Global Pro Bono for Sports Enthusiasts

The Olympic rings at St. Pancras International Rail Station in London greet visitors in preparation for the 2012 Olympics. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

As London gears up to host the Summer Games of the XXX Olympiad, sports fans (and pro bono fans, natch) have devised yet another innovative way to do global pro bono.  LC.N Weekly reports that an all-star panel of 18 law firms and chambers has formed to dispense free legal advice to athletes, coaches, team officials, national committees, and international federations at the upcoming 2012 Olympics. Pro bono advice will cover a range of legal issues from sports and crime to defamation, privacy, immigration, asylum, discrimination, and personal injury.

Whether you’re a fan of winter or summer games; men’s, women’s, or mixed events; or Youth Olympics or Paralympics, global pro bono opportunities abound.  Even if you’re not an athletics enthusiast, the Olympic Games are about much more than sports.  According to the International Olympic Committee, the Olympics inspire hope and joy around the world:

Sport is an antidote to the problems faced by young people . . . Sport has a unique power to bring happiness and unity in the most desperate of circumstances.  Sports programs . . . are crucial, as they fundamentally change behavior.  They reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.  They decrease levels of substance abuse.  They increase motivation and educational performance.  They empower women.  They are a vital tool for human development.

In 1908, the Olympics adopted the now famous motto, “The most important thing is not to win but to take part!”  We couldn’t agree more and think that pro bono service is a richly rewarding way to take part in the Olympic Games.

Are you involved in an innovative global pro bono initiative?  Drop us a comment and fill us in.