ABA Center for Global Programs Spotlights Faegre Drinker’s Sri Lanka Human Rights Pro Bono Initiative

The American Bar Association Center for Global Programs (ABA CGP) spotlighted Faegre Drinker’s Sri Lanka Human Rights Pro Bono Initiative, which supports legal literacy on international human rights law for Sri Lankan human rights defenders.  

The feature highlights the efforts of senior pro bono counsel Monica Fennell, who launched the initiative in January 2026, bringing together 50 Faegre Drinker attorneys in partnership with ABA CGP and the Center for Human Rights and Development in Sri Lanka. It also describes labor and employment associate Jaya Venkateswaran’s role in facilitating an exercise in which participants analyzed and applied international and domestic law and developed strategies to address a gender discrimination scenario.

“Faegre Drinker’s pro bono service has had remarkable impact,” the article notes, citing the 18 human rights defenders who have participated in a four-part interactive training series focused on basic principles of international human rights law and their application to everyday situations. Following the trainings, participants reported that 99.6% of the learning objectives had been achieved.