Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s work with the Center for Reproductive Rights (“the Center”) to achieve positive rulings on behalf of three rape survivors from the United Nations Human Rights Committee (“the Committee”) against Guatemala, Nicaragua and Ecuador, has won “The Halsbury Award for Rule of Law” category at the Lexis Nexis Legal Awards. The rulings set new international human rights standards to ensure access to sexual education, safe abortion services, and other protections for sexual abuse survivors.

It is the fourth major honour for the work, after previously winning categories at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards, The Lawyer Awards and the PILnet Global Awards. Full detail of the work can be found here.

On a successful evening for Debevoise’s pro bono team, the firm also secured another win. The Afghan Pro Bono Initiative, of which the firm is a founding member, and which offers pro bono legal representation to Afghans seeking safety and family reunification in the UK, won the Pro Bono Award category.

Since the firm’s founding in 1931, Debevoise’s pro bono work has been central to its culture. The firm focuses on helping underserved and vulnerable communities tackle social problems and solve complex legal issues.