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Supporting livelihoods is at the heart of our practice. We proudly uphold Corporate Social Responsibility as a prominent pillar of our firm. Our commitments give people the power to prosper.
People matter. That’s why Cavelier Abogados has a long tradition of inter-firm cooperation when it comes to delivering excellent probono initiatives. Our firm is passionate about setting aside time and resources to provide expert legal advice to citizens, non-profit organizations, and vulnerable communities - free of charge. We truly believe that it is our social obligation to make the world a better place. Facilitating access to justice for people or entities with limited resources is just one step in the right direction. Many of our lawyers voluntarily undertake this work within the firm’s legal department or individually.
Our Founder, Germán Cavelier, established the Asociación Cavelier del Derecho - a non-profit organization - in 1991. Today, the Association uses 88% of Cavelier Abogados’ profits - ensuring that we fulfill Germán’s wish of leaving a legacy. The purpose of the Association is to encourage the study of Law and Social Sciences in Colombia. The Association promotes research among students from different universities through seminar contests for essays and articles. It also encourages debates, meetings and conferences on current legal issues.
VISIT Association
The Colombian Pro Bono Foundation works tirelessly to provide vulnerable people access to the justice system. We are thrilled to be part of their network of trusted lawyers who happily take on cases of all levels of complexity - free of charge. The foundation guarantees excellent legal services to those that need it most in Colombia. Together, we are committed to public service. We will continue to make probono work a priority of ours because it absolutely aligns with the values of everyone here at Cavelier Abogados.
ANDI is a non-profit organization that aims to promote the political, economic, and social principles of a healthy free enterprise system. The organization was founded in 1944 in Medellín and has since become the most important business association in Colombia. ANDI looks to stimulate economic activity in Colombia by creating proposals that generate quality employment opportunities for citizens. The association will continue to promote the positioning and progress of companies in Colombia so that by 2025, Colombia will be one of the largest competitive markets in Latin America. The association will continue to thrive for sustainable development, conscious capitalism, and free enterprise, and democracy.
Our Advice Helped Value4Chain Obtain The PeaceStartUp Registration
During 2015 and 2016, we worked with Value4Chain - a business management consultancy firm in Bogotá, Colombia. Doctor Oscar González, from the Cavelier Abogados legal team, devised and led a strategy that was implemented by Value4Chain to achieve their desired outcome. Let us explain how.
Peacestartup is a foundation created by Value4Chain. Through entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology, the initiative seeks to generate sustainable solutions to peacebuilding challenges in conflict and post-conflict environments. We advised and accompanied Value4Chain throughout the registration process for the Peacestartup (mixed) trademark. The registration was of significant importance to Value4Chain because this trademark would formalize their activity and protect their name. This would ensure international recognition for the foundation and support the attainment of any potential donors. However, an initial trademark registration had already been denied by the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) because of the prior existence of the STARTUP trademark (nominative), registered by a technology multinational.
Our firm had two potential routes to registration. We could initiate ‘cancellation action’ by vulgarization of the expression ‘STARTUP’ as it’s a commonly used term and necessary for companies whose corporate purpose is entrepreneurship. On the other hand, we could promote ‘cancellation action’ for non-use against the obstacle trademark ‘STARTUP’ after investigating the use of the sign in the Colombian market.
We decided to take the second route. The cancellation of the ‘STARTUP’ obstacle mark for non-use was achieved because the mark owner did not demonstrate that it was being used in the market. Subsequently, Value4Chain was able to obtain the registration of the PeaceStartup (mixed) trademark.
In the April newsletter, the ProBono Colombia Foundation recognized Sandra Castillo, one of our attorneys from the patent department, for successfully representing Mrs. Edilma Figueroa in a leased property restitution process, with which she managed to get the arredatarios to return the property.
Cavelier Abogados, in line with its commitment to the ProBono practice, has joined the most recognized international ProBono networks, TRUSTLAW.
Currently, our lawyer Monica Palma has connected with the Fundación Capital FUNDAK assuming our first case.
Daniel Porras is the first engineer in the history of Cavelier Abogados, winner of the PROBONO Professional of the Year 2016 award.
This he told us about his experience:
"I believe that anyone can contribute knowledge from their area and thus fulfill a social function. I found it interesting to be able to help from the intellectual property side, since it is the essence of Cavelier Abogados".
Natalia Escobar, lawyer from the Litigation Department of CAVELIER ABOGADOS, in a PROBONO case, in which she represented the victims, for the homicide of an adult and a minor caused by an argument by a puppy, obtained together with the Prosecutor's Office of the case , in the first instance, conviction of 38 years in prison.
