Announcing ISLP Global Impact Awards

Global Impact Law Firm Award

Time and again, Akin has stepped forward – as a firm and through individual volunteers – with trusted leadership and collaboration on complex pro bono matters as well as forward-thinking guidance and support for ISLP.  At this critical juncture for global development work, Akin is an important strategic thought partner in ISLP’s efforts to bridge gaps and bring vital legal support to civil society organizations and other non-profit organizations, low-income governments, and promising social enterprises around the world. The list of Akin’s contributions to ISLP’s mission is long, and reflects a breadth of expertise and commitment from varied practice areas across Akin’s offices. Examples of Akin’s pro bono work on behalf of ISLP include advising a Southern African government on enhancing transparency for domestic and foreign investment through the beneficial ownership framework; transactional support on a large-scale development project aligning natural resource management with international best practices; training African journalists and civil society actors on international law frameworks that protect freedom of expression; developing practical guidance for investigative journalists and human rights defenders on identifying and defending SLAPP lawsuits; advising a major international nonprofit organization on risk management and sanctions policy reforms; and providing transactional support to enable the expansion of mini-grid-sourced energy to reach a refugee camp and remote off-grid communities. Akin also has delivered a range of research and capacity-building projects around salient issues such as whistleblower protections, digital rights and privacy, and ESG frameworks. In support of ISLP’s partner role in the Stand for Her Land coalition for women’s land tenure rights, Akin hosted a roundtable of grassroots leaders from around the world as a side event during the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and currently is conducting a comparative analysis of legal frameworks impacting property rights. ISLP is proud to recognize Akin’s noted leadership in the pro bono legal community and its longstanding commitment to ISLP’s mission.  

Global Impact Law Firm Award

White & Case has an exceptional record of delivering outstanding leadership in pro bono work that advances development and the rule of law. The Firm’s partnership with ISLP over many years has led to successful engagement on a multitude of matters, engaging practice groups and offices across White & Case’s worldwide footprint. With projects from Kenya to Ecuador, Singapore to Mexico, the firm’s contributions have been nothing short of transformative for ISLP and our partners. For example, White & Case’s arbitration group has provided extensive support to locally-led law reform and capacity-building efforts in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Haiti, including projects for the Nairobi Center for International Arbitration, Kenya’s Office of the Attorney General, the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice, the East Africa Law Society Women Lawyers Forum, and le Chambre de Conciliation et d'Arbitrage d'Haïti. Particularly through its more recent activities with ISLP in East Africa, White & Case is helping local legal communities shape the future of commercial arbitration and international dispute resolution in the region. In addition, the Firm’s Energy, Infrastructure, Project and Asset Finance Practice worked with Ecuadorian government and private sector stakeholders to better deliver Public-Private Partnerships as part of ISLP’s multi-stakeholder engagement supporting Ecuador’s Open Government Partnership National Action Plan. In Malawi, White & Case advised social enterprises working to address the health impacts of climate change and expand clean energy access, and delivered training to the Malawi Law Society to enhance banking and finance law capacity to reinforce local legal capacity to support the local ecosystem of social enterprises. White & Case volunteers have helped draft key legislation including Guyana’s Copyright Act and an in-depth legislative review of an East African country’s arbitration framework. The list goes on, representing dramatic continuity and both micro- and macro-level impact in realizing White & Case’s commitment to pro bono legal services at the global scale.

Winfield Freedom of Expression Award

David Schulz, Ballard Spahr, Yale Law School

The Winfield Freedom of Expression Award was created to honor the legacy of the late Richard (Dick) Winfield, a founding contributor to ISLP who developed and, for more than two decades led, its work in defense of journalism and press freedom worldwide. ISLP is proud to recognize David Schulz as the inaugural recipient of the Winfield Freedom of Expression Award.

Dave’s exceptional advocacy embodies the spirit and principles that Dick Winfield held dear. Dave’s determination to protect media freedom and willingness to share his expertise with others who can use it manifests these commitments. David Schulz is a noted advocate for press freedom both as Senior Counsel with the Media Practice Group at Ballard Spahr and as Director of the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School. Dave is a valued longtime ISLP volunteer. He was recruited to ISLP by Winfield, who was his mentor as he started his legal career. In partnership at ISLP they prepared amicus briefs, including before the European Court of Human Rights, in support of journalists in Russia and elsewhere who were facing repression for their work. Dave’s other contributions include trial observation in Tunisia to provide international pressure for a fair judicial process, and leading a training in Zimbabwe for lawyers and journalists grappling with how to advance press freedom in their country. Like Dick Winfield, Dave’s generous pro bono work on behalf of ISLP and our partners around the world and his devotion to expanding access to knowledge and resources in the public interest have an enduring and far-reaching impact.

