Fundación Pro Bono España

What Fundación Pro Bono España does

Fundación Pro Bono España is a non-profit foundation established in 2018 and headquartered in Madrid (Calle de Alcalá, 89) that intermediates free legal assistance between social organizations and volunteer legal professionals in Spain. Registered in the State Foundations Register under NIF G-88151964, the foundation operates three integrated service pillars: Canalización (identifying legal needs of social organizations and matching them with lawyers), Sensibilización (awareness-building and promotion of pro bono culture among legal and academic stakeholders), and Institucionalización (supporting law firms and legal departments in building sustained pro bono programs). Its network spans 60 member law firms, 5,000+ individual lawyers, 20 universities, and 2,000+ students, with cumulative impact of 1,000+ pro bono matters, 450+ beneficiary organizations, 60+ multilateral projects, and 70+ training sessions.

The foundation's underlying technology is intentionally minimal: a web presence (www.probonoespana.org) with intake forms (CUÉNTANOS for social organizations, SÚMATE for legal professionals), a Mailchimp-distributed newsletter (En Clave Pro Bono), and a third-party whistleblower channel (Canal Ético via Quality Legal Service, compliant with Spain's Law 2/2023). The matching of legal needs to volunteer lawyers is performed manually by a 12-person team rather than through automated algorithms. Auxiliary engagement programs include the annual VIII Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono 2026 (co-organized with Fundación Fernando Pombo, hosted by Clifford Chance Madrid, and aligned with European Pro Bono Week via PILNET) and the Desafío Pro Bono España competition (II Edition).

The foundation is funded entirely through donations and philanthropic contributions via its COLABORA program; no fees are charged for legal services and there is no commercial pricing model. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on law firm membership, university partnerships, the founding team's relationships (Co-founder and Executive Director Leire Larracoechea, originating from Cuatrecasas and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice), and earned media coverage of flagship events.

Name

Fundación Pro Bono España

Legal name

Fundación Pro Bono España

Website

https://probonoespana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Pro Bono España is a Madrid-based non-profit foundation that connects social organizations in Spain with free volunteer legal assistance through a network of 60 law firms, 5,000+ lawyers, and 20 universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Legal Services Intermediation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Legal aid intermediation
• Nonprofit legal foundation
• Law firm volunteer network
• Access to justice

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and philanthropic contributions: As a registered foundation (Fundación) under Spanish law, the organization operates on donations and potentially public or private grants. The 'COLABORA' section on its website refers to making donations. There is no commercial revenue model; services are provided free of charge to beneficiary social organizations.
2. Donation management (contractual service): Data collected through the 'COLABORA' form is used to manage donations under applicable law. No commercial fees are charged for legal services rendered.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundación Pro Bono España is a nonprofit foundation that intermediates free pro bono legal services between Spanish social organizations (nonprofits) and a network of volunteer lawyers and law firms. It identifies legal needs of third-sector entities and matches them with qualified legal professionals, while simultaneously promoting pro bono culture through awareness, training, and institutional support. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and are funded through donations, member contributions, and grants.

Product overview

Fundación Pro Bono España operates as a non-profit legal services foundation that connects social organizations with free legal assistance through a network of legal professionals. The organization offers three integrated service pillars: Canalización (legal needs identification and matching), Sensibilización (pro bono culture promotion and education), and Institucionalización (institutional support for best practices). Supplementary offerings include the En Clave Pro Bono newsletter, annual pro bono conferences, the Desafío Pro Bono España challenge program, an ethics reporting channel, and intake/registration forms. The foundation does not offer a technology product per se but facilitates access to justice through coordinated human and procedural resources rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Canalización (Pro Bono Legal Channeling) Core service that identifies legal needs of Spanish social organizations (nonprofits) and matches them with volunteer lawyers and law firms from the foundation's network to deliver free legal assistance.
• Sensibilización (Awareness Building) Educational and awareness service that promotes pro bono legal culture and disseminates best practices among legal and academic stakeholders, nationally and internationally.
• Institucionalización (Institutionalization) Support service for legal stakeholders to optimize pro bono work, build networks, and drive best practices that maximize reach and impact.
• Desafío Pro Bono España A competition/challenge program that engages legal professionals and students in pro bono initiatives, fostering creative solutions for social organizations.
• Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono Annual conference on pro bono legal practice bringing together lawyers, foundation leaders, social organizations, and academic institutions to discuss trends and showcase collaborative projects.
• Canal Ético (Ethics Channel) Whistle-blower / internal reporting channel for the foundation's own compliance with Spain's Law 2/2023 on whistleblower protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1,000 pro bono legal matters handled through the network
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Fundación Fernando PomboflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-organizer of the annual Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono. The foundation and Fundación Fernando Pombo share the mission of advancing pro bono culture in Spain, with the 2026 conference being their joint initiative, co-hosted by Clifford Chance Madrid.
• Clifford ChancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational law firm acting as host of the VIII Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono 2026. The firm is a member of Fundación Pro Bono España, contributes lawyers to pro bono matters (e.g., the FEDER tax training and the pro bono case for Fundación Porque Viven), and its partner Pablo Serrano de Haro opened the 2026 conference.
• AshurstcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember law firm of Fundación Pro Bono España. Partner Pedro Ester serves as pro bono coordinator for Ashurst Spain and participated as a speaker in the 2026 Jornada Anual, representing the firm's ongoing pro bono commitment.
• Gómez-Acebo & PombocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember law firm of Fundación Pro Bono España. Multiple lawyers from the firm (Yago Fernández, Inés Fontes, Delia Castaños) participated in the 2026 Jornada Anual. The firm has worked on pro bono matters for Fundación Unoentrecienmil and FEDER.
• Ramón y Cajal AbogadoscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember law firm of Fundación Pro Bono España. Associate principal Víctor Rodríguez de Vera participated in the 2026 Jornada Anual discussing rare disease accompaniment cases.
• MA AbogadoscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember law firm of Fundación Pro Bono España. Lawyer Rafael Martínez participated in the 2026 Jornada Anual representing the firm in pediatric palliative care legal work.
• De Castro Estudio de AbogadoscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm whose founder, José Luis de Castro, serves as President of the Patronato (Board of Trustees) of Fundación Pro Bono España, providing strategic leadership to the foundation.
• PILNET (European Pro Bono Week)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VIII Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono 2026 is organized within the framework of European Pro Bono Week 2026, coordinated by PILNET, linking the foundation to the international pro bono community.
• Universidad Carlos III de MadridcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner running a legal clinic under codirector Gema Quintero. Jointly developed the CUME project with the foundation to prepare legislative proposals on care for minors with serious illness. One of 20 universities in the foundation's academic network.
• Universidad Pontificia Comillas-ICADEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner with an active legal clinic (Clínica Jurídica ICADE) directed by Pilar López de la Osa. Contributed to the FEDER fiscal training project and the CUME legislative initiative. One of 20 universities in the foundation's academic network.
• Universidad de AlcalácoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner with a legal clinic (Clínica Legal de la UAH) founded in 2012 and specializing in HIV legal literacy. Co-led strategic litigation with CESIDA on HIV discrimination, achieving a pioneering judicial ruling. One of 20 universities in the network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pro Bono Net: U.S. non-profit that builds technology and resource platforms to support pro bono legal services for civil society organizations. Comparable mission (matching/empowering pro bono lawyers serving NGOs) and contrasts with Fundación Pro Bono España on technology investment.
• PILNET (Public Interest Law Network): Coordinator of European Pro Bono Week, the framework within which Fundación Pro Bono España organizes its annual conference. Operates a comparable pro bono intermediation model across Europe, with a focus on rule-of-law and civil society support, making it a strategic peer in mission and method.
• TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation): Global pro bono legal service of the Thomson Reuters Foundation that connects NGOs and social enterprises with top law firms worldwide. A more tech-enabled, internationally scaled peer operating in the same pro bono matching space.

Direct peers

• LawWorks (UK): UK charity that matches pro bono lawyers with charities and individuals needing legal advice, operating a near-identical intermediation model. Comparable as a national-scale pro bono clearinghouse with member law firms, training programs, and volunteer lawyer networks.
• Fundación Fernando Pombo: Spanish foundation co-organizing the Jornada Anual sobre Pro Bono with Fundación Pro Bono España. Both are non-profit foundations promoting pro bono legal culture in Spain, connecting social organizations with volunteer lawyers, and directly comparable in mission, geography, and stakeholder base.
• Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice: International pro bono hub where Fundación Pro Bono España's co-founder Leire Larracoechea worked as Director of the Pro Bono Program. Operates the same intermediary model — matching law firms and corporate legal departments with NGOs and social causes — and serves as a relevant international sister organization.

Regional players

• Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI): U.S. non-profit that connects law firms, corporate legal departments, and law schools with public interest law organizations and pro bono opportunities. Comparable in its tri-stakeholder model (firms + in-house + universities) and its intermediation infrastructure.
• Appleseed Foundation (now Appleseed Network): Non-profit network coordinating pro bono legal advocacy on social justice issues across the Americas. Operates a similar "lawyers for social causes" intermediation model, though focused on advocacy rather than direct legal service provision — relevant for benchmarking institutional design.
• Fundación Pro Bono (Chile): Chilean foundation with the same name and mission: connecting social organizations with pro bono legal services through a network of volunteer lawyers and law firms. A direct regional Latin American peer (rather than Spanish-speaking Iberian) with a near-identical operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Bono Institute: U.S.-based non-profit that promotes pro bono legal services globally through its Pro Bono Partnership, Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, and Corporate Pro Bono programs. A broader, more established player in the same pro bono intermediation space, providing benchmarks and thought leadership relevant to Fundación Pro Bono España's institutionalization pillar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacion-pro-bono-espana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Pro Bono España