Pro Bono Defense of Consumers and the Planet

By pro bono, we mean cases where a lawyer acts in the public good, for a client but without remuneration.   Under a traditional approach throughout his career, Pierre Kirch has  remained at the heart of the law through pro bono representations of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).   Starting in 2010, he was legal advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors of ClientEarth, the London-based environment-defense NGO which now has offices throughout the world, acting in some 15 or so cases  on its  behalf before the EU Courts in Luxembourg.  For several years, he was also president of ClientEarths Litigation Review Committee.   In 2014-2015, Pierre  headed an international team of some 75 lawyers to research and draft the Defence Handbook for Journalists and Bloggers for the Paris-based NGO, Reporters without Borders.  This pro bono project directed by Pierre as a team effort won the Reuters TrustLaw Foundation Collaboration Award presented in London in September 2015 and the Paris Bar’s Pro Bono Team award presented in Paris in October 2015.  These were cases of significant social engagement in favor of well-known multinational NGOs, at a time where Pierre was practicing in a BigLaw environment.  Now, as an independent  practitioner, he has evolved in his thinking towards the concept of  Vital Pro Bono.