For the past 12 years, White & Case has partnered with Child Rights International Network (CRIN) on many global pro bono projects aimed at strengthening children's rights globally. In our latest collaboration, a cross-border team researched laws in Europe to support CRIN’s efforts to prevent institutionalized child abuse, which includes abuse in places like residential institutions, schools and hospitals.

"We can't bring about meaningful change without first knowing the extent of an issue, which is why White & Case's support is so important," says CRIN Co-Director Leo Ratledge. "The Firm is able to produce research reports that we aren’t able to ourselves, and that helps us strengthen children’s rights globally."

A cross-border effort

The report examined national laws on the prevention and response to institutionalized child abuse, and reviewed support available to child sexual abuse survivors and their families.

With 44 offices globally and lawyers speaking 95 languages, the Firm is uniquely positioned to carry out complicated, cross-border comparative research. Our lawyers in Warsaw and Prague performed the research for Poland and Czechia. They then sought support from colleagues in Chicago, Frankfurt, London and New York with relevant language skills to analyze the laws in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Serbia.

"Because child sexual abuse is such a difficult subject, working on the project was often emotionally challenging," explains Warsaw associate Jakub Khier. "But it was also reassuring to see the volume of support and education available in Poland and rewarding to know that our work could make a lasting difference for vulnerable children."

A longstanding partnership protecting children

CRIN's partnership with White & Case has thrived for more than a decade because CRIN can rely on the Firm's "unique capacity and legal expertise across so many jurisdictions," notes Ratledge. Previous projects include legal reform campaigns for the widespread abolition of life sentences, corporal punishment and the death penalty for children.

"It's fair to say the Firm's work has had a life-changing and sometimes life-saving impact for children around the world," says Ratledge.

More highlights of our work confronting global challenges

• Supported a groundbreaking partnership with an Aboriginal land rights organization to establish Australia's first clean-energy export hub
• Advised Disability:IN on new EU Corporate Sustainability Directives designed to increase the economic participation of people with disabilities
• Represented inmates on death row and provided legal research for a global database on death penalty laws and practices around the world

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