At Ashurst we accept and take seriously our responsibility to make
legal services available to all. As a law firm, the most
useful contribution we can make to the community is to use our
knowledge and expertise to assist people and organisations which
could not otherwise access legal services.
Through our extensive pro bono program we act for individuals and
not-for-profit organisations in a wide range of matters. Our
work includes providing legal opinions and advice, drafting
contracts and other documents, research, negotiation, litigation,
law and policy reform and community legal education. The firm
undertakes major legal projects, test case litigation and
day-to-day matters.
In Australia we also send our lawyers and other staff on secondment
to work with community legal and welfare organisations from the
inner-cities to remote northern Australia.
We work closely with community-based lawyers and with our
not-for-profit clients to understand the legal needs of people who
are disadvantaged and marginalised and to identify clients who may
benefit from our services.
We also use the wider resources of the firm to support community
legal and welfare organisations. Our meeting rooms, training and
legal education facilities, library support, graphic design,
technology and administrative support are all provided free of
charge to organisations falling within our pro bono program.