09/03/23

PILP-NJCM gets its own legal entity and becomes PILP Foundation

The NJCM started the PILP-NJCM in May 2014 to explore the possibilities of strategic litigation for human rights in the Netherlands. This pilot proved successful: there was a great demand for a project that could not only advise on strategic litigation, but could also coordinate and conduct proceedings itself. The PILP-NJCM has now coordinated and conducted dozens of proceedings. Examples include the case against SyRI, proceedings on the right to demonstrate and the (recently won) case against ethnic profiling by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee.

The PILP-NJCM has been able to develop into a successful project under the wing of the NJCM. The NJCM has acted as a plaintiff in some important proceedings and NJCM working groups and members have been (or are) actively involved on various PILP files.

The NJCM board and the PILP staff have jointly decided that the time has come to continue the PILP activities through an independent foundation: the PILP Foundation (“Stichting PILP”).

There are two main reasons for this. First: PILP can better meet the requirements set by the Lawyers Act for law firms if it has its own legal entity. Second: because PILP has grown over the years from a pilot project to an organization with six employees, having a separate legal entity suits PILP’s current professionalism and working method better.

The PILP Foundation will become a non-profit law firm. All employees who were working for the PILP-NJCM will join the PILP Foundation. The PILP Foundation will also have its own board (the majority consisting of lawyers) and a Supervisory Board.

PILP and NJCM want to emphasize that nothing will change to the work and working methods of PILP. Our allies, clients and supporters will not notice anything of this separation in practice.

Also, the bond between NJCM and PILP will remain warm. NJCM will remain a party in various PILP proceedings and cooperation between PILP staff and NJCM members and working groups will continue. Additionally, the NJCM will have the opportunity to nominate someone to the PILP Foundation’s Supervisory Board.

The separation will take place in the coming weeks and is expected to be fully accomplished by May 1, 2023. Once this process is complete it will be communicated through the channels of PILP and NJCM.