Information for Project Partners

Oxford Pro Bono Publico (OPBP) provides pro bono legal research, particularly in the fields of international and comparative law, to individuals and organisations who are themselves working on a pro bono basis. In particular, we prepare or assist in the preparation of research briefs, expert opinions, amicus curiae briefs, policy submissions, and reports.

Over the last decade, OPBP has produced more than 50 projects for around 25 project partners across 12 different jurisdictions. We have worked on issues ranging from the reform of India’s sexual harassment laws to the use of secret evidence in judicial proceedings, from the scope of freedom of information laws in Hungary to women’s inheritance rights in Botswana, and from the regulation of food advertising in the European Union to the protection of children’s rights in Brazil. You can view our projects on our project work page. You can also find answers to some frequently asked questions about OPBP's project work on our FAQ page.

Each OPBP project is supervised by one or more members of the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law. The role of the Faculty supervisor is to provide guidance and support to the student co-ordinators as the project takes shape, and to provide substantive critical feedback on the consolidated report. Faculty supervision, along with our rigorous approval process, is an important part of our commitment to ensuring that our reports are of the highest possible calibre. 

If you or your organisation works pro bono, and would benefit from high-quality international or comparative law research, OPBP would be delighted to hear from you with either an enquiry or a project proposal (download our proposal form).

 

By nature and by choice, [our] cases are factually and legally complex. We often face opponents who are better resourced. In this climate, having access to the best legal minds in the world through OPBP gives us an invaluable edge when we prepare for our most difficult cases. – Sarah Sephton, Director, Legal Resources Centre (Grahamstown Office)

For OPBP’s purposes, pro bono work is work which is done for the public good or in the public interest and without charge. This includes work undertaken: 

  • for legal or natural persons worldwide, incorporated or unincorporated, of limited means; 
  • for charitable or other non-profit organisations; and/or 
  • on matters involving issues of public importance. 

 

OPBP’s criteria for accepting project proposals are: 

  • the legal significance or novelty of the suggested research; 
  • member interest and expertise in the suggested research; 
  • the specificity of the proposed research questions; 
  • the feasibility of completing the work as a discrete task or series of tasks; 
  • the need to ensure that the reputation of the Oxford Law Faculty and the University as a whole is maintained; 
  • the credibility and reputation of the project partner; and 
  • the willingness of the project partner to provide direction and feedback. 

 

If you already have a clear idea about your own or your organisation’s needs, you can submit your project proposal via email to opbp@law.ox.ac.uk. You can also contact us to discuss the assistance OPBP can provide; we are happy to work collaboratively with prospective project partners in developing a viable proposal. 

Please find answers to our Frequently Asked Questions on our FAQ page.

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