Clifford Chance (CC) litigation partner Roger Leese has been named chairman of pro bono organisation Advocates for International Development (A4ID).

A4ID acts as a broker between law firms and developing countries that require legal assistance, to aid their international development, trade programmes and debt situation.

Leese has been a partner in CC's litigation and dispute resolution practice since 2000 and has a practice focused on commercial, corporate and finance related disputes. He was also named the firm's pro bono partner last month, replacing retiring partner Michael Smyth CBE in the role.

Leese was a founding director of A4ID in October 2006, when the organisation was established as a response from the legal industry to the 'Make Poverty History' summit, and has been on the board ever since.

Leese said: "We are trying to alleviate poverty. As a lawyer it is difficult to do that directly but there are a lot of underlying legal issues that come up in relation to development."

He replaces A&O's head of pro bono Chris Marshall in the chairman role, who has stepped down from the board but will continue to work with the group.

A&O, along with CC, is one of a large number of law firms that work with A4ID, including Slaughter and May, Linklaters and a range of other City, US and international law firms as well as barristers chambers and individual lawyers. On the corporate side, HSBC is also a member.

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