[...]

Fuchs is confident that when the OAB eventually does hold a vote, it will yield a positive answer. He believes that pro bono is becoming increasingly institutionalised in the country, something evidenced by the standing of the attendees at a recent meeting hosted by IPB member firm Pinheiro Neto Advogadosat the end of last year. In attendance were São Paulo state bar president Marcos Da Costa, former minister for justice Miguel Reale Jr and head of prestigious law school FGV, Oscar Vilhena. "This was the first time ever that the president of the state bar association in São Paulo had engaged in a pro bono meeting: that is unbelievable," says Fuchs. "If we continue to involve big law firms with IPB, many other law firms will join. These large firms are a very important mechanism to persuade the bar association," he adds. The organisation is continuing to recruit leading firms to its cause, adding Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados and Campos Mello Advogados as members in 2014.

Latin Lawyer - 06.03.2015