New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s nonprofit affiliate, to be led by cross-border team

DLA Piper has appointed Sara Andrews and Claire Donse as co-directors of New Perimeter, the firm’s nonprofit affiliate. Founded in 2005, New Perimeter provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world in the areas of access to justice, social and economic development, and sound legal institutions, with an overarching focus on women’s advancement.

Lisa Dewey, US Pro Bono Partner, served as the director of New Perimeter for the last decade and will continue to lead the firm’s US pro bono program, which encompasses more than 1,400 lawyers. As director of New Perimeter, Dewey has led, developed and contributed to projects focused on legal education, access to justice, and women’s advancement around the world, as well as developed relationships and projects with NGOs, government agencies, in-house-departments, and other joint venture partners.

“I have been honored to lead this innovative initiative the last ten years, and in particular at a time when advocating for vulnerable populations is more crucial than ever,” Dewey said. “Having worked alongside Sara and Claire for many years, I know the energy and purpose they’ll bring to furthering New Perimeter’s goal of promoting access to justice and rule of law for those who need it the most. In addition, under Sara and Claire’s leadership, New Perimeter will continue to develop and staff projects with a diverse array of DLA Piper lawyers working on critical projects in under-served regions around the world.”

Andrews, Senior International Pro Bono Counsel, is based in Boston and has served as Assistant Director for New Perimeter for ten years. Prior to joining New Perimeter, she practiced in the firm’s litigation group. Andrews has helped lead the strategic direction of the program, while also developing and working on New Perimeter projects and managing global teams of lawyers. She has led and contributed to projects focused on legal education, law reform, access to justice, economic development and women’s rights in multiple regions. Her work includes supporting post-conflict law reform in Kosovo, developing capacity building programs for law students and government lawyers in East Africa, and examining the impact of the pandemic on gender-based violence around the world.

Donse, Partner and Head of Pro Bono for the EMEA and Asia Pacific, is based in Paris and has led the firm’s international pro bono program covering Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the UK, while also working closely with New Perimeter. Her pro bono practice focuses on supporting climate justice and conservation, protecting the rights of vulnerable people, and supporting equality and good governance. She has established and helped oversee a diverse range of global pro bono initiatives, including conducting a major economic development project in Timor-Leste, assisting in the legal aspects of an app to collect verifiable evidence of atrocities, supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Bangladesh, and supporting UNICEF to ensure children are included in the transitional justice programme in The Gambia.

“Our pro bono efforts cover a wide range of jurisdictions and projects but are united around the central focus of tackling unmet legal needs and empowering individuals and groups to obtain access to justice and the rule of law.  A commitment to pro bono is a key tenet of our firm culture, and we take enormous pride in our New Perimeter program’s ability to provide legal support and education around the world,” said Richard Chesley, co-US managing partner of DLA Piper.