Milbank LLP was honored at the Vance Center for International Justice’s 2024 Michael Cooper Celebration of International Pro Bono Excellence for the firm’s work focused on the environment and the climate emergency. The event was held on May 7 at the New York City Bar Association.
Led by International Arbitration partner Viren Mascarenhas, the Milbank team and the Vance Center for International Justice represented a group of United Nations special rapporteurs in submitting amicus briefs on the climate emergency and human rights to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and on national governments’ responsibilities to protect the world’s oceans from the effects of climate change to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). Mr. Mascarenhas also represented the United Nations special rapporteurs regarding the advisory opinion on climate change at the 166th Session of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, held in April in Barbados.
“Milbank has had a long and historic relationship with the Vance Center and this project working with the UN special rapporteurs was very exciting, cutting-edge work,” said Mr. Mascarenhas. “We drew on resources from across our firm, with associates around the world and across practice groups providing assistance. It was truly an honor to work on this matter.”
Mr. Mascarenhas specializes in international arbitration, public international law, and business and human rights. He has nearly two decades of experience acting as counsel in domestic and international arbitration proceedings under the major institutional arbitral rules as well as ad hoc arbitral rules.
Video: The Milbank team describes the importance of this pro bono effort (3 minutes 30 seconds).