Global Impact Volunteer Award

Clement Fondufe, Latham & Watkins

Clement Fondufe’s generous pro bono work on behalf of ISLP now spans 15 years and traverses Africa, where he has represented numerous countries in negotiating and structuring large-scale international transactions particularly in the energy, natural resources, and transportation sectors. Clement also has played a lead role in ISLP projects that have supported locally-led law reform efforts, delivered practical training to industry stakeholders on natural resources transactions, and produced legal research, comparative review, and publications designed to guide African government decision makers in efforts to enhance transparency and good governance in the mining sector. Clement’s trusted counsel has been instrumental in supporting ISLP government partners as they navigate complex and high-stakes negotiations, ultimately helping these countries reach favorable and more sustainable arrangements resulting in greater revenues and social and environmental protections. His ISLP engagements have been widespread – from Mauritania to Sierra Leone to Kenya to Ghana, and beyond – and exemplify ISLP’s mission of harnessing practical legal expertise to help level the legal playing field of global development and make tangible contributions to good governance and local capacity. Clement has helped ISLP government partners position themselves to advance their development priorities, create a more sound enabling environment for investment, and realize critical national objectives of economic progress and opportunity. Importantly, Clement has served as a catalyst for building capacity among lawyers and policy makers around the world.  

Clement is a partner in the London office of Latham & Watkins and the Global Co-Chair of the firm's Africa Practice.

Global Impact Volunteer Award

Michael Lebovitz, Eversheds Sutherland

Michael Lebovitz has led a range of ISLP social enterprise, nonprofit governance, and global tax matters. Mike’s responsive, creative approach harnesses a breadth of legal expertise, helping ISLP and partners to understand and address complex legal matters. His counsel has helped ISLP partners identify and assess important legal and strategic options to enable them to scale their operations to expand economic opportunities and public benefit. One of ISLP’s impact investor clients noted: “Michael has been very patient and generous with his time. We feel especially fortunate because his areas of expertise span EVERYTHING we do. He knows about non-profits, about taxation and about the sometimes confusing world of public and private foundations. When he gives us advice, it's based on his knowledge across all of these disparate specialties.” In addition to his ISLP pro bono client representations, Mike is a founding member of ISLP’s Tax Advisory Board, formed to provide strategic advice on this foundational issue for sustainable development, transparency and accountability, and good governance. He served as a lead drafter on an ISLP publication on critical minerals taxation which is now part of the African Mining Legislation Atlas, and was an ISLP representative at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town. Most recently, Mike has contributed substantively to ISLP’s initiative to strengthen civil society resilience through legal resources for non-profit organizations confronting structural transformation in light of widespread policy and funding changes to the development sector.

At Eversheds Sutherland, Mike is an International Tax Partner in the Tax Practice group.

Global Impact Volunteer Award

Irina Sivachenko and Isabela Garcez, Ropes & Gray

Irina Sivachenko and Isabela Garcez of Ropes & Gray are jointly recognized for their dedication to advancing ISLP’s multi-year initiative supporting Ecuador’s national efforts to foster open government, accountability, and transparency. Irina and Isa traveled to Ecuador with ISLP to lead an intensive set of workshops, trainings, dialogues, and meetings in Quito and Cuenca. They met with senior representatives from the government, private sector, civil society, and academia, and helped facilitate timely dialogue on matters of immediate significance to local security, governance, and rule of law concerns. Building on foundational research conducted by Ropes & Gray colleagues, Irina and Isa offered compelling insights on relevant anti-corruption legal frameworks from multiple jurisdictions, practical guidance on developing compliance programs, and cutting-edge examples of how private sector entities have leveraged resources in nonpartisan ways to increase democratic inclusion and participation. Notably, Irina and Isa not only took up this pro bono assignment on short notice and traveled to Ecuador during a politically sensitive time for the country, their meetings and presentations were conducted entirely in Spanish, at least a third language for both Irina, who grew up in Russia, and Isa, a Brazilian native. Their valuable contributions and unique perspectives drove home ISLP’s founding commitment to international exchange and knowledge sharing, and the value of offering comparative legal insights to complement local expertise.

Both Irina and Isabela are with Ropes & Gray’s litigation and enforcement practice group.

Pro Bono Innovation Award

Adrián Palma

Adrián Palma is an innovator at the crossroads of technology and pro bono programs. As an ISLP partner, Adrián has provided guidance and training to ISLP in the use of AI tools, and has been an enthusiastic supporter of ISLP’s Responsible Technology Initiative. Adrián’s career has been dedicated to exploring how technology can transform the legal industry and effectively scale social good and impact. He describes himself as “building bridges between innovation and justice—leading global pro bono initiatives, designing AI-powered solutions, and collaborating with partners across law, technology, nonprofits, and education.” Adrián’s dedication to social justice is fueled by his personal story as a proud Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient. A passionate advocate for immigrant rights, he applied his lived experience to design and implement a tool to scale renewals for those covered by DACA that was honored with the Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Award. Adrián recently became Director of Innovation at Practising Law Institute. Previously, he was Global Pro Bono Manager & Digital Strategist at Microsoft, where his efforts focused on harnessing AI to address the justice gap. ISLP also had the pleasure of working with Adrián in his earlier role as Senior Pro Bono Coordinator at Akin. Adrián is both effective and inspiring as an innovator and champion of technology and pro bono. ISLP is proud to recognize Adrián’s outstanding contributions to the legal field.