Pro Bono Practices and Opportunities in Taiwan

Published on 15 October 2019 This is an overview of pro bono practices and opportunities in Taiwan, including key practice rules, culture, obstacles to undertaking pro bono and sources of pro bono opportunities.

The Taiwanese legal community recognizes the need to develop and broaden access to legal aid for the underprivileged in Taiwan. In 2004, legislative reform in Taiwan resulted in the passage of the Legal Aid Act, which sought to provide legal assistance to the indigent. The Legal Aid Act includes provisions on state-funded legal services such as legal aid but not on pro bono legal services. Although the pro bono culture in Taiwan is not yet pervasive, the Legal Aid Act, along with other regulations and trends, demonstrates an emerging pro bono culture in Taiwan that bodes well for the development of a positive environment for the provision of pro bono legal services.