• Foreword by The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG
• 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 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 Practice 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 Designing an effective 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 and representation
    • 1.7.2 Law reform and policy work
    • 1.7.3 Community legal education
    • 1.7.4 Clinics
    • 1.7.5 Secondments to community legal organisations
    • 1.7.6 Co-counselling
    • 1.7.7 ‘Secondary consults’ or ‘phone a friend’ assistance
    • 1.7.8 Partnerships with tertiary institutions
    • 1.7.9 Virtual delivery of legal services
    • 1.7.10 Collaborative service delivery programs
    • 1.7.11 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 Managing the pro bono practice
    • 1.9.1 Why manage pro bono?
    • 1.9.2 General considerations
    • 1.9.3 Management tasks – what does pro bono management involve?
    • 1.9.4 Management roles for pro bono phases – the ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘when’ of pro bono management
    • 1.9.5 Other considerations regarding pro bono management roles
  • Chapter 1.10 Participation
    • 1.10.1 Overview
    • 1.10.2 Partners
    • 1.10.3 Lawyers and senior associates
    • 1.10.4 New employees
    • 1.10.5 Graduates
    • 1.10.6 Seasonal 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 and impact measurement
    • 1.13.1 What is evaluation?
    • 1.13.2 Planning an evaluation
    • 1.13.3 Implementing an evaluation
    • 1.13.4 Commissioning an evaluation
    • 13.5 Glossary
  • Chapter 1.14 Training & skills
    • 1.14.1 Mismatch between lawyers’ expertise & clients’ needs
    • 1.14.2 Working with clients who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
    • 1.14.3 Working with clients with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
    • 1.14.4 Working with clients requiring interpreters
    • 1.14.5 Working with clients with disabilities
    • 1.14.6 Delivering legal services virtually
    • 1.14.7 Challenging client behaviour
    • 1.14.8 Self-care and resilience
  • Chapter 1.15 A mid-sized firm perspective
    • 1.15.1 Managing the pro bono practice
    • 1.15.2 Strengths
    • 1.15.3 Challenges
    • 1.15.4 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

  PART 2: PROCEDURES & PRACTICE ISSUES

  • Chapter 2.1 Casework procedures
    • 2.1.1 Intake criteria
    • 2.1.2 Assessment and approval
    • 2.1.3 Allocation and supervision
    • 2.1.4 Matter opening and 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
    • 2.2.5 IT security 
    • 2.2.6 Data protection
    • 2.2.7 Health and safety 
  • 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 – Overview of Legal Aid Commission services
    • 3.1.2 – Gaps in Legal Aid Commission services and implications for pro bono
    • 3.1.3 – Pro bono lawyers referring to Legal Aid Commissions
  • 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 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Organisations and other services
  • Chapter 3.3 Pro Bono Referral Schemes & Organisations
    • 3.3.1 About Referral Organisations
    • 3.3.2 Benefits of working with Referral Organisations
    • 3.3.3 List of Australian Referral Organisations

  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

  • Using precedents
  • Pro Bono Policy
    • Pro Bono Policy [Word Doc, 69KB]
  • Letters of engagement
    • Letter of Engagement [Word Doc, 92KB]
    • Letter of engagement – Costs Agreement[Word Doc, 112 KB]
  • Secondment agreements
    • Secondment Agreement – Firm and Host Organisation [Word Doc, 88KB]
    • Letter to Secondee from Firm [Word Doc, 89KB]
  • Memorandum of understanding
    • Memorandum of Understanding – Fixed Term Relationship [Word Doc, 80 KB]
    • Memorandum of Understanding – Clinic Project [Word Doc, 79 KB]
  • Evaluation templates
    • Project evaluation template [Word Doc, 61 KB]
    • Theory of Change Template [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]