For the first time on the African continent, PILnet’s Global Forum will be held in Cape Town from 10 – 12 November 2026. The Forum brings together lawyers, in-house counsel, bar associations, civil society organisations, and academics from around the world to examine how pro bono and public interest lawyering can be used to support civil society and strengthen access to justice. Through interactive sessions, structured networking, and informal exchanges, the Forum creates space for practitioners and organisations to form practical collaborations that extend beyond the event itself.
ProBono.Org has been an instrumental partner in bringing the Global Forum to South Africa, and the Forum presents a timely opportunity to formally launch the proposed collaboration. Hosting the Forum in Cape Town reflects PILnet’s recognition of Southern Africa as a region with deep experience in pro bono and public interest law, as well as unresolved questions about how legal support can more effectively serve civil society organisations beyond individual representation.
PILnet considers this Forum a deliberate entry point into the Southern African pro bono ecosystem as it provides an opportunity to listen to regional actors, elevate locally grounded perspectives, and advance more focused conversations on how legal tools can support civil society organizations, civic space, and public interest work in practice. It also allows PILnet to introduce its CSO-focused pro bono model in dialogue with existing institutions, and positions this collaboration as complementary, locally anchored, and shaped by regional priorities from the outset.
