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Pro bono
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Pro bono

At Deacons, we see pro bono legal services as a natural extension of our obligation to make an active contribution to the wider community in which we practice.

It’s an obligation that we take seriously - both for the opportunities it can create in the lives of others and for the professional enrichment and personal reward it brings to our staff.

Overview of pro bono activities

Deacons’ staff undertake pro bono activities and services on behalf of:

  • Disadvantaged or marginalised people who cannot afford legal services
  • Non-profit organisations that work on behalf of members of the community who are disadvantaged or marginalised, or that work for the public good, and
  • Public interest matters of broad public or community concern that would not otherwise be pursued.

Our activities include litigation, legal opinions and advice, drafting documents, research, negotiations and mediation, involvement in law and legal policy reform and community legal education. Deacons only takes part in pro bono activities that match the skills and expertise of our staff. On that basis, we do not undertake criminal, immigration or family law matters.

Deacons’ pro bono activities are brought to our attention by partners and staff, by law societies, institutes and associations, community legal centres and occasionally as a result of direct approaches by members of the public.

Pro bono work is undertaken on a voluntary basis by staff at Deacons. The work carries the same status as fee-paying work and is given equal recognition in staff promotion.

Some examples of our work in the community include:

Click here to view Deacons Pro Bono Annual Report 2008.

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“We do this because we want to, because it’s a privilege, because the rewards of working with groups and organisations who face rather different forms of challenges than our typical clients brings balance to our commercial work. Equally, our commercial approach brings new perspective to organisations who may not otherwise be able to think outside the structure of what are often very small budgets.”

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