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ProjectsAs well as looking after the needs of our existing pro bono charity clients, Allens Arthur Robinson has increased its pro bono efforts in the following areas.
Assisting the homelessHomeless Persons' Legal ClinicsMore than 70 Allens Arthur Robinson lawyers volunteer to be part of a roster to provide free legal assistance to, and advocacy on behalf of, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This project is run in Queensland, NSW and Victoria by the Public Interest Law Clearing Houses and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. The clinics are located at crisis accommodation centres and welfare agencies so as to encourage direct access by clients. Our lawyers volunteer at Edward Eagar Lodge, Homeground Services, the Anglican Women's Hostel and Homeless Assessment & Referral Team 4000 (HART 4000). Over the past year, we have been able to assist clients with many legal problems. We were very pleased with the outcome of the case of one Melbourne woman: 'One of the clients from the Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic was recently awarded assistance following a Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal in recognition of the serious adverse physical and psychological effects she suffered as a result of a violent assault outside her home in 2000. The client first approached the clinic in late 2004 and the application encountered numerous obstacles, including being out of time. However, these obstacles were overcome and the client was ultimately awarded a lump sum payment, payment of fees for university subjects she repeated as a result of her depression following the assault, and reimbursement for a self-defence course and clothing damaged during the assault. This award represents closure for the client of a sad chapter in her life which involved heroin addiction, depression, anxiety and trouble with the law. However, since she first approached the clinic, the client has dramatically turned her life around by overcoming her addiction, undertaking voluntary work in her community and achieving top marks at university.' Choir of Hard KnocksAllens Arthur Robinson was recently approached by RecLink Australia to provide pro bono assistance to the Choir of Hard Knocks. RecLink is a not-for-profit organisation established to enable access to sporting and other recreational activities to people experiencing social and economic disadvantage. RecLink and Jonathon Welch, a former tenor with Opera Australia, established the Choir in September 2006 as an opportunity for homeless and disadvantaged people who love to sing! The ABC has followed the Choir since its inception and the documentary that they produced about the Choir's journey was aired in May 2007. Allens Arthur Robinson has provided the Choir with pro bono assistance in a range of matters - GST and licensing advice in relation to the Choir's 2006 Christmas CD, From the Heart - A Christmas Wish, tax and company structure advice and drafting an exclusive copyright licence over a painting created by a Choir member. The design of the painting was used on a t-shirt promoting the Choir. The Choir has released an album and plans to continue to perform to raise awareness of the issues faced by socially and economically disadvantaged people. Passages Resource CentreIn Perth, a team of our lawyers volunteer on a weekly basis at the Passages Resource Centre to provide informal legal counselling to clients of Passages on a no cost, no professional liability basis. Passages is a resource centre for young people in the inner-city suburb of Northbridge. Our lawyers offer information, referrals and support to the marginalised young people who attend Passages, many of whom have social, mental health, criminal behaviour, alcohol and drug problems. Allens Arthur Robinson is pleased to also provide pro bono legal advice to other organisations who assist the homeless including: Kids Under Cover Inc, NSW Federation of Housing Associations Inc, OzHarvest Limited, Street Voices/KOTO, West End Housing Cooperative, and Women's & Girls Emergency Centre Inc.
Working with Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Justice ProjectSince 2001, Allens Arthur Robinson has funded the Indigenous Justice Project at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC). This project aims to address the needs and concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a mix of legal advice, casework, policy intervention and community education. PIAC and the Indigenous Justice Project were instrumental, along with other organisations, in lobbying the NSW Government to establish a scheme for the return of Indigenous peoples' wages held on trust by the NSW Government. Allens Arthur Robinson, along with four other firms, has been working with the Indigenous Justice Project to represent claimants to the Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme. A team of 12 Allens Arthur Robinson lawyers are representing 10 claimants, on a pro bono basis, who have made applications to the Scheme. The Indigenous Justice Project also works in the areas of policing and correction, discrimination and in developing an outreach program to rural areas of New South Wales. Native Title Internships Program - Aurora ProjectAs part of Allens Arthur Robinson's commitment to include all of its staff in our pro bono program, we have developed, with the Aurora Project, a pro bono internship opportunity for a small group of our vacation clerks. Since 2006, four of our vacation clerks have completed a six-week internship at a Native Title Representative Body or Land Council in locations all around Australia. The interns have the opportunity to work with, and assist, their host organisations with their work for native title claimants. Sophie Ryan, one of the interns from 2006, told us that: 'I consider myself incredibly privileged to have experienced the culture of the Aboriginal people in the Kimberley area and to be told the stories of the land from the people who have it ingrained into their hearts. To work in this area, with a man as inspirational and passionate as Patrick Dodson, has been an amazing opportunity. This opportunity has changed my views, challenged my beliefs and ultimately given me a love for this area, its people and its culture. This internship completely surpassed any