Projects

DLA Phillips Fox has developed significant projects in partnership with nonprofits, academic institutions, foundations and corporate clients for many years.

The projects focus on finding innovative solutions to challenging social problems while helping the most vulnerable members of our society.

Below is a selection of our pro bono projects. Further details of our program are available via the Human Rights report.

• Homeless Persons' Legal Service - the clinics are joint initiatives of the Public Interest Law Clearing Houses, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the Newtown Mission, the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, the Pindari Women's Hostel and the Hanover Southbank Crisis Centre.
• Women's Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme - in partnership with Marrickville Legal Centre and Warringa Baiya, DLA Phillips Fox lawyers assist in the provision of legal services to women who have experienced domestic violence. Our lawyers represent women in applications for Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders.
• Austcare International Protection Chapter - we are a member of the Austcare International Protection Chapter. The Protection Chapter deploys Protection Officers to work with United Nations operations overseas to guard against human rights abuses. Two of our lawyers are on the Protection Chapter and the firm provides pro bono legal assistance to facilitate the Chapter's undertakings.
• Westside Legal Clinic - in partnership with Westside Community Lawyers, a community Legal Centre based in Adelaide, DLA Phillips Fox has established a legal outreach clinic to provide free legal advice and representation to those in the community who are unable to afford to pay for legal services.
• Community Legal Education - in partnership with TAFE NSW our lawyers participate in the Outreach program that ensures that a TAFE NSW education is accessible to people who face barriers to learning. Barriers may include geographical and social isolation, language and cultural factors, financial hardship, lack of educational confidence, being unaware of opportunities to learn, a disability or family commitments. Outreach Coordinators talk with communities, government and industry to determine the location, length, time and type of course needed. Our lawyers participate in the Outreach Program by teaching basic legal information to Outreach students, including basic employment rights, discrimination, and occupational health and safety.
• Artists in the Black - Artists in the Black is a project of the Arts Law Centre of Australia. It's designed to provide legal advice and representation to indigenous artists to protect indigenous art and create sustainable income streams for indigenous communities. DLA Phillips Fox lawyers have contributed to the Artists in the Black project by providing pro bono legal representation to a number of indigenous artists in relation to intellectual property and copyright issues, the establishment of trusts and related tax advice, advice in relation to estate planning, advice in relation to copyright and intestate estates, and disputes between indigenous artists and art dealers or galleries. Our lawyers have also prepared precedent will clauses for use by indigenous artists and lawyers preparing wills for indigenous artists to deal proactively with issues relating to estate planning.
• New Eye Hospitals for Fiji and East Timor - over the past few months our Auckland office has assisted the Fred Hollows Foundation on a pro bono basis with the legal work relating to the opening of two new eye hospitals in Fiji and Timor Leste. The Fred Hollows Foundation has joined with the Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste and DLA Phillips Fox to develop the country's first ever National Eye Health Strategy and to oversee the implementation of a national eye health and blindness prevention program. With substantial pro bono legal assistance from the Auckland office of DLA Phillips Fox, the Fred Hollows Foundation has also recently opened the Pacific Eye Institute in Fiji.
• Otara Community Law Centre - Lyndal Yaqub is now managing our ongoing pro bono secondment to the Otara Community Law Centre in Auckland. The secondment programme helps the Law Centre provide much needed assistance to disadvantaged people in Otara. The Law Centre services a population of about 30,000 people which includes many of Auckland's poorest communities. Lyndal is really pleased that the firm is continuing to support this significant investment in its community.