What Pro Bono Connect does

Pro Bono Connect (founded November 2016) is a Dutch nonprofit legal intermediation project of the Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten (NJCM), the Dutch section of the International Commission of Jurists, operating from the Amsterdam Law Hub. The organization functions as a clearinghouse that screens intake requests from civil society organizations and matches them to one of 17+ partner law firms — including Bird & Bird, Clifford Chance, De Brauw, Dentons, DLA Piper, Freshfields, HVG Law, Linklaters, NautaDutilh, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Stibbe — that deliver free legal services on a pro bono basis. There is no proprietary technology stack; the platform is an operational intermediation process supported by an Airtable intake form, with the matching workflow and eligibility screening handled by a core team of five staff.

The service portfolio spans five modules: Advice, Scoping & Research; Lawsuits, Claims & Legal Disputes; Strategic Litigation; Workshops & Courses; and Other Forms of Assistance. Beneficiary organizations are exclusively non-profit civil society entities — including human rights, social justice, humanitarian aid, and community development organizations such as Bureau Clara Wichmann, Oxfam Novib, OPORA Foundation, Fawaka, and Het Actiefonds — with engagements ranging from one-off advice (e.g., tenancy law for Oxfam Novib) to multi-year relationships (Fawaka: seven years of ongoing support).

Pro Bono Connect has no commercial revenue model: all intermediation and legal services are free of charge, and the organization is funded institutionally through its NJCM parent. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on NJCM referrals, LinkedIn, monthly email newsletters, the probonoconnect.nl website, workshops, roundtables, and annual participation in European Pro Bono Week. Cross-border pro bono matters are routed through the European Pro Bono Alliance coordinated by PILnet, but core operations remain Netherlands-domestic.

Name

Pro Bono Connect

Legal name

Pro Bono Connect

Website

https://probonoconnect.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Bono Connect is a Dutch nonprofit clearinghouse, founded in 2016, that matches civil society organizations with pro bono legal services from 17+ partner law firms, operating as a project of the NJCM from Amsterdam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Legal Services

NAICS

All Other Legal Services (541199), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• NGO legal intermediation
• Civil society legal aid
• Free legal matching
• Nonprofit legal clearinghouse

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pro bono legal intermediation (free service): Pro Bono Connect is a nonprofit project of the Dutch Committee of Jurists for Human Rights (NJCM). It does not charge civil society organizations for its matching and intermediation services. Legal services provided by partner law firms are entirely free of charge for the end beneficiaries. Pro Bono Connect is funded through institutional support and the NJCM; no commercial revenue model exists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pro Bono Connect is a nonprofit legal intermediation service that screens requests from Dutch civil society organizations and matches them with pro bono lawyers from a network of 17+ major Dutch and international law firm partners. The organization provides free legal advice, strategic litigation support, representation in disputes, and educational workshops on legal topics relevant to nonprofits. All services are delivered at no cost to qualifying civil society organizations, with the organization funded through its parent NJCM and law firm partnerships.

Product overview

Pro Bono Connect is a mediation platform that connects civil society organizations with pro bono lawyers for free legal assistance. The core offering consists of five interconnected service modules: Advice, Scoping & Research (legal consultation on organizational projects and advocacy); Lawsuits, Claims & Legal Disputes (representation in legal proceedings); Strategic Litigation (conducting lawsuits for social change); Workshops & Courses (educational sessions on legal topics); and Other Forms of Assistance (miscellaneous pro bono support). The platform screens requests from organizations, matches them with appropriate partner law firms, and facilitates the provision of free legal services to civil society organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advice, Scoping & Research Free legal advice, scoping, and research service for civil society organizations. Pro bono lawyers from partner law firms supplement organizational expertise with procedural experience, technical knowledge, and research capacity on projects, plans, or advocacy initiatives.
• Lawsuits, Claims & Legal Disputes Free legal representation and support for civil society organizations involved in claims, proceedings, and legal disputes. Includes advice on both content and process, as well as guidance on preventing court proceedings through administrative appeals and alternative legal options.
• Strategic Litigation Free pro bono support for conducting strategic lawsuits to achieve social change, requiring extensive preparation and thorough knowledge of specific legal areas. Partner lawyers assist with changing government policy or exposing actions of companies or commercial institutions.
• Workshops & Courses Free educational workshops and courses organized regularly on current legal topics for civil society organizations. Topics include employment law, anti-money laundering regulations, privacy policy, and governance for foundations.
• Other Forms of Assistance Free pro bono support for civil society organizations in areas that do not fit into standard legal categories, providing additional forms of assistance beyond the core legal service modules.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully matched multiple civil society organizations with top-tier law firms; organizations report high satisfaction with response speed, expertise, and quality of legal advice received
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dutch Committee of Jurists for Human Rights (NJCM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2016Pro Bono Connect is a project of the NJCM (Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten), the Dutch section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which focuses on promoting human rights in the Netherlands and Dutch foreign policy. The NJCM provides institutional backing, governance, and human rights expertise.
• European Pro Bono AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro Bono Connect is an active member of the European Pro Bono Alliance, a partnership of clearinghouses across Europe coordinated by PILnet. This enables knowledge exchange, experience sharing, and cross-border pro bono referrals.
• PILnetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPILnet is a global network dedicated to providing pro bono legal assistance to NGOs. It coordinates the European Pro Bono Alliance within which Pro Bono Connect participates.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation): TrustLaw is the global pro bono program of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, connecting NGOs and social enterprises with top law firms worldwide. A broader, globally-scoped counterpart with similar intermediation logic but anchored within a major media corporation.

Direct peers

• LawWorks: LawWorks is a UK charity that connects solicitors and law firms with individuals and community organizations needing pro bono legal help. Operationally and structurally similar to Pro Bono Connect, with screening, matching, and law-firm network stewardship.
• Pro Bono Net: Pro Bono Net is a US-based nonprofit that runs online platforms and matching services to connect nonprofits with pro bono lawyers. Most direct US analog to PBC's clearinghouse function, with a heavier emphasis on technology-mediated matching.
• Advocates for International Development (A4ID): A4ID is a UK-based charity that brokers pro bono legal assistance for development NGOs and social enterprises. Closely comparable mission and matching model, with a heavier international development focus.
• PILnet: PILnet is a global pro bono law network that runs the European Pro Bono Alliance of which Pro Bono Connect is a member. Both operate as clearinghouses matching NGOs with pro bono legal services, sharing infrastructure, referral flows, and a comparable nonprofit intermediation model.

Regional players

• Pro Bono Partnership: Pro Bono Partnership is a US-based nonprofit providing free business legal services to nonprofits in select regions (Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, etc.). Same intermediation model between civil society and law firm volunteers, but US-only and region-specific.
• Justice Connect: Justice Connect is an Australian nonprofit that connects people and community organizations with pro bono legal help. Shares the screening-and-matching intermediation model with PBC, operating in a different geography.
• National Pro Bono Centre (Australia): The National Pro Bono Centre hosts and supports the Australian Pro Bono Centre and related infrastructures that channel pro bono legal services to the community sector. Functionally analogous clearinghouse support organization, though Australia-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-bono-connect

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 Pro Bono Connect