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Current News


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  • Pro bono work rises to $80m: charity
    27 August 2010 read more >
    AUSTRALIAN law firms have given away more than $80 million in legal work to those in need. Two reports on pro bono work show that the largest firms are also the biggest supporters of charities and other public-interest clients. The reports, by the National Pro Bono Resource Centre, show that 24 firms with more than 50 lawyers did 322,343 hours of pro bono work last financial year.
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  • Law gives big
    25 August 2010 read more >
    According to the Interim Report on the National Law Firm Pro Bono Survey by the National Pro Bono Resource Centre, large firms who are signatories to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target completed more pro bono work than those who are not signatories, and firms generally increased their number of pro bono hours despite a drop in the number of fee earners.
    2 of 20
  • High Court hands back votes to voters
    6 August 2010 read more >
    About 100,000 mostly young Australians have won back their right to vote following a landmark High Court decision that could have significant impact on the 2010 election. Lobby group GetUp, the Human Rights Legal Resource Centre and Mallesons mounted a joint legal challenge, arguing the changes were unfair and unconstitutional.
    3 of 20
  • Urgent need for legal aid funding
    7 August 2010 read more >
    Some of the state's most vulnerable people may be denied access to justice because of chronic under-funding of indigenous legal aid services. The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM) says it may have to close rural and regional offices, where legal aid is needed most, because of almost-static funding since 1996. The organisation plans to lodge a complaint with the United Nations.
    4 of 20
  • Mallesons act for GetUp! in High Court challenge
    3 August 2010 read more >
    Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Ron Merkel QC are acting pro bono for the political activist group GetUp! in its High Court challenge to the Electoral Act, with the assistance of the Human Rights Law Resource Centre. GetUp! launched the challenge after amendments to the Electoral Act by the Howard Government in 2006 meant that electoral rolls closed at 8pm on the day election writs were issued.
    5 of 20
  • Thalidomide settlement negotiated pro bono
    29 July 2010 read more >
    Peter Gordon's friendship with a thalidomide victim who did some building work for him was the catalyst in his role in a $60 million settlement for victims of the drug. Gordon and around six lawyers from his former firm, Slater & Gordon (Peter Gordon left the firm to start his own practice early this year) negotiated the settlement pro bono on behalf of 45 surviving victims in Australia and New Zealand.
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  • USA: Pro bono: Quantity Over Quality?
    19 July 2010 read more >
    A recent survey indicates that many firms view a set number of hours of unpaid service as a good in itself and believe value need not be systematically assessed.
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  • Quashed convictions spark calls for legal shake-up
    19 July 2010 read more >
    Michael Kirby, recently retired from the High Court, has added his voice to calls for a shake-up of the criminal justice system. He says he would support the establishment of an independent body to review criminal cases where there are allegations of a miscarriage of justice.
    8 of 20
  • USA: Free legal aid to poor dwindles after New Jersey funding cuts
    17 July 2010 read more >
    Legal Services of New Jersey has been hit with its own disaster as it faces steep reductions in state funding and staff. LSNJ leaders lament they will not be able to offer aid to all of those who need it. As a result, more homelessness, custody battles and financial trouble are likely for low-income families across New Jersey, predicts Melville Miller, president and general counsel of the non-profit service.
    9 of 20
  • Working for justice
    16 July 2010 read more >
    Widely regarded as the best workplace relations lawyer in the southern hemisphere - before setting up his own shop, he ran the biggest practice at Australia's biggest firm - Michael Harmer is, at heart, a grassroots revolutionary. "My father had a saying I've adopted," he murmurs. "All dies in the man who flees in the face of injustice."
    10 of 20
  • UK: Kenneth Clarke to slash Legal Aid budget
    16 July 2010 read more >
