• Foreword
• About the Manual
• Acknowledgements
• About the Australian Pro Bono Centre
• Abbreviations & Glossary

PART 1: PLANNING, DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING A PROGRAM

• Chapter 1.1 Planning pro bono for the firm
  • 1.1.1 Why firms should have a plan for pro bono legal work
  • 1.1.2 Planning checklist
• Chapter 1.2 Defining pro bono legal work
  • 1.2.1 The National Pro Bono Aspirational Target
  • 1.2.2 Other definitions of pro bono
• Chapter 1.3 Pro bono policy
  • 1.3.1 Developing a policy
  • 1.3.2 Contents of a pro bono policy
  • 1.3.3 Program objectives
  • 1.3.4 Criteria for pro bono legal work
• Chapter 1.4 Promoting a pro bono culture
  • 1.4.1 Why do pro bono legal work?
  • 1.4.2 Strategies to promote a pro bono culture
  • 1.4.3 Responding to the firm’s concerns
• Chapter 1.5 Surveying interest
  • 1.5.1 Ensuring the usefulness of a survey
  • 1.5.2 Managing survey risks
• Chapter 1.6 Identifying needs & sources of pro bono legal work
  • 1.6.1 Unmet legal needs
  • 1.6.2 Sourcing pro bono legal work
• Chapter 1.7 Current models of pro bono legal work
  • 1.7.1 Legal advice & representation
  • 1.7.2 Law reform & policy work
  • 1.7.3 Community legal education
  • 1.7.4 Case referral
  • 1.7.5 Clinics
  • 1.7.6 Outreach services
  • 1.7.7 Secondments to community legal organisations
  • 1.7.8 Co-counselling
  • 1.7.9 ‘Secondary consults’ or ‘phone a friend’ assistance
  • 1.7.10 Technology based services: telephone, video conferencing, online & mobile technology
  • 1.7.11 Collaborative service delivery programs
  • 1.7.12 International pro bono
• Chapter 1.8 Setting targets & budgets for pro bono legal work & programs
  • 1.8.1 Targets for pro bono legal work
  • 1.8.2 Budgets for pro bono programs
• Chapter 1.9 Coordinating the program
  • 1.9.1 General considerations
  • 1.9.2 Key roles & structures in detail
  • 1.9.3 Coordination tasks
• Chapter 1.10 Participation
  • 1.10.1 Overview
  • 1.10.2 Partners
  • 1.10.3 Lawyers & senior associates
  • 1.10.4 New employees
  • 1.10.5 Graduates
  • 1.10.6 Seasonal or vacation clerks
• Chapter 1.11 Crediting & recognising pro bono legal work
  • 1.11.1 Crediting
  • 1.11.2 Recognising
• Chapter 1.12 Costs & disbursements
  • 1.12.1 Costs
  • 1.12.2 Recovery of costs
  • 1.12.3 Disbursements
  • 1.12.4 Disbursement assistance
• Chapter 1.13 Evaluation
  • 1.13.1 What is evaluation & why is it important?
  • 1.13.2 Planning an evaluation
  • 1.13.3 Collecting data
• Chapter 1.14 Training & skills
  • 1.14.1 Mismatch between lawyers’ expertise & clients’ needs
  • 1.14.2 Dealing with particular client needs
  • 1.14.3 Self-care & resilience
• Chapter 1.15 A mid-sized firm perspective
  • 1.15.1 Strengths
  • 1.15.2 Challenges
  • 1.15.3 Managing expectations
• Chapter 1.16 A small law firm perspective
  • 1.16.1 Planning — strategy, structure & processes
  • 1.16.2 Managing expectations
  • 1.16.3 Building a pro bono culture — career satisfaction
• Chapter 1.17 Reflections of a pro bono coordinator
  • 1.17.1 Being a pro bono leader/coordinator in a firm
  • 1.17.2 What type of pro bono legal work?
  • 1.17.3 Individual clients: issues to consider

PART 2: PROCEDURES & PRACTICE ISSUES

• Chapter 2.1 Casework procedures
  • 2.1.1 Intake criteria
  • 2.1.2 Assessment & approval
  • 2.1.3 Allocation & supervision
  • 2.1.4 Matter opening & management
  • 2.1.5 Letters of engagement
  • 2.1.6 Matter closure
• Chapter 2.2 Risk management
  • 2.2.1 Pro bono matters falling outside a firm’s areas of expertise
  • 2.2.2 Conflicts of interest
  • 2.2.3 Practising certificates & professional indemnity insurance
  • 2.2.4 Disclosure to a court
• Chapter 2.3 Secondments
  • 2.3.1 Benefits of secondments
  • 2.3.2 Duration of a secondment
  • 2.3.3 Recruitment of secondees
  • 2.3.4 Experience of seconded lawyers
  • 2.3.5 Supervision, training, support & recognition
  • 2.3.6 Secondment agreements
  • 2.3.7 Post-secondment opportunities

PART 3: THE AUSTRALIAN LEGAL ASSISTANCE SECTOR

• Chapter 3.1 Legal Aid Commissions
  • 3.1.1 Legal Aid — implications for pro bono
  • 3.1.2 Legal Aid services
• Chapter 3.2 Community Legal Centres, Indigenous Legal Organisations & other legal organisations
  • 3.2.1 Pro bono partnerships
  • 3.2.2 Community Legal Centres
  • 3.2.3 Indigenous Legal Organisations
  • 3.2.4 Other legal organisations
• Chapter 3.3 Pro Bono Referral Schemes & Organisations
  • 3.3.1 Pro Bono Referral Organisations
  • 3.3.2 Pro Bono Referral Schemes

PART 4: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• 4.1 Partner support
• 4.2 Defining pro bono work
• 4.3 Pro bono targets
• 4.4 Pro bono budgets
• 4.5 Sourcing pro bono legal work
• 4.6 Intake procedures
• 4.7 Expanding the firm’s areas of expertise
• 4.8 Participation in the pro bono program
• 4.9 Writing off billable time
• 4.10 Matter ‘blow-outs’
• 4.11 Dealing with clients
• 4.12 Part-time pro bono coordinators

PART 5: APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Precedents

APPENDIX 1: PRECEDENTS

• Acknowledgements
• Using precedents
• Pro bono policies
  • Pro bono policy — short form [Word Doc, 62 KB]
  • Pro bono policy — long form [Word Doc, 65 KB]
  • Pro bono policy — small firm [Word Doc, 62 KB]
• Letters of engagement
  • Letter of engagement [Word Doc, 61 KB]
  • Letter of engagement — costs agreement [Word Doc, 78 KB]
• Secondment agreements
  • Secondment agreement — secondee, firm & host [Word Doc, 59 KB]
  • Secondment agreement — firm & host [Word Doc, 62 KB]
• Memorandum of understanding
  • Memorandum of understanding — fixed term partnership with community organisation [Word Doc, 61 KB]
  • Memorandum of understanding — clinic project [Word Doc, 60 KB]
• Evaluation templates
  • Project evaluation template [Word Doc, 61 KB]
  • Guide to building an evaluation tool [Word Doc, 58 KB]

APPENDIX 2: AUSTRALIAN PRO BONO BEST PRACTICE GUIDE

• What is best practice in pro bono? [PDF, 437 KB]
• What is best practice in pro bono? (abbreviated version) [PDF, 301 KB]