Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) corporate partner Seb Lawson will undertake a pro bono secondment with Safe Ukraine 2030, a newly-established non-governmental foundation, commencing 1 May 2023.

Safe Ukraine 2030 is a newly established non-governmental foundation set up by a group of NGOs at the initiative of Sayenko Kharenko, one of the Ukrainian firms in Freshfields’ StrongerTogether network.

Seb will become a supervisory board member at the foundation. His role will involve working on matters related to helping to rebuild Ukraine, assisting on infra projects and financing for the reconstruction, and working with international donors.

Seb commented: “The reconstruction of the country of Ukraine is one of the major international challenges we are facing at present. I am very proud to be able to play my part. I am also extremely grateful for the support which Freshfields is giving for this initiative, as part of its response to the Ukraine crisis.”

Freshfields’ global head of pro bono, Paul Yates, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support Safe Ukraine 2030 through the secondment of our dedicated colleague Seb Lawson, who will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to its vital work. This aligns with our strategic focus on pro bono work – using our skills and resources to make a positive impact.”

Over the last year, Freshfields’ colleagues performed more than 70,000 hours of pro bono client work globally for a range of clients, from individual asylum seekers to leading global charities.

Other recent significant pro bono matters undertaken by Freshfields included advising Save the Children International on a range of mandates relating to their response to the Ukraine crisis.