Dentons, the leading global law firm, engaged with communities around the world to make a significant social impact throughout 2016, according to an annual report issued today. Dentons' Global Social Impact Report highlights work being done with vulnerable and underserved populations to provide access to justice and support for refugees, among many other important pursuits.

"It is almost impossible to fully capture the true essence of our Firm without understanding the depth and diversity of the efforts being undertaken to make a substantial social impact in communities around the world," said Joseph Andrew, Global Chair of Dentons.

The report highlights only a fraction of the Firm's efforts. In 2016, Dentons' lawyers provided more than 80,000 hours of pro bono counsel and more than US$35 million worked value of pro bono hours.

"A key component of our strategy is to increase our positive social impact by transforming what was only imagined for our communities into reality," said Elliott Portnoy, Global CEO of Dentons. "We are privileged to be doing truly meaningful work in all our regions on six continents."

Across the globe, Dentons lawyers and professionals are helping provide access to justice, providing direct services to refugees, partnering with our clients to provide much-needed legal assistance to the vulnerable and working with NGOs, nonprofits and social enterprises to help those in need. Over the past 12 months Dentons has:

• Helped implement a landmark settlement to provide US$50 million in funding to help mentally ill prisoners in the United States.
• Provided assistance to help house more than 3,000 vulnerable and homeless Canadians.
• Advocated for hundreds of workers in Shanghai.
• Prepared asylum or resettlement applications for more than 1,000 refugees from Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"At a time of significant political volatility, cutbacks in government funding for access to justice, refugee crises and natural disasters, it becomes increasingly important that we as a Firm and as individuals make a positive social impact," says Pro Bono Partner Ben Weinberg. "As we continue to expand into new regions and grow in our existing regions, we are afforded the opportunity to broaden our involvement with organizations, clients and one another to make an even greater impact."

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