PILnet

What PILnet does

PILnet (legally "PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law") is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1999 and headquartered in New York, that operates as a global clearinghouse connecting civil society organizations with pro bono legal assistance. The organization runs regional clearinghouses in Hong Kong and Budapest (the latter as the Hungarian Pro Bono Center), coordinates the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge (covering 100+ legal actors), and in 2024 facilitated 14,031 pro bono hours valued at $8.8M for 215 civil society organizations across 62+ jurisdictions. PILnet's product surface includes the core Legal Assistance Clearinghouse, the CLIX Pro Bono Portal (licensed from Justice Connect) for Hong Kong, the Refugee-Led Clearinghouse launched in 2021, and educational programs including the PILnet-RLRH Legal Fellowship with Oxford's Refugee-Led Research Hub and a Regional Course on Public Interest Lawyering.

The underlying technology is deliberately lean and human-mediated rather than AI-driven: PILnet uses a Mailchimp-backed global pro bono database, the CLIX portal for digital intake and matching in Hong Kong, and a Refugee-Led Clearinghouse portal for forced displacement matters. The matching model relies on curated pitching roundtables and direct referrals from regional staff, with documented 100% project matching rates at events. Supporting infrastructure includes multilingual intake forms (English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Hungarian), GDPR and Hong Kong PDPO compliance frameworks, and event-driven distribution through the annual Global Forum, European Convening, European Pro Bono Week, and regional roundtables.

PILnet's revenue model is grant- and donation-based rather than transactional: as a 501(c)(3) with EIN 20-5087783, the organization is funded through charitable contributions, foundation grants, EU project funding (e.g., CLEAR-Rights), and event sponsorships from law firms. All legal assistance is provided free of charge to eligible NGOs; the organization is compensated indirectly through grants rather than fees from beneficiaries. Co-Executive Directors Julia Mayerhofer and Andrej Nosko lead a 11-50 person staff across three offices, with strategic direction set by a board of directors. No parent company, equity investment, or PE/VC backing has been identified.

Name

PILnet

Legal name

PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law

Website

https://pilnet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PILnet is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a global clearinghouse matching civil society organizations with pro bono legal assistance across 62+ jurisdictions, facilitated 14,031 pro bono hours in 2024, and coordinates the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge with 100+ legal actors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid and Pro Bono Clearinghouse Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Legal Services (5411), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Anti-Trafficking, Smuggling Prevention & Safe Migration Services (BPADAHAK), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Legal aid clearinghouse
• Civil society advocacy
• Public interest law
• NGO legal assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIM: 20-5087783), PILnet operates primarily through donations, grants, and charitable contributions. The organization receives support from foundations and donors to fund its global clearinghouse operations and programs.
2. Event Sponsorships: The Global Forum and regional convenings are sponsored by law firms and organizations, providing revenue to support PILnet's operations and mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PILnet operates a global pro bono legal clearinghouse that matches civil society organizations and NGOs with qualified lawyers from major international law firms, providing free legal assistance for organizational operations, governance, compliance, and mission advancement. The organization runs regional clearinghouses in Hong Kong, Hungary, and globally, supported by thematic programs in refugee rights, children's rights, and anti-trafficking. It also coordinates the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge with over 100 legal actors.

Product overview

PILnet is a nonprofit organization that builds networks of public interest and private sector lawyers to put the power of law to work for civil society. The organization operates primarily through its Legal Assistance Clearinghouse, which serves as a matching platform connecting civil society organizations with pro bono lawyers. PILnet's core technology platform includes the CLIX Pro Bono Portal (for Hong Kong operations) and the Refugee-Led Clearinghouse (for forced displacement matters). Supporting programs include the International Fellowship Program, Regional Course on Public Interest Lawyering, and PILnet-RLRH Legal Fellowship. Thematic programs cover Children's Rights (CLEAR-Rights), Anti-Trafficking in Persons, and Forced Displacement. The organization coordinates the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge and hosts major events including the annual Global Forum and European Convening. PILnet is not a technology product company but rather a service organization that facilitates legal assistance through human-mediated matching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CLIX: A pro bono portal initiative and digital platform for PILnet's Hong Kong Clearinghouse, enabling posting of legal needs of civil society organizations to match them with law firms or lawyers for pro bono assistance
• Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge
• PILnet-RLRH Legal Fellowship Program

