Welcome to the December 2017 issue of AUSTRALIAN PRO BONO NEWS, the Centre’s monthly newsletter providing stories and articles of interest to the Australian pro bono community.

We welcome your feedback, submissions and ideas for both Australian Pro Bono News and our website – please email [email protected] or refer to our Contact page.

For past issues, visit our newsletter Archive.

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Editorial

December 2017

As same-sex marriage becomes lawful in Australia, we are proud to bring you an article about the vast amount of pro bono legal and other support provided by Australian lawyers to members of the LGBTIQ community over the many years it has taken to reach this socially transformative milestone.

Also this month we profile the fabulous Sue Garlick and Linda Macpherson, co-directors of Queensland’s pro bono clearing house, LawRight, who talk about their challenges and their goals.

Thank you to all those persons who provided a response to the discussion paper on the Tenth Anniversary of the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target.  Whilst there was unequivocal support for removing the word ‘aspirational’ from the title of the Target, responses varied in relation to how the definition of pro bono legal services should address legal work for social enterprises and other situations where ‘for-profit’ entities are involved, and whether ‘low bono’ should be considered pro bono.

The Centre will convene a forum to discuss these issues further in the New Year.

Thanks for the useful comments about where to focus our efforts for growth, and how government can better support pro bono.  These comments will be aggregated and passed on to governments.  And late submissions are still welcome!

Best wishes to all for the forthcoming holiday season.

John Corker