IMPACT CONTENTS Rebuilding after a natural disaster...... 5 Helping the homeless have a voice...... 8 Protecting a natural wonder...... 12 Carbon offset projects that benefit communities...... 14 Turning lives around...... 18 Helping asylum seekers navigate the law...... 20 Aunty’s house ...... 22 Spreading the magic of books across PNG...... 23 Securing protection for LGBTI asylum seekers...... 24 Challenging disadvantage in Vietnam...... 25 Supporting Indigenous lawyers...... 26 Preserving unique wetlands for future generations...... 28 Speaking up for those who can’t speak out ...... 31 Mentoring programs making a difference...... 34 Opening a window into the corporate world...... 37 2016 highlights...... 38 2016 gallery ...... 40 Committee members...... 42

WHAT IS IMPACT? Working with the community to bring about change and improve the lives of others, to protect the environment and to close the gap between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous Australians. FOREWORD

We believe that we have a responsibility to use our skills to help others in the community.

I’m proud to lead a firm where so many people devote time to work with inspirational organisations and people on community initiatives and pro bono matters. We focus our effort on four areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact: alleviating disadvantage, protecting the environment, promoting reconciliation and providing access to justice. The stories in this issue shine a light on some of the projects and initiatives in which we have played a role this year. We are proud to work alongside many of the wonderful organisations helping to make a difference. Enjoy reading Impact.

Richard Spurio Managing Partner

3 Photo courtesy of IFRC © Yoshi Shimizu REBUILDING AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER

If an earthquake, typhoon, tsunami or other natural disaster were to hit your home, forcing you to flee for your life, paperwork is likely to be the last thing on your mind.

But when the clean‑up begins, and humanitarian agencies arrive to provide emergency shelter and, later, more permanent structures, that paperwork – or the ability to prove you have a right to live there – could prove vital to your ability to rebuild. Access to humanitarian assistance can be limited by housing, land and property issues including insecure land tenure, lack of tenure‑related documentation, residence in informal settlements, slums or areas deemed hazardous, lack of enforceable rental agreements, or indigenous modes of land ownership. To help alleviate these issues, lawyers across our offices and from our alliance partner Linklaters are working with the Australian Red Cross (ARC) on a ‘Disaster Law Housing, Land and Property Mapping Project’. Reports will be prepared for five countries identified by the ARC and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as priorities: Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, the Solomon Islands and Indonesia. The ARC will then condense these detailed legal reports into practical fact sheets and briefing notes, addressing regulatory barriers to post‑disaster shelter provision in a specific country. These factsheets will support humanitarian workers to better understand the legal landscape before arriving at the disaster scene, and while working on the ground during the recovery phase. Photo courtesy of IFRC © Joe Cropp

When the Red Cross and other humanitarian groups ‘This project will ensure that these issues are better swing into action after a disaster strikes, they respond understood and that humanitarian workers and through nine organisational ‘clusters’ to provide international coordination systems are better placed to humanitarian assistance, including shelter, water, respond quickly and effectively by having a pre‑existing sanitation, health, education and protection. These analysis of key factors underpinning housing vulnerability.’ clusters work with governments, NGOs, private sector In the chaotic aftermath of a disaster, where buildings and organisations and local aid groups to coordinate an infrastructure have been destroyed or badly damaged, appropriate response, including organising emergency shelter is a priority. But there can be a raft of other issues shelter, providing health care and first aid, distributing to deal with beyond handing out tarpaulins and tools relief supplies, restoring safe water and sanitation to help with temporary accommodation. For example, facilities and reconnecting families. people who have lost their homes must provide ‘security IFRC is the co‑chair of the Shelter Cluster, the coordination of tenure’ or evidence of occupancy, as this can affect mechanism that supports people affected by natural someone’s ability to receive assistance or rebuild. disasters and internally displaced people in conflicts with ‘There is a particular vulnerability around the type and the means to live in safe, dignified and appropriate shelter. security of tenure and whether it’s recognised,’ Tom said. Information such as that currently being collected and ‘In urban areas, if a multi‑storey, multi‑tenanted building analysed by Allens is of critical importance to ensure that collapses, who do you help? The owner? The tenant? How regulatory barriers are identified and addressed, so that do you prove that you were living there when the building people who need shelter assistance get help faster and no longer exists? receive the right kind of support. ‘In rural areas, the Tom Bamforth, the Global Focal Point for Shelter issues are around Coordinator for the IFRC, said the project would help the documentation. Red Cross provide quicker, more effective shelter in the This doesn’t immediate aftermath of a disaster. always have to ‘We’ve always known that housing, land and property mean formal issues are of major importance in a natural disaster but land title or a vast we’ve never had anything pre‑existing to guide us. With archival exercise. no background to what those issues are in each country, We can interview we’ve always been very reactive and have to respond to the neighbours issues as they come up,’ he said. and if there are groups of neighbours who agree, then that is fine.’