Products and services

• Legal Assistance Clearinghouse PILnet's flagship clearinghouse service that connects civil society organizations (NGOs) with pro bono lawyers from its global network. Organizations submit legal needs via online intake forms and are matched with qualified lawyers having relevant skills and expertise. Service is provided free of charge to eligible NGOs.
• CLIX Pro Bono Portal Digital pro bono portal consisting of the CLIX website (clixhk.org) and CLIX portal (hk.probonoportal.org). Serves as the digital platform for PILnet's Hong Kong Clearinghouse, enabling posting of legal needs of civil society organizations to match them with law firms or lawyers for pro bono assistance.
• Refugee-Led Clearinghouse Legal matching portal launched on World Refugee Day 2021 specifically for organizations, associations, clinics, refugee-led organizations, and legal service providers supporting refugees and forcibly displaced persons. Connected with the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge coordinated by PILnet.
• Regional Course on Public Interest Lawyering A 5-week online course developed by PILnet and the Leitner Center for lawyers and NGO representatives. Covers five core concepts: Access to Justice, Pro Bono Publico, Strategic Litigation, Legal Empowerment, and New Directions in Public Interest Lawyering.
• PILnet-RLRH Legal Fellowship Program Fellowship program in partnership with the Refugee-Led Research Hub at the University of Oxford, designed to give legal advocates with lived experience of displacement an opportunity to contribute to PILnet's work advancing access to rights, justice, and solutions for forcibly displaced people.
• CLEAR-Rights Program EU-funded project (CLEAR-Rights: Enhancing legal assistance and access to justice for children in conflict with the law in Europe) that develops innovative guidelines and tools for legal professionals to advance justice for children involved with criminal proceedings.
• Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Project Project in collaboration with Liberty Shared to improve access to justice for victims of trafficking in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia by building networks of pro bono lawyers, increasing their knowledge, and strengthening national and regional cooperation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 215 civil society organizations assisted in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Thomson Reuters FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2020Co-organizer of Asia Pro Bono Legal Community Roundtables bringing together NGOs and law firms for refugee rights pro bono partnerships.
• UNHCRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019PILnet partners with UNHCR to coordinate the Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge and organize pitching roundtables connecting law firms with NGOs serving refugees.
• Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH), University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch the PILnet-RLRH Legal Fellowship Program supporting legal advocates with lived experience of displacement.
• Hogan LovellsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational law firm that engaged multiple offices to review and revise legal documents for APNOR's Refugee Leadership Alliance Empowerment Fund.
• Herbert Smith FreehillsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• White & CasemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• Dechert LLPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• Allen & OverymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• LinklatersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• DLA PipermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• Morrison FoerstermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• Mayer BrownmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for Asia refugee rights pro bono projects at the 2022 Asia Pro Bono Roundtable.
• LawWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing the UK Refugee Rights Pro Bono Pitching Roundtable.
• Pro PublicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing the Europe Refugee Rights Pro Bono Pitching Roundtable.
• FreshfieldsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for UK Refugee Rights pro bono projects.
• OrrickmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for UK Refugee Rights pro bono projects.
• Clifford ChancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm for UK Refugee Rights pro bono projects.
• Norton Rose FulbrightmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatched law firm providing strategic support and financial resources for Rights in Exile platform transition.
• A&O ShearmanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided strategic support and financial resources for Rights in Exile platform transition from AMERA International to AsyLex.
• Baker McKenziemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided pro bono legal advice to Bevel ON Association for Swiss legal registration and nonprofit compliance.
• Liberty SharedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Legal Impact Hub collaborator for Anti-Trafficking in Persons project building networks of pro bono lawyers in Southeast Asia.
• Terre des HommescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in CLEAR-Rights project enhancing legal assistance for children in conflict with the law in Europe.
• Defence for Children InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CLEAR-Rights project for children's rights in Europe.
• Leitner CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver the Regional Course on Public Interest Lawyering for lawyers and NGO representatives in Asia.
• AsyLexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit that took over the Rights in Exile platform from AMERA International to continue providing legal assistance resources for refugees.
• Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group member working on refugee rights pro bono partnerships in Asia.
• HIAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group member providing refugee legal assistance.
• Danish Refugee CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group member supporting legal assistance for refugees.
• Justice Centre Hong KongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group member providing legal services in Hong Kong.
• KIND (Kids in Need of Defense)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group member providing legal assistance to unaccompanied children.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Justice Connect: Australian nonprofit operating a pro bono portal (the source of PILnet's CLIX technology) that brokers legal help for community organizations — same clearinghouse-for-NGOs model, the underlying technology licensor, and an active PILnet partner.
• LawWorks: UK charity running a brokered pro bono clearinghouse that links volunteer lawyers with not-for-profits and individuals — explicit PILnet partner (co-organizer of UK Refugee Rights Pro Bono Pitching Roundtable), making it the most directly comparable national-level clearinghouse model.
• Pro Bono Net: U.S.-based nonprofit that operates probononet.net and LawHelp, an online clearinghouse connecting low-income clients and nonprofit organizations with volunteer lawyers — directly comparable as a digital pro bono matching infrastructure for the civil society legal-aid mission PILnet serves.
• Pro Bono Partnership: U.S. nonprofit that matches volunteer business lawyers with nonprofits for transactional and governance matters — directly comparable delivery model of brokered pro bono legal support to civil society organizations.
• TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation): Global pro bono legal network of Thomson Reuters Foundation connecting NGOs and social enterprises with top law firms across 180+ countries — co-organizer with PILnet of Asia Pro Bono Roundtables and the closest global-scale direct competitor in international pro bono matching.
• Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation: Affiliated foundation of the Lex Mundi global law firm network that channels cross-border pro bono assistance through member firms — overlapping network-based pro bono intermediation across multiple jurisdictions, serving NGOs and social enterprises.
• Lawyers Without Borders: International NGO that mobilizes volunteer lawyers to advance the rule of law and access to justice in developing and conflict-affected countries — comparable thematic overlap on refugee/displacement and capacity-building via cross-border pro bono.

Regional players

• Public Interest Pro Bono (NY City Bar Association): New York-based Bar Association pro bono clearinghouse for NYC-area civil society and pro se clients — comparable pro bono matching infrastructure operating in PILnet's home market but at city scope rather than global.

Emerging players

• AsyLex: Swiss nonprofit providing free legal aid to asylum seekers that absorbed PILnet-supported Rights in Exile platform — adjacent niche player in the same refugee legal-aid ecosystem and PILnet partner.
• HIAS: International refugee assistance organization (GRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group partner alongside PILnet) that provides legal representation to refugees — overlapping beneficiary base, complementary rather than substitutive of PILnet's intermediation role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PILnet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AsyLex
• Facebookfacebook.com/AsyLex.ch/?locale=de_DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pilnet/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/asylex.ch/?hl=de

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PILnet