Learn how to get involved pro bono as a law student. The Pro Bono Centre of Australia has released its latest guidelines aimed at increasing law firms` involvement in pro bono legal work. The „Pro Bono Questions for Companies in Law Firm Engagement” model is intended for companies and other firms that use a tendering process to select and engage private law firms. Tuesday, May 18 was National Pro Bono Day. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the pro bono work of the Australian legal profession. The Centre asked nine young pro bono leaders from across Australia to share their most rewarding moments and why they dedicate their time to pro bono. Click here to read each inspiring story. Learn how pro bono advocates can help fight the global climate crisis. The center`s CEO was interviewed by Dan Creasey on the KWM People & Purpose podcast, which featured conversations with social impact leaders working to bring about positive social change and reflect on global justice challenges. The interview is entitled „What does 2021 have in store for pro bono?” Listen here. The Centre hosted Pro Bono Legal Work: A Forum for In-house Corporate Lawyers on 25 November, kindly organised by Ashurst. The forum aimed to inspire the participation of in-house lawyers on a pro bono basis, provide practical support, and share information and resources to develop and strengthen in-house pro bono practice. The Afghan crisis has created an immense and continuing need for legal assistance.
In this article, Jacob Elliott (Centre volunteer) examines the impact of pro bono actors at the forefront of the response. Read the full story here. We have a long history of working to uphold our clients` basic human rights, including the right to education and decent and habitable housing. Through our estate planning project, we empower our Indigenous clients and parents and caregivers of people with cognitive disabilities to control who makes decisions for them when they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves. Click here for information on how you or your law firm can provide pro bono legal assistance. Gilbert + Tobin won the Pro Bono Partnership Award for its work on tenants` habitable housing in RRR areas in partnership with Legal Aid NSW Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Unit in the Moree & North West region of NSW. The Law Society`s Pro Bono Program is an application-based program that refers eligible applicants to lawyers who offer free legal aid or at significantly reduced fees. We are excited to announce the launch of our new Pro Bono Global Climate Action Portal! Developed in partnership with global NGO PILnet, the portal features a variety of case studies from around the world, illustrating the variety of ways lawyers are using their pro bono expertise to address the climate crisis. We hope it will inspire and inform the global legal profession.
Our sincere thanks go to all those who generously volunteered their time to support the Centre`s work during the 2019 fiscal year. We are particularly committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, people with disabilities, refugees and human rights issues, but this focus does not limit our work. We also actively seek to provide our pro bono legal services to people living in rural and remote areas. The Centre is pleased to launch a series of five pro bono questions for students. When asked during an interview for an internship or student position, these questions help to learn more about the pro bono opportunities of potential employers and to better distinguish pro bono programs from different organizations. Pro bono scaling will be key to ensuring the private sector fulfills its role in creating a fairer and more sustainable post-COVID world. As the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the pro bono community is rapidly determining how to prepare for and respond. We are pleased to welcome Alice Rolls as our new Head of Policy and Strategy. Alice has spent nearly two decades as a litigator, most recently as head of the law firm LK Law.
Together with colleagues from LK Law and the University of Adelaide, Alice founded Managing Lawyer at The Accessible Justice Project, an innovative non-profit law firm in Adelaide. Alice joins the Adelaide Centre team. The Centre develops policy and legislative reforms and works with governments, regulators and the private sector to promote participation and excellence pro bono. Click here for more information on volunteering to flood victims. Child Support Disputes Commercial Disputes Complaints Against Lawyers Defamation Litigation Litigation over Legal Costs Family Law Issues Relating exclusively to Property Road accidents Neighbourhood disputes, including closure disputes Bodily injury Professional negligence Spousal support claims and related disputes Victims` compensation claims Work We have extensive experience advising non-profit organizations that advocate on behalf of marginalized or disadvantaged people in all their legal requirements, including corporate governance, taxation, employment, ownership and leasing, intellectual property, and commercial and financial contracts. We work with our nonprofit clients to bring their expertise to the structural changes needed to address the injustices their clients face and to create opportunities for their clients through our legal and policy reform work. The report celebrates the Centre`s 20th anniversary as a national leadership centre for #ProBono legal services. It is also a testament to the generosity of the legal profession in FY22 to once again dedicate a record number of pro bono hours to the most vulnerable in our communities. What exactly is pro bono? Click here to learn more. Our pro bono lawyers work with non-profit organizations that support marginalized and disadvantaged people to build a strong legal foundation for their work and capacity building. During Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, the centre launches its justice project Pro Bono Tool – People who experiences family violence. It is a directory of organisations across Australia that provide legal assistance to victims of domestic violence.
You can access the new tool here. In collaboration with PwC, Atlassian recently released its second „Return on Action” report. The study shows that 80% of workers say companies should take action to solve society`s problems and that employment expectations have changed significantly over the past year. A copy of the Australian report can be found here. Click here to read the guide, which includes descriptions of 15 different pro bono activities, a number of compelling case studies from around the world, and tips on how to get started. A password-protected directory of law firms` pro bono practices for those working in the area of access to justice. We represent clients in reviewing a range of administrative decisions, from funding decisions and licensing to our work with refugee claimants and persons with disabilities. We offer support at every stage of the appointment process. The Centre`s annual report for fiscal year 2019 is now available! The report highlights the Centre`s work in fiscal year 2019. You can read the report here. We also work closely with local organizations to organize Brewarrina legal clinics in Campbelltown.
Nicolas Patrick, Partner, Responsible Business at DLA Piper, recently published an article on pro bono diversity. It reflects the issues of diversity and under-representation in the current cohort of pro bono lawyers in the UK. It helps identify issues and challenges, increase awareness, start a conversation, engage with stakeholders, and promote best practices and new ideas. To learn more, click here. We recognise the traditional custodians of the different countries in which we work in Australia. We pay tribute to the elders, the past, the present and the disciples who are working for a better future. Most South Australian lawyers like a bit of interstate rivalry, especially when it comes to comparing our travel times and the quality of our wines to those in the eastern states. However, when it comes to our collective pro bono contribution, we are falling far behind, writes Alice Rolls.
Full article here. We`ll be at the NSW Law Careers Fair this Friday, March 26th! Join us at the Australian Pro Bono Centre booth to learn more about social justice and pro bono opportunities for students + graduates. Australia`s Pro Bono Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022. To celebrate, we`ve collected 20 stories from Australia`s pro bono community that illustrate the power of pro bono to change lives. Our pro bono legal services continue to focus on issues that affect the daily lives of our pro bono clients, both through individual cases, legal reforms and advocacy work for structural change. Our pro bono practice is led by a team of six full-time pro bono lawyers with expertise in the areas of law that matter to our clients, working with lawyers from across the firm who contribute their time and expertise. The 2021 federal budget provides the largest boost to legal aid funding in more than a decade, focusing on the following issues: women and children who are victims of family violence, people with mental illness, survivors of sexual abuse of children, youth and children.