Photo courtesy of IFRC © Ezekiel Simperingham

IMPACT 6 Photo courtesy of IFRC © Carlo Heathcote Photo courtesy of IFRC

Other groups of particular vulnerability include women >> In urban areas, the right to assistance for households in (in some countries, women do not have the same legal collapsed multi‑occupancy high‑rise buildings is often rights to property as men), minority groups that may not restricted. Shelter response policy is often developed be documented or may be unwanted by the government, on the basis of one family, one home, which doesn’t undocumented refugee groups and groups who oppose reflect urban realities or patterns of tenure, especially the government. multi‑storey rental accommodation. Lawyer Rachel MacLeod, from Allens’ Melbourne office, There is a particular vulnerability continues to be instrumental in helping the Allens Pro Bono committee coordinate this project with the ARC. Our around the type and security Port Moresby, Perth and Brisbane offices are respectively of tenure and whether working on the PNG, Bangladesh and Solomon Islands it’s recognised. reports, while the Linklaters Indonesia office is compiling the Indonesia report. For the Tonga report, we have partnered with local lawyers. Tom outlined some specific examples of recent issues: ‘This project is a huge priority for the Red Cross, and the >> The declaration of No Build Zones in the Philippines global humanitarian community,’ Rachel said. following cyclones Bopha (2012) and Haiyan (2013). The government declared wide swathes of the affected ‘Allens is delighted to be able to help. It’s a practical way to areas too dangerous to inhabit, restricting aid access to use our legal skills to do something concrete and tangible people living there and longer‑term recovery. to help countries in our region.’ >> In Nepal, evidence of citizenship and land title was Both Tom and Rachel agreed that this project is being required in order to be eligible for government undertaken at an opportune time, as the growing reconstruction subsidies. This meant that many problems associated with climate change will exacerbate people, especially in urban areas, were ineligible for the potential for more natural disasters in our region. assistance owing to lack of proof of land tenure. There ‘There are clear signs of greater unpredictability in the were also significant inter‑generational non‑Nepali weather and greater intensity in the sorts of disasters minorities (Bhutanese, Bangladeshi), as well as remote we’re seeing. We’ve seen some of the most powerful mountainous Tibeto‑Burman communities who had no typhoons and cyclones ever in our region recently,’ formal, recorded citizenship. Tom said. >> In the Pacific region, where traditions of communal ‘Preparedness is part of risk reduction. The unpredictability ownership of land are common, assistance for shelter of our weather is a permanent state and we need to be and housing following natural disasters has been prepared for it.’ affected by concerns that informal settlements may become more permanent, thereby infringing on the rights of non‑resident owners.

7 HELPING THE HOMELESS HAVE A VOICE

Often overlooked or hidden, many of us may be surprised to know the extent of homelessness in our communities.

On any given night in Australia, one in 200 people is homeless. Forty‑four per cent of those experiencing homelessness are women and 17 per cent are children 1 IN 200 PEOPLE under 12. For people experiencing homelessness – 24 per cent of IS HOMELESS whom are fleeing domestic and family violence – disputes around tenancy, infringements and fines can be crippling. 189 Allens lawyers this year worked with three organisations to reduce the burden of homelessness in our communities. Working with the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic through the Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House in Brisbane, the Homeless Persons’ Legal Service at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Sydney, and Justice Connect Homeless Law in Melbourne, Allens contributed more than 6300 hours towards 134 matters this year.

IMPACT 8 For Victoria’s Justice Connect Homeless Law service, Allens lawyers contribute their time to free legal clinics which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2016, in each city, working directly with clients from the start preventing homelessness is crucial, and access to to the finish of each matter. Their advice addresses free legal representation plays a vital role. The service tenancy disputes, as well as infringements and prevented 113 people becoming homeless this year debt administration. through a combination of legal representation and social Justice Connect describes its mission as ensuring that work support. people experiencing poverty, homelessness or other ‘We know that once you lose your housing it’s hard to keep forms of disadvantage are not further disadvantaged by your health on track, your mental health on track, your being denied access to justice. This is also an essential kids in school, your family together, to get a job or to stay component of a fairer, safer, healthier community. in work,’ said Lucy Adams, manager and principal lawyer ‘The matters we work on are usually quite simple from of Justice Connect’s Homeless Law service. a legal perspective, but the impact can be enormous,’ ‘If you can prevent the crisis of homelessness and the said Chadwick Wong, a Lawyer in Melbourne who jointly hardship that comes with it, that’s an incredibly valuable coordinates Allens’ volunteer work with Justice Connect’s contribution not only to those individuals, but to the Homeless Law service. community more generally. ‘Our work can involve simple things like helping a client ‘Access to free legal representation plays an enormous role have a voice and negotiate with housing, or following as part of a social safety net in preventing homelessness up on an energy or phone bill, all of which can be very and the issues that go with it.’ intimidating for someone who has no understanding of the system.

