We are proud of our engagement with community based not-for-profit groups and charities and our pro bono practice. We recognise and embrace the community responsibilities that come with being members of the legal profession and a successful and respected firm. For our people, our involvement in the community in a meaningful way is personally and professionally enriching.
Pro Bono Practice
We are committed to fostering and encouraging pro bono work and to developing a co-ordinated and meaningful pro bono practice with recognition of time spent by fee earners on pro bono matters. We recognise there is a compelling unmet need for pro bono legal services in our community.
Our Pro Bono & Community Committee is comprised of lawyers and legal assistants from across the firm and led by Alison Baker, Pro Bono & Community partner. The Pro Bono & Community Committee considers requests for pro bono legal assistance and applies the firm’s Pro Bono & Community Policy.
We also encourage our people who are engaged with worthy causes to utilise the resources of our pro bono practice to support those causes. Lawyers performing pro bono work are given full credit for that work in terms of their contribution to the firm.
Hall & Wilcox's pro bono and community activities include:
commitment to being an active member of
PILCH (Public Interest Clearing House) which provides the firm with a steady flow of challenging and compelling pro bono legal advice referrals.
completing a significant volume of ‘legal wishes’ as a result of our partnership with
goodcompany. goodcompany matches skilled volunteer professionals with the needs of hundreds of Australian community groups, helping strengthen our communities.
encouraging Hall & Wilcox staff that are engaged with worthy causes in the community to utilise the resources of Hall & Wilcox's pro bono practice to support those causes. Examples of this are the
Queen Elizabeth Centre, which provides practical support, education and advice to help parents develop skills to confidently manage the challenges of parenthood, and
Scarf, which is a community organisation that has developed a restaurant-based hospitality training program for marginalised youth (including migrants and refugees) to provide a path to employment in the hospitality sector. In both of these cases, a partner of the firm sits on the organisation's board.
operating
PILCH’s Senior Rights Victoria (SRV) Clinic in Footscray jointly with another mid-tier firm and providing legal advice to elderly Victorians. SRV is funded by the Victorian State Government and was established to prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights of older Victorians. Its mission is to empower older Victorians so they can take steps to live in safety, and with dignity and independence.
providing legal and administrative assistance to
Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre. The assistance to the Centre is provided on an ‘as needs’ basis. In addition, a number of lawyers from the firm also sit on the Centre's board and volunteer at the Centre.
Partners in Learning – pairing Principals with CEOs and Executives to share experiences, problem solving and leadership challenges. Hall & Wilcox Managing Partner Tony Macvean has been working with Genevieve Simson from Brimbank College (St Albans) since 2009. From this partnership, Hall & Wilcox has undertaken legal moots with Year 11 legal studies students, provided work experience to Year 10 students, and run career choice days where students from Victoria University Secondary College come into the firm and hear from staff about their careers and roles at the firm.
Aspirations - a Year 11 mentoring program which aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to transition from High School to further study and/or work. Hall & Wilcox has provided mentors for Victoria University Secondary College students.
Growing Opportunities and Learning Skills (GOALS) – a Year 9 mentoring program which aims to widen the life choices and opportunities for disadvantaged high school students. Hall & Wilcox has provided six mentors for St Albans Secondary College students.
SPARK - Reading Program – a Primary School reading improvement program with corporate volunteers who partner with needy students to offer one-on-one reading and support. In contributing to this program, Hall & Wilcox provides 12 staff on a rotating basis to attend Deer Park West Primary School.
We have fostered close, on-going relationships with a number of inspirational community organisations to whom we provide pro bono legal services and other assistance. These include:
RecLink & The Choir of Hard Knocks;
YGAP - Y Generation Against Poverty;
Step Back Think;
Open Family Australia;
Guide Dogs Victoria;
Prince Henry’s Institute; and
Australian Huntington’s Disease Association.
The firm is a sponsor of Tarwirri, an organisation that provides assistance to Indigenous Australians studying law or who have recently graduated. Tarwirri receives some Government assistance but also relies on sponsorship to fund its activities.
Other pro bono matters
Hall & Wilcox also acts on a pro bono basis for numerous other not-for-profits and charities where we identify a compelling need for free legal services.
Other community initiatives
While the time we give in supporting not-for-profit organisations is of great value, we also appreciate the monetary support required by these organisations in order to continue their work. Hall & Wilcox supports a number of charities through donations and various fund raising activities.
For further information on the Hall & Wilcox Pro Bono & Community Investment Program, please contact: