The Te Ara Ture director discusses the influences that have helped shape the sector
In November 2024, the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa was born through the collaboration of founding firms DLA Piper, Gilbert Walker, Holland Beckett, Luke Cunningham Clere, Russell McVeagh and Simpson Grierson with national pro bono clearinghouse Te Ara Ture. Given the relatively new nature of New Zealand’s pro bono sector, other markets became the inspiration in developing the framework.
“[The framework is] inspired by similar frameworks in Australia and the UK, where firms that shared values and were at different stages of their pro bono journeys determined that it would benefit them to work together to share ideas, discuss challenges and maximise their impact”, Te Ara Ture director Sabrina Muck told NZ Lawyer.
Te Ara Ture has been leading the framework since its inception and serving as a neutral party. The pro bono clearinghouse was launched in 2021 as a service division within Community Law Centres Aotearoa, the peak body for New Zealand’s 24 community law centres. Its goal is to advance pro bono in the country.
“Te Ara Ture in the Māori language means a bridge or a path to law. It was established as a pro bono clearinghouse model to further support community law centres by connecting clients with private practice lawyers who had expressed an interest in offering pro bono support in a very structured and managed way”, Muck told NZ Lawyer.
The organisation had already been collaborating with the founding firms on placing matters and connecting them to community law centres. THe pro bono clearinghouse obtains applications from community law centres and non-profit organisations looking for pro bono assistance; it then evaluates matters for initial merit, checks supporting documentation, and prepares timeline and fact summaries.
Opportunities to do pro bono work are then published on Te Ara Ture’s portal, which is hosted by Australia’s Justice Connect. These listings are also shared to Te Ara Ture-registered lawyers through a weekly email bulletin. Interested lawyers are subject to a conflicts check before Te Ara Ture initiates an introduction between lawyer and client.
Community law centres are urged to remain involved in matters to provide support.
“With a lot of the matters coming through community law centres, through Te Ara Ture, we know the framework participants are working in the interests of those who are most in need”, Muck told NZ Lawyer. “What we see with the framework and what the numbers show us is a structured way to deliver pro bono work”.
The Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa’s first-ever report showed law firms and lawyers exceeding the set 25-hour aspirational target, highlighting the strong pro bono focus in New Zealand.
“This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in New Zealand where we're just looking to get a sense of where we are now, where we're going and what that might mean for the communities we serve”, Muck told NZ Lawyer.
The New Zealand Law Society has also offered its support to Te Ara Ture. It conducted the survey for the framework’s report; moreover, it has highlighted the importance of community law on its own channels.
“The Law Society have also been very supportive of community law. In their report on the rule of law which was released last year, they identify community law as having a key role to play in terms of the rule of law and ensuring access to justice”, Muck told NZ Lawyer.
She expressed hope that the impact and access of pro bono work would continue to grow.
“It would be great to have more firms involved [in the framework] so that we get data that is more representative of the profession as a whole and so that we're seeing wider engagement”, Muck told NZ Lawyer.