    Officials working for Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, have drawn up plans to cut "hundreds of millions" of pounds from the 2.2 billion pound budget for Legal Aid. The plan is among blueprints for cuts in public spending worth more than 40 billion pounds handed to the Treasury.
    11 of 20
  • Legal aid expanded in NSW
    16 July 2010 read more >
    People suffering mortgage stress will be among those to benefit from a $10 million expansion of NSW's free legal service, the state's attorney-general says.
    12 of 20
  • Investing in legal services in the Northern Territory [media release]
    15 July 2010 read more >
    Attorney-General, Robert McClelland and Federal Member for Solomon, Damian Hale today visited the Darwin Community Legal Service to announce additional funding for legal services in the Northern Territory. As part of this additional investment of $14 million the Darwin Community Legal Service will receive around $348,000 to support their partnership with the Darwin Family Relationship Centre.
    13 of 20
  • Cwth A-G announces National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Services
    2 July 2010 read more >
    The Attorney-General has announced the commencement of the new National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Services. States & Territories will receive $785M over 4 years to deliver Commonwealth funded legal aid services, including $92M+ more funding in the 2010-11 Budget. This replaces the former arrangements where the Commonwealth was principally a buyer of legal service.
    14 of 20
  • McCullough Robertson appoints pro bono partner
    28 June 2010 read more >
    McCullough Robertson has appointed Heather Watson as a partner to its non profits and community partnerships team. Watson joins the partnership from 1 July, with managing partner Guy Humble telling Lawyers Weekly that her appointment was driven by both clients and firms having an increasing focus on corporate social responsibility.
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  • USA: Pro Bono required in law departments of two large companies
    23 June 2010 read more >
    How far has the acceptance of pro bono come in the law departments of large companies? At least two have made it mandatory. That was one surprising nugget that the Pro Bono Institute's Esther Lardent mentioned when she met with a group of ALM reporters and editors. Abbott Laboratories and American Airlines now require their lawyers and legal staffs to pitch in 10 hours a year, said Lardent.
    16 of 20
  • Tasmania set to introduce Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
    22 June 2010 read more >
    The Tasmanian Government has announced its intention to introduce a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, designed to enshrine civil and political rights including the right to vote, free speech and religious freedom. The proposed Charter is also understood to include protections for additional economic, social and cultural rights, unlike recent similar legislation in Victoria and the ACT.
    17 of 20
  • TrustLaw - New international pro bono and good governance website launched
    22 June 2010 read more >
    Thomson Reuters Foundation has launched the website TrustLaw (at www.trust.org/trustlaw/). It aims to connect non-profit groups and social entrepreneurs in need of legal assistance to lawyers who are willing to work without charge. TrustLaw hopes to transform access to pro bono legal support and act as an international hub for news, views and resources on anti-corruption and good governance issues.
    18 of 20
  • PilchConnect wins funding boost
    18 June 2010 read more >
    PILCH Victoria has received a funding boost from the Victorian Government for its Pilch Connect service, which provides pro bono legal services to Not For Profit organisations. The Minister for Community Development Lily D'Ambrosio has announced that the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) will receive $274,000 to continue its work to support community organisations through the service.
    19 of 20
  • Kirby Wins International Justice Prize
    17 June 2010 read more >
    Former High Court Judge Michael Kirby has become the first Australian to be awarded the internationally renowned Gruber Justice Prize. Kirby's shares this accolade with South Africa's Prof John Dugard and the Indian Law Resource Centre. The Gruber Justice Prize is worth $US500,000 and was awarded to Kirby for his ongoing contribution to human rights law and justice issues throughout his career.
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Downturn No Deterrent To Firms Acting Pro Bono

