Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) focuses on the development of relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the fostering of respect and the creation of opportunities.
The aim is to enable our firm to play a role in closing the gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Our firm has long-standing relationships with many Indigenous communities and organisations around Australia. In the first year of our RAP we have built on these relationships and relied on them to deepen our understanding and increase the impact of our work in relation to Indigenous rights, access to justice and Indigenous enterprise. We thank all our Indigenous friends, colleagues and partners for your guidance and encouragement in the first year of our RAP.
Our RAP has been embraced by the widest possible group of people within our firm. Thank you to everyone who has played a part and helped the firm achieve its first-year goals. Your energy and actions have allowed the firm to make a positive contribution to the vital process of reconciliation.
Photo: Children join in the celebrations at the GARMA Festival. Image – Yothu Yindi Foundation
Fast facts
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As a firm, we focus on the quality of our relationships with our clients, our colleagues in the legal profession and with the wider community. We invest in these relationships and see them as a primary source of satisfaction in our working lives. The quality of our relationships with Indigenous Australians, Indigenous communities and Indigenous organisations is important in implementing our RAP.
Our success as a firm is built on the character, skill and judgment of our people and the experiences and values they bring from their homes and communities. We operate in many countries and recognise the creative energy that is generated when people with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences work together. We value these differences and foster an environment of mutual respect. Respect between people is a fundamental value of our firm and is the foundation of our RAP.
If our RAP is to have real, practical and lasting impact, it must create opportunities for Indigenous Australians to expand their skills and experience. Our plan aims to create these opportunities. It also aims to provide our people with an opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience through participation in reconciliation and engagement with Indigenous colleagues.