“Pro bono” comes from the Latin phrase “pro bono publico” which means “for the public good”. In the legal context it generally means the provision of legal services on a free or significantly reduced fee basis.
For more information on pro bono and the Centre’s definition of “pro bono legal services” please visit What is pro bono? and the History of Pro Bono in Australia.
Our publications
The Australian Pro Bono Centre publishes a wide range of resources, guides, reports, speeches and submissions, which can be found in Our Publications.
The Centre’s five flagship publications on pro bono legal services in Australia are:
National Law Firm Pro Bono Survey Reports – reports on the Centre’s biennial survey of Australian law firms with 50 or more full-time equivalent lawyers. The Centre conducts the survey in order to develop a longitudinal picture of the pro bono legal work of large law firms.
The Australian Pro Bono Manual
– a ‘how to’ and ‘best practice’ guide on establishing and operating a pro bono program within a law firm. An updated version of the Manual will be published in early 2016.
Pro Bono Partnerships and Models: A Practical Guide to What Works – the Manual’s companion publication contains practical information on what works well in collaborative pro bono projects, provides tips and case studies on how to attract pro bono partners and maintain effective partnerships.
Australian Pro Bono News – the Centre’s monthly newsletter, which contains stories about recent developments in the pro bono and legal assistance sector, including the Centre’s reports and submissions.
Annual Performance Reports on the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target – reports on the annual performance of signatories to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target of 35 hours pro bono legal work per lawyer per year.
Other information & resources
For a selection of other publications on pro bono legal services, in Australia and internationally, please see Other Information & Resources. This also includes information on Pro Bono Case Law, Recovery of Costs, and the relationship between pro bono and Corporate Social Responsibility.
For details of firms providing pro bono legal services within Australia please see our list of Law firms’ pro bono web pages. You can also find a current list of Signatories to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target in the Target section of this site.
For an examination of pro bono around the world, please see International Pro Bono.
Events
For information on important pro bono events to add to your calendar please see:
- Our Conferences (includes details and papers from previous conferences)
- Walk for Justice on National Pro Bono Day