DLA Piper's Tony Angel on why international law firms have huge responsibilities when it comes to pro bono work 

Earlier this month I returned from Bangladesh, where I visited the UNICEF-funded child justice projects DLA Piper is supporting to help protect some of the country's most vulnerable children.

As part of a three-year partnership, we are providing the UK Committee for UNICEF with pro bono assistance to the value of $5m (£2.9m) and have pledged to raise a further $1.5m (£873k) for child protection programmes. 

The Bangladesh government, with UNICEF's support, has made real progress to improve children's lives by reducing mortality rates, achieving high levels of immunisation and improving girls' access to education. However, it now faces problems that are far more complex and intractable like child labour and child marriage. High levels of extreme poverty continue to push many children onto the streets, where they often get caught up in an inadequate and inappropriate justice system.

With more than 65 million children in Bangladesh, the scale of these challenges is enormous. The projects we are supporting are helping to put in place the legal, social and organisational frameworks that will better protect these children. I saw first-hand what currently happens when children come into contact with the justice system, and frankly it is grim. Despite this, the children I met were remarkable; positive and full of hope despite the hurdles they have had to overcome and the challenges they still face. 

The slums of Jessore may be a world away from the City, but through our pro bono and corporate responsibility programmes, DLA Piper recognises that our outlook must go beyond commercial self-interest to our wider responsibilities to society and, as a global firm, beyond national boundaries.

In Bangladesh lawyers from the firm have been working with government officials and UNICEF staff to help draft the rules supporting the implementation of the country's 2013 Children Act, which provides for positive intervention and rehabilitation. The programmes UNICEF is piloting in support of this have huge potential to transform lives, one child at a time.

International law firms' resources mean they are uniquely positioned for large-scale pro bono projects such as drafting amendments to legislation. Firms are also independent of any political agenda or mandate and partnering with organisations like the UK Committee for UNICEF ensures expert knowledge of the jurisdiction.

In order for time-poor lawyers to undertake pro bono work their employers must proactively provide opportunities and allow fee earners to count this work towards their billable targets. Structures need to be put in place by senior management to ensure that a sustainable level of pro bono work can still be undertaken despite the billing pressures on our lawyers. This includes the employment of full-time pro bono lawyers to assist in the sourcing and management of the work, and policies that ensure lawyers' pro bono efforts receive the same credit as billable work.

Throughout this, the role of law firm leaders in supporting an institutional commitment to pro bono is crucial. I would urge all firms to seek out and take advantage of any opportunity to help tackle injustice. 

Tony Angel is global co-chairman of DLA Piper and senior partner of the international LLP.