Herbert Geer is committed to supporting and promoting social justice and the application of the law for the benefit of the disadvantaged.
Our pro bono program is led by Partners Henrik Lassen in Melbourne, Dan Brush in Sydney and Damien Greer in Brisbane, and is supported by all partners. We actively encourage our staff to take part in community legal centres and undertake pro bono work during and outside working hours. As an incentive, legal staff receive credit for pro bono work in the same way they are credited for normal client work. We have established pro bono committees in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and guidelines for the referral and undertaking of pro bono matters.
Participation in pro bono work is an individual and voluntary decision by each partner and solicitor at Herbert Geer. Pro bono work enhances professional and personal development and often presents opportunities outside the more typical city law firm work.
In the 2009/2010 financial year, the firm had approximately 70 lawyers undertaking pro bono efforts. This trend appears to be increasing as the firm had over 40 lawyers participating in pro bono assistance in the first quarter of the 2010/2011 financial year. On average, the firm has 60 active pro bono matters at any given time.
Herbert Geer undertakes a variety of pro bono matters and represents, to name a few, the following organisations: Australian Childhood Foundation, Victorian Deaf Society, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Disability Employment Action Centre, Back to Back Theatre, Fitzroy Legal Service, Seniors Rights Legal Clinic, The Big Issue, World Vision, Noah’s Ark, Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project, Southern Ethnic Advisory and Advocacy Council.
Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH)
Herbert Geer is a member of the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH), an independent, not-for-profit organisation which is committed to furthering the public interest, improving access to justice and protecting human rights. PILCH does this by facilitating pro bono legal services to individuals and organisations in need in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and by undertaking law reform, policy work and legal education. Herbert Geer is also referred pro bono work by related PILCH organisations such as the Legal Institute of Victoria Legal Assistance Scheme and the New South Wales Cancer Council Legal Services.
Australian Senior Rights Legal Clinic
In conjunction with PILCH, Herbert Geer facilitates a fortnightly legal clinic for seniors. Through the clinic, Herbert Geer practitioners are able to deliver pro bono legal services to individuals at risk of elder abuse. Herbert Geer provides a wide range of pro bono advice via the clinic which include assistance in the area of wills, power of attorney, elder abuse (both physical and financial), and guardianship administration.
Australian Childhood Foundation
The Australian Childhood Foundation is a national charity that works to make children’s safety and welfare a priority. The foundation's services include counselling, advocacy, education, child abuse prevention, inspiring and supporting parents, and research. Herbert Geer provides a wide variety of pro bono legal advice to the Australian Childhood Foundation, including corporate and commercial advice, employment advice, trade mark and other intellectual property advice.
The Centre for Eye Research Australia
The Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) was established in 1996. Over the last 15 years it has grown into Australia’s leading eye research institute. CERA today has an international team of more than 100 staff and students working to save sight for millions of people worldwide affected by eye disease. CERA is a core participant in Bionic Vision Australia, which is an exciting collaboration by a number of Australia’s leading research institutions to develop a bionic eye. Herbert Geer partner Peter Nankivell, has been involved with CERA since 2001 and in addition to being a Director of CERA is the Chair of the Eye Research Australia Foundation and the Ansell Ophthalmology Foundation.
Herbert Geer provides a variety of pro bono advice such as the review and amendment of each of the Eye Research Australia Foundation and Ansell Foundation Trust Deeds, advice in relation to bequests received by CERA, and general commercial legal advice from time to time including HR, intellectual property and corporate governance.
World Vision
World Vision works with poor, marginalised people and communities to improve their lives and take control of their futures. Herbert Geer provides pro bono legal advice to World Vision on a wide range of legal issues including employment and workplace relations work in respect of World Visions employees. World Vision employs several hundred people who work both in Australia and overseas, and this throws up a range of issues which Herbert Geer assists World Vision to resolve. Herbert Geer also provides intellectual property and IT advice to World Vision.
NSW Cancer Patients Legal Services (CPLS)
The CPLS is a joint initiative of the Cancer Council NSW and the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) NSW. It facilitates the provisions of the pro bono legal services to cancer patients in NSW through its legal partners, which includes Herbert Geer. In 2008, the Cancer Council NSW commissioned a scoping study to investigate the possible establishment of a pilot legal service. The study revealed a strong need for the service across NSW and an absence of alternative means for many patients to access legal advice, particularly in light of the high costs of cancer. Herbert Geer provides a range of legal services to patients that have been diagnosed including wills, powers of attorney and enduring guardianship, mortgages, employment and discrimination.
Mensheds Australia Limited
Mensheds Australia Limited is a not-for-profit charity, and with DGR status, Men’s Sheds performs a significant and practical role in addressing men’s issues including men’s health, isolation, loneliness and depression. The Mensheds organization creates local meeting places, ideally in dedicated buildings to allow men to meet, form relationships with each other and with service providers while engaging in activities that suit them and their community. There are over 250 affiliated Mensheds in Australia, operating in every state and territory. There are several Mensheds servicing remote indigenous communities. Dan Brush, a partner at Herbert Geer is a Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors and works with other Herbert Geer lawyers to provide a full range of legal services to Men’s Sheds including employment and commercial matters, corporate governance and fund raising grant applications and acquittal work.
Gondwana Voices Limited
The mission of Gondwana Choirs is to develop a unique Australian choral voice whilst providing training and opportunity for talented young Australians to perform with innovation and excellence alongside artists of the highest calibre in Australia and throughout the world. Herbert Geer was involved in the advertising/ sponsorship deal between Qantas and Gondwana Voices Limited, where the Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s choir was featured in Qantas’ new version of its high profile “I Still Call Australia Home” advertising campaign.