PAGE 8 LEGAL ASSISTANCE Readily available legal assistance(3) is fundamental to refugee response. Legal assistance programs and measures support refugees and others forcibly displaced to mobilize their rights, seek recourse, and pursue long-term solutions to their displacement. Yet, far too often displaced individuals and communities are unable to access legal assistance and are left without essential legal support. To address this gap, those that joined the Pledge provided a broad range of pro bono and other legal assistance to displaced individuals and communities in 2020. Many law firms and legal empowerment NGOs provided specialist asylum advice and representation free-of-charge. Other pledgers provided legal advice and representation in regard to a broad range of rights, including socio-economic rights (such as public benefits, housing, and employment), as well as in the pursuit of protection (such as in cases of sexual and gender based violence) and solutions (such as family reunification and resettlement). Many pledgers provided advice to refugees and others forcibly displaced who were at risk of or were subjected to immigration detention and deportation during the year. In some countries, where refugees and others forcibly displaced are eligible for statefunded legal aid for asylum and immigration matters, securing this assistance can be difficult. Private law firms that had signed the Pledge played a valuable role in securing access to such assistance by successfully supporting asylum seekers and migrants to make applications for specialized legal aid. An example of this is the collaboration between several law firms, including Orrick, Ashurst and Dechert, that have partnered for a number of years with Bail for Immigration Detainees to run a pro bono project in the United Kingdom focused on securing legal aid funding for destitute detained individuals facing deportation. “There is no question that having expert legal help in deportation proceedings can be life changing, and given the complex rules and procedure around legal aid funding and the vulnerability of the client group, there is little chance it can be secured without the help of pro bono lawyers.” Orrick (3)"Legal assistance" is used refer to the full range of legal services required by those displaced, including legal © to European Lawyers in Lesvos awareness, legal advice, and legal representation. For a non-exhaustive list of the types of legal assistance those that commit to the Pledge undertake in fulfillment of the Pledge, please see the Menu of Pro Bono Options.