
The Commonwealth Legal Repository is a one-stop database of all publicly available laws from 31 Commonwealth countries. Government officials can use it as a reference guide when amending existing statutes or drafting new legislation to strengthen their justice systems.
Securing justice for all
Speaking at the launch, the Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, underlined the urgency of supporting legal practitioners in the least developed countries.
She said:
“From navigating complex international contracts and litigating high-stakes cases to engaging in international arbitration, legal practitioners are the backbone of good governance and justice in their countries. Yet, too often, they are asked to do so much with too little.
“That is why I am launching these two initiatives to ensure that our member countries, especially those with limited resources, have access to world-class legal expertise and a strong legal knowledge base to make justice a reality for all.”
The initiatives were welcomed by leaders, government officials, and legal experts, including Prime Minister Feleti Teo of Tuvalu and Attorney General Thabo Nyirenda of Malawi.
In a statement, Prime Minister Teo said:
“The Commonwealth Pro Bono Centre brings much-needed legal services to law ministers and attorneys general from nations in need of specialised assistance in various areas of the law.”
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‘Invaluable resource’
Thabo Nyirenda described the Pro Bono Centre as an “invaluable resource” for building the capacity of attorneys general working with limited resources.
The Pro Bono Centre is a partnership between the Secretariat and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA).
Brian Speers, Past President of the CLA, said the Pro Bono Centre will provide support for a wide range of legal matters, including natural resource agreements.
He added that this will help resource-rich least developed countries maximise the benefits of their natural assets without being placed at a disadvantage in negotiations.
Both initiatives are part of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s ongoing efforts to promote equal access to justice for all – a mandate from the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
- The 14 least developed Commonwealth countries include Bangladesh, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, United Republic of Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tuvalu and Uganda. They are home to approximately 394 million people.
- The six law firms currently involved in the Pro Bono Centre are Covington & Burling LLP, Rajah & Tann Singapore, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, Hare Court, Howard Kennedy LLP and Edwin Coe LLP.
Media contact
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Snober Abbasi, Senior Communications Officer, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