9 ‘When a client is faced with being evicted the next day This year saw the release of a position paper, ‘Fair’s and being out on the street, legal representation can fare: improving access to public transport for Victorians be the difference between living in safe housing and experiencing homelessness’, which included input from homelessness.’ Allens lawyers. Lucy agrees that, while the matters may seem simple to Justice Connect’s ongoing advocacy work in relation to volunteer lawyers, their impact can be monumental. fines and infringements influenced positive changes to ‘Our clients tell us the experience of getting fines during the Infringements Act 2006 (Vic), including adding family homelessness is really demeaning and humiliating. violence to the definition of ‘special circumstances’ They sometimes feel like they’re being targeted. It’s and reinstating and strengthening the mechanism for overwhelming to know you owe a lot of money, that prisoners to deal with their fines before their release, you’re at risk of arrest, that you have fines related to allowing them to leave jail without the burden of debt. homelessness which you have no prospect of paying. In Victoria, the fine for not having a ticket on the train ‘People often don’t realise the role that access to safe, or tram is $223. This is 85 per cent of the weekly income secure, affordable housing plays in building safe, healthy, of those who rely on the Newstart Allowance. If the happy lives and the communities that we’d all like to be fine is paid, that leaves $39 for all expenses – food, part of.’ accommodation and health – for that week. Allens Partner Mark Malinas has been working with ‘Public transport has a critical role to play in improving Justice Connect since starting as a lawyer at Allens social cohesion and social inclusion, but as it stands, in 2001. Victoria’s public transport system is inaccessible for people experiencing homelessness,’ Lucy said. ‘With limited public funding for homelessness, services like Justice Connect are crucial to extending the kind of ‘Our public transport system excludes these members of justice all Australians expect to receive to some of the our community from engaging in activities, appointments most vulnerable members of our community,’ Mark said. and daily life, and penalises them heavily if they fail to purchase a ticket or produce proof of concession. ‘As lawyers, we all have a particular set of skills which we use for our clients every day. If we can use those skills ‘If we adopted an inclusive, preventative approach, our to help communities and individuals in need, we have a public transport system could help Victorians experiencing responsibility to do so.’ homelessness to get where they need to go and could avoid the injection of resources that the current system In addition to working directly with clients, Allens’ requires from government, the courts and services.’ volunteer lawyers also assist Justice Connect with its evidence‑based law reform work.

IMPACT 10 Photos courtesy of Lou’s Place and Justice Connect JESSICA’S STORY

Jessica* presented to the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic in Brisbane with questions about her credit history. Her credit was being declined, which alerted her to the fact her ex‑husband had been using her name and building outstanding debt. Jessica, who is on a disability pension, was not in a position to pay the debts. While helping Jessica compile an application for debt waivers on hardship grounds, the volunteer lawyers learned that Jessica had been a qualified dentist, working overseas and in Australia. She had developed an extremely painful medical condition LOU’S PLACE requiring surgery. She spent one month in a coma, as well as long periods of time in hospital, and her Established in 1999 by four women who saw a need lifelong medical conditions meant she could no in the community, Lou’s Place offers a daytime refuge longer practise dentistry. for women in Kings Cross, Sydney. Run almost entirely by volunteers and accessed by approximately 20 Her ex‑husband did not cope with the change in women each day, Lou’s Place is a place to eat, rest, circumstances and became violent. She sought shower, wash clothes and socialise. legal advice regarding the domestic violence and Services such as crisis intervention, case management was able to obtain a protection order. and legal advice are also provided. The cost of her medical bills and the separation Allens is supporting a breakfast program enabling all from her ex‑husband left Jessica with almost women visiting the centre in the morning to have a no financial resources. She became dependent nutritious breakfast. on public housing. Her case with the Homeless ‘Support from corporate partners enables us to Persons’ Legal Clinic is ