Sustainability initiative

A global response

DLA Piper donates more than $6 million in pro bono time annually to New Perimeter to allow lawyers to take on projects of global concern including health care, hunger, housing, the environment, economic development, law reform and human rights.

The New Perimeter staff works closely with an accomplished advisory board to select projects. Our staff identifies and develops projects with NGOs and other joint venture partners, setting out timelines and targets and working to ensure that the projects have maximum impact and make the best use of our skills.

Once projects are selected, DLA Piper lawyers are chosen to participate through an open call for applications. It’s a competitive process, and demand for places is always strong. New Perimeter projects not only are satisfying for lawyers to work on, but also help develop lawyers’ skills and broaden their experience. In each case, New Perimeter looks to find the lawyers with the best set of skills for the task.

Successful candidates are given training on the history and culture of the locations where they will work. Participants work on project teams for up to two years in conjunction with NGOs and joint venture partners such as universities, clients and government bodies. Once a project is successfully completed, we stay in touch, watching how our work unfolds.