Morales & Besa was recognized for the eighth consecutive year as a Chilean Pro Bono Leading Lights 2019 firm
We are very proud that our firm has been highlighted, for the eighth consecutive year, as Leading Light 2019 for our commitment to pro bono work. The focus of this year’s research, conducted by Latin Lawyer and The Vance Center for International Justice, was on migration. In this context, our partner Edmundo Varas, leader of the Pro Bono team, explained that the issue is crucial because “migrants are a vulnerable group and having access to justice is difficult for them,” Varas said in an interview with Latin Lawyer.
One of the most highlighted initiatives in Latin America was the innovative “Yo Migro” application, created by the Interpreta Foundation and launched in 2018, the same year the new immigration legislation was approved in Chile. Morales & Besa (with the participation of its associates Diego González and Paula Zaldívar) supported the development of this platform by providing advice to safeguard the legal aspects of the information provided to users. Pro Bono associate Paula Zaldívar told the publication that “the new legislation generated a lot of uncertainty, so the app allows people to receive consolidated information on immigration regulations in one place and in a clear way”. This app already has more than 10 thousand downloads only in Google Play Store.
The distinction, awarded by Latin Lawyer together with The Vance Center for International Justice, is a recognition of the dedication, constant work and commitment with which our team has addressed these and other social issues, in order to support and facilitate access to justice for those who are in a disadvantaged situation. Pro Bono Leading Lights 2019, joins the recognitions received at the end of 2019 by Edmundo Varas and the Pro Bono team in the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion awards, in the categories “Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year” and “Pro Bono Program of the Year”, both highlighted as “Highly Commended”.
“Adding an eighth recognition in this line is very significant, because it shows that our efforts in Pro Bono, continue to bear fruit. The fact that this year the focus was on migration and its problems was a great opportunity for our team to show the work we have been doing in this area since 2018, and to contribute with ideas and proposals so that the legal community continues to be involved in this area. I thank each of our members who contribute with their practice and their strong commitment to allow access to justice for the most disadvantaged”, thanked the partner in charge of the Pro Bono consultancy.
Morales & Besa has also supported the Pro Bono Network of the Americas, and the team formed by Cristián Cornejo, Maykol Maldonado and María Luisa Portales is currently working – together with other organizations from different countries – on updating the report on the legal obstacles faced by migrants in each jurisdiction.