25 August 2010

 Large Australian law firms have continued their strong commitment to pro bono legal work, despite the significant economic pressures of the past two years. Those large firms who are signatories to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target generally have performed more pro bono work for disadvantaged people and community non-profit organisations, than those firms who have not yet signed the Target.
  

The findings come from the Interim Report on the National Law Firm Pro Bono Survey and the Third National Pro Bono Aspirational Target Report, launched today for the National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference 2010 being held in Brisbane from 26-27 August 2010.

read more >

 

International Pro Bono Disbursement Assistance Fund launched

28 June 2010

Legal professionals that provide international pro bono legal assistance may be able to recover some of the costs they incur in providing pro bono services in developing countries following the launch of an International Pro Bono Disbursement Assistance Fund (Fund) by the Attorney-General Robert McClelland today.
 
The Fund aims to encourage Australian law firms and barristers to provide free legal assistance in developing countries by providing them with financial assistance to help meet the costs of travel, accommodation and insurance.

The Centre is administering the Fund, which will help reduce the financial barriers faced by law firms and barristers wanting to improve access to justice through pro bono legal work in developing countries. More information, including guidelines and application forms, can be found
here.

read more >

 

National Legal Profession Reform - a step forward and backward

2 June 2010

The consultation draft of the Legal Profession National Law provides for a free or low cost volunteer practising certificate at community legal services but has missed the opportunity to provide a practising certificate that authorises in-house corporate lawyers to develop their own pro bono projects.

read more >

 

Walk for Justice on National Pro Bono Day 2010

18 May 2010

On National Pro Bono Day over 1,400 participants in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, undertook a 3 - 5 km Walk for Justice past key city legal landmarks to raise awareness of unmet legal need in the community and raise funds to support the work of the pro bono clearing houses in each State and Territory. 

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, ADELAIDE AND BRISBANE.

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National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference 2010

28 April 2010

The 3rd National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference will bring together lawyers, policy makers, academics and law students on 27 – 28 August 2010 at the Sebel Citigate, Brisbane.

The conference will cover key issues in the area of access to justice including the case for funding the legal assistance sector, identification of gaps in legal need and improving coordination across the sector.

read more >

 

Centre releases report on engaging retired lawyers in pro bono

24 February 2010

The Centre today released its research report into engaging retired, retiring and career break lawyers in pro bono.  It recommends free practising certificates, better information collection by professional associations and a review of disbursement assistance schemes.

read more >

 

Senate Access to Justice Report supports Aspirational Target

9 December 2009

The Report of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Commitee on Access to Justice was released yesterday.  The Commitee recommends that state/territory governments and legal professional associations throughout Australia should take such steps as are necessary to support pro bono development including promoting the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target Scheme.

 

The Centre was unfortunately misquoted in the report as suggesting that all classes of practising certificate should have a mandatory pro bono legal requirement.  The Centre did not say this and does not support this recommendation.  See Centre's Media Release for more detail..

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Target Report shows pro bono increase

2 October 2009

The Second Performance Report on the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target (“Target") released today shows an average of 41.9 hours of pro bono work was done in the last financial year by lawyers who have signed up to the Target up from 39.8 hours per lawyer, reported last year.

 
The seven law firm signatories with more than 100 lawyers who met the Target averaged 45.2 hours per lawyer per annum and jointly provided almost 180,000 hours of pro bono work last year.
 

The numbers of signatories has risen considerably. TheTarget now covers approximately 5,700 lawyers across Australia, up from 2,900 last year.

 

To download report and media release..

read more >

 

Centre Launches New National Guide to Law Firm Pro Bono Programs

3 August 2009

Pro Bono Practices Guide – A national guide to the pro bono practices of 30 Australian law firms”, a joint publication of the National Pro Bono Resource Centre and NSW Young Lawyers was launched at the Australian Law Students Association’s Annual Conference in Brisbane on 17 July 2009 by the Honourable Justice Roslyn Atkinson of the Queensland Supreme Court.

read more >

 

JusticeNet SA launched

2 July 2009

South Australia's new pro bono legal assistance centre, JusticeNet SA, was launched by Federal Court judge, the Hon. Justice Mansfield, on 2 July at the University of Adelaide's Moot Court. For full story and photos click here.

read more >

 

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