In 2011, families in Las Pavas, Colombia, won the legal right to return to their land after being forced off their land at gunpoint. The victory allowed the 123 families to return to farming, thanks in part, to free legal support provided by Simmons & Simmons.
We have found Simmons & Simmons to be approachable and sensitive to the context that our partners are working in, with the added value of the pre-existing understanding of land rights issues in challenging contexts. Such issues can be complex, particularly set within the backdrop of the Colombian legal system… yet Simmons and Simmons has never taken a "black and white" view. They understand and are empathetic to the "grey" areas of the Colombian context
- Thomas Mortesen, Christian Aid Country Manager in Colombia.
The reputable UK law firm was committed to working with Christian Aid and our partners and helped us to secure a successful outcome for the families. The advice and credibility Simmons & Simmons brought to this case was critical to the progress of our human rights work in Colombia.
Simmons & Simmons has provided Christian Aid with valuable pro bono legal advice since 2011.
If you would like to partner with Christian Aid please email privatesectorteam@christian-aid.org or call 020 789 8934.
For more information about Simmons & Simmons visit simmons-simmons.com
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Colombia
- Voice and governance
- Land rights