The framework took inspiration from the Australian Pro Bono Centre and the UK Collaborative plan
DLA Piper, Gilbert Walker, Holland Beckett, Luke Cunningham Clere, Russell McVeagh and Simpson Grierson have teamed up as the six founding signatories of New Zealand’s inaugural national pro bono framework.
The Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa seeks to centralise pro bono efforts and bolster access to justice through working together and supporting pro bono culture across the motu, according to a press release by network leader and pro bono clearinghouse Te Ara Ture. The framework took inspiration from models like the Australian Pro Bono Centre and the UK Collaborative Plan.
The core objectives of the framework are as follows:
Participant law firms will report against the pro bono target every year via an anonymous and de-identified format, facilitating benchmarking. This will also help in developing a robust pro bono ecosystem, Te Ara Ture said.
“As a profession, we are well aware of the high levels of unmet legal need in our society. The launch of the Collaborative Framework offers an identifiable and structured pathway for lawyers across New Zealand to engage in providing pro bono services. In facilitating high-quality pro bono legal advice, we are able to walk alongside clients who would otherwise have nowhere else to go, with the aim of providing access to justice to those who need it most”, Te Ara Ture director Sabrina Muck said.
Holland Beckett partner Tim Conder explained that cross-firm collaboration was critical to the successful and impactful pro bono time use.
“We’re so proud to be joining forces with a group of leading law firms to launch a new Pro Bono Collaborative Framework for Aotearoa. This initiative aligns with our firm’s long-term commitment to providing pro bono legal advice, expertise and resources to help communities with their legal needs across the motu”, Simpson Grierson pro bono partner Shan Wilson said.
