Mission                                                                    

The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice provides support to lawyers around the globe who engage in activities that expand access to justice, ensure a fair and equitable judicial system, develop public policies that address social needs, and create public confidence in the legal profession. Founded on the principle that lawyers have an important role to play in promoting social justice and strengthening democracy, the Center honors the memory of Cyrus R. Vance, a past president of the New York City Bar, whose life and career exemplify the important contribution lawyers can make in democratic societies.

In all of its activities, the Center draws on the resources of the New York City Bar, including its members and committees, and its affiliate, the City Bar Justice Center, and works in close cooperation with a wide range of partners worldwide, including law firms, bar associations and law societies, educational institutions and nongovernmental organizations.

The Vance Center's work in context
 

What We Do

Members of the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas drafting committee meet in Brazil. (March 2007)

The Vance Center pursues innovative projects with local partners to promote international access to justice. The Center's current projects bring partners together to work on pro bono initiatives, substantive law reform, diversity in the legal profession, gender-based violence and cross-border network building to advance public interest law.

In Latin America, the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas — a collaborative project developed by legal professionals throughout the Americas — seeks to advance the legal profession's response to unmet legal needs of the poor and underserved. The Declaration is the first framework of its kind for legal professionals and social justice advocates in the region. The Vance Center also collaborates with members of the legal profession throughout the region on individual projects to strengthen the profession's capacity to fulfill its public interest responsibilities.

In Africa, the Vance Center is working to diversify the ranks of lawyers in commercial practice and encourage the growth of pro bono in South Africa through the South African Visiting Lawyer Program. The Program brings lawyers from South Africa to New York to work in law firms and corporate legal departments for a year. The Vance Center is also working with partners to develop projects addressing gender-based violence and legal capacity building in East Africa.

Globally, the Vance Center works to promote substantive law reform through its Global Pro Bono Clearinghouse, which facilitates the submission of amicus briefs before national courts and regional and international tribunals. The Center's newest project, the Global Network for Justice Initiatives (www.gnji.net), is harnessing the power of the web to build connections between access to justice advocates from around the world.

For more information on the Vance Center's projects click here.

Who We Are

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