Mexico Appleseed

Mexico Appleseed’s commitment to spreading the spirit of pro bono is based on the profound belief that partnerships between those who have what others are missing is the path to the “Common Good” based on trust, integrity, honesty and shared values. Our priority for pro bono work is that it benefit groups of less privileged individuals and organizations that assist them, including civic institutions, cultural and educational establishments that serve the public interest, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and that would otherwise not receive effective representation.

In 2002 Appleseed USA decided to initiate operations for the first time outside the United States and chose Mexico as the country to expand the scope of its international mission, given its important relationship as a neighbor. Therefore, the Appleseed chapter in Mexico started in 2003 with the mission to offer legal talent, freely available to those sectors and social issues that are essential to the collective interest, making it free of ideology or political affiliation, for the sole purpose of maximizing the common good.

Mexican Pro Bono Network

Currently, Mexico Appleseed’s focus is on fortifying the already existent “Mexican Pro Bono Network”, a network of lawyers who can provide pro bono legal support to projects of high societal importance. The Mexican Pro Bono Network begins its second year operating. Our objective is to fortify the non profit in Mexico through the pro bono services as well as selecting vulnerable causes that need a systemic change. Through our Pro Bono Network, we provide legal assistance to non profit organizations. On the other hand, we stimulate the needed infrastructural changes needed for those vulnerable sectors and populations. This network functions as a clearinghouse and tracks the efforts and responses of pro bono support in order to ensure the timeliness and quality of Appleseed’s assistance. Within weeks, Mexico Appleseed will launch a website that will serve to bridge NGOs with legal needs to our pro bono members – http://probono.org.mx

The formalized pro bono alliances of Appleseed México include more than 80 independent attorneys, 20 law firms and 2 university legal clinics. Appleseed has contact with more than 200 law firms interested in the social justice, poverty reduction and social development.