expectations I had before arriving, providing me with an experience which I will never forget.' Native Title negotiationsAllens Arthur Robinson is advising the Whaleboat family, the native title holders of land in the Murray Islands, about a primary school located on Mer Island. While the school has been on Whaleboat land since about 1992, no Indigenous Land Use Agreement, compensation or any other arrangement dealing with native title has been reached between the State and the native title holders. We are assisting with the preparation of a trustee lease and the agreement of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement between the State and the native title body corporate that will deal with the past and future effect on native title. Balkanu Cape York Development CorporationAllens Arthur Robinson has assisted the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation with their traditional knowledge recording project. In particular, we assisted them in negotiating agreements with the University of Technology, Sydney in relation to UTS's participation in the project. Balkanu is owned by the Cape York Corporation, the trustee of the Cape York Trust that represents 16 Indigenous Communities on the Cape York peninsula. Balkanu is a not-for-profit corporation that undertakes a number of activities, including the Cape York Digital Network, projects related to land management, caring for country and the development of Indigenous policy. The project is designed to provide tools and assistance to elders of the communities to ensure the traditional knowledge is passed on to younger generations. Legal issues addressed include rights relating to the collection of traditional knowledge, including database rights and commercialisation rights, and licences to other Indigenous groups to use the project methodology. Allens Arthur Robinson is pleased to also provide pro bono legal advice to other organisations who work with and are run by Indigenous Australians: Cape York Partnerships, Future Dreaming, Gawooleng Yawoodeng Aboriginal Corporation, Kanyini Foundation, Nambucca and Unkya Local Aboriginal Land Councils, National Indigenous Television Working Group, National Sorry Day Committee, Native Title Services Victoria, New South Wales Reconciliation Council and Show Me the Way, Tangentyere Council.
Supporting the ArtsArts Law Centre of AustraliaThe Arts Law Centre of Australia is the national community legal centre for the arts. Allens Arthur Robinson lawyers participate in the Arts Law Centre's Monday night advice evening, where lawyers provide pro bono legal advice to artists and arts organisations. This project involves lawyers from all of our offices and with a range of expertise. In 2007, Deborah Doctor, one of the lawyers from our Intellectual Property Department in Sydney, spent six months on secondment at the Arts Law Centre of Australia. Deborah assisted the Arts Law Centre by advising their wide range of clients, presenting educational seminars, drafting information sheets and assisting with drafting sample contracts. KanyiniAllens Arthur Robinson assisted Reverb Films to negotiate distribution agreements for Kanyini, a film that premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2006. Kanyini was inspired by producer Mel Hogan's desire to understand and connect with Indigenous Australia. Kanyini is a story told by an Indigenous man, Bob Randall, who lives beside Uluru in Central Australia. Based on Bob's own personal journey and the wisdom he learnt from the elders living in the bush, Bob tells his tale of why Indigenous people are now struggling in a modern world and what he believes needs to be done for Indigenous people to move forward. Allens Arthur Robinson is pleased to provide pro bono legal advice to other organisations supporting the arts: Arts Law Referral Service, Arts North West Inc, Beyond Empathy, Malthouse Theatre, Polyglot Puppet Theatre, Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and The Australian Ballet School.
Defending human rightsMental Health Legal CentreAllens Arthur Robinson has commenced a pro bono advocacy project in conjunction with the Mental Health Legal Centre (MHLC) in Melbourne. A team of six lawyers will be providing legal advice to, and advocating on behalf of, MHLC clients who are appearing before the Mental Health Review Board in reviews of the conditions of their community-based treatment orders. Prisoners' voting rightsAllens Arthur Robinson is assisting a Victorian prisoner, Vickie Roach, in her High Court challenge to the constitutional validity of Commonwealth legislation that prohibits all prisoners from voting in Federal elections. Proceedings were issued in this case, Roach v Electoral Commissioner and Commonwealth of Australia, in early 2007. An application for urgency was also made, in light of the Federal election due to be held at some stage later in 2007. The matter was heard by the Full Court of the High Court of Australia in June 2007. The plaintiff in this matter is an Indigenous woman currently being held at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and her case is of great legal significance as the High Court will consider the scope of the Parliament's power to limit the franchise, the implied constitutional freedom of political communication and a possible implied constitutional freedom of political participation. Allens Arthur Robinson has also been a significant supporter of the Human Rights Law Resource Centre since its establishment, including as a sponsor and through the ongoing provision of pro bono assistance. In 2006, the firm seconded lawyer Ben Schokman to the Centre for a four- month period. Fitzroy Legal ServiceAllens Arthur Robinson has funded the employment of an Articled Clerk at the Fitzroy Legal Service since 2001; this funded position is the only Articled Clerk position in the community legal sector in Victoria. Fitzroy Legal Service in Victoria is one of the oldest community legal centres in Australia. It provides casework to clients in the local area, advocates for law reform and provides community legal education. In addition to its daytime service, Fitzroy Legal Service operates a free legal advice service five nights a week and provides a free legal emergency telephone advice service for young people called Alphaline, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Allens Arthur Robinson staff also provide support to Fitzroy Legal Service - we take on pro bono referrals from the Service, our secretaries volunteer to be part of a roster to provide word processing assistance one day per week and our librarians and information technology staff have provided training to the lawyers at the Service. Representing asylum seekersThe Allens Arthur Robinson pro bono program represents asylum seekers appealing decisions of the Refugee Review Tribunal to the Federal Magistrates Court, the Federal Court and the High Court. In the past year, we have represented more than 10 asylum seekers in their claims. We recently acted for a Nigerian asylum seeker in her appeal to the Federal Magistrates Court against a decision of the Refugee Review Tribunal to refuse her a protection visa. We were successful in our argument that there had been a failure to take into account a relevant consideration, namely the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs' Guidelines on Gender Issues for Decision Makers. Our client's matter is now being reconsidered by the Refugee Review Tribunal. We have also represented a Chinese asylum seeker in an application to the Federal Magistrates Court for review of a decision of the Refugee Review Tribunal rejecting an application for refugee status. The applicant was a Chinese national who claimed refugee status on the basis of, among other things, his evangelical Christian beliefs and his membership of the 'three no' group, comprising those in China who lacked household registration, identification and a home. The applicant argued that the Refugee Review Tribunal had failed to appropriately consider these claims. A week before the scheduled Federal Magistrates Court hearing date and after we had filed written submissions, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship informed us that they would agree to orders remitting the matter to the Refugee Review Tribunal. Three of our lawyers are registered as volunteer migration agents in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These lawyers volunteer at the local refugee and asylum seeker legal services on a regular basis at their evening advisory clinics. Allens Arthur Robinson is pleased to provide pro bono legal advice to other organisations working to protect human rights including: Amnesty International Australia, Care Australia Limited, CASE for refugees, Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, Islamic Council of Victoria, Kingsford Legal Centre, Refugee & Immigration Legal Centre, Refugee Advice and Casework Service, United Nations Special Representative for Business and Human Rights, Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and World Vision.
Protecting the natural worldWWFWWF is one of the world's largest and most influential conservation organisations, with close to five million supporters and a global network active in more that 100 countries. In Australia, WWF Australia works to conserve the biodiversity of Australia, Papua New Guinea and the surrounding seas, providing scientifically based practical solutions to our greatest environmental threats. The WWF team works on the ground with local communities, as well as in partnership with government and industry, monitoring the state of the environment, advocating change and effective conservation policy. Allens Arthur Robinson has provided WWF with pro bono legal support for many years, providing all its needs for legal advice. An Allens Arthur Robinson partner sits on WWF's board. Recent work includes assisting WWF with licensing the trade mark for its highly successful 'Earth Hour' campaign in Sydney (in which the firm participated), agreements with its corporate partners and supporters, including its groundbreaking partnership with ANZ Bank, and protecting its trade marks. Bush Heritage AustraliaBush Heritage Australia is committed to preserving Australia's biodiversity by protecting the bush through a very simple and direct strategy. Since 1990, Bush Heritage has been creating a network of reserves across Australia. Bush Heritage buys land of high conservation value and manages those sites to ensure their long-term protection. Allens Arthur Robinson has provided Bush Heritage Australia with pro bono legal support for many years. We assist Bush Heritage with nearly all of its legal needs, including land purchase, the humane and lawful treatment of animals, intellectual property and other general corporate and commercial issues. Medicinal Plants Innovation in VietnamAllens Arthur Robinson's Vietnam offices are providing pro bono assistance to an initiative in the northern mountainous region of Sa Pa in Vietnam. This region is one of the poorest regions in Vietnam but is, at the same time, rich in biodiversity and an acknowledged national centre of expertise in the use of traditional medicinal plants. This project will identify traditional medicinal plant species and products with a high potential value in national and international markets, by using scientific analysis to corroborate traditional knowledge, cultivate the species to avoid over-exploitation while increasing production to match market demand, provide capacity-building to local communities and partners, and protect intellectual property rights of the ethnic minority groups. The project has recently received a 2007 SEED (Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development) Award. Australian Rainforest Conservation SocietyAustralian Rainforest Conservation Society (ARCS) works to protect, repair and restore the rainforests of Australia and to maximise the protection of forest biodiversity. ARCS plans to acquire rainforest at Springbrook in Queensland and restore it to its original state. Allens Arthur Robinson has assisted ARCS in establishing a fund to hold the land or money donated to protect the Springbrook rainforest. Allens Arthur Robinson is pleased to provide pro bono legal advice to other organisations working to protect the natural world: Australian Conservation Foundation, Great Barrier Reef Foundation, International River Foundation, Nature Conservation Trust, Sustainable Living Foundation and Victorian Association for Environmental Education.
You can download the pdf version of our Community Commitment brochure (2MB). [Allens in the community: Pro Bono stories] 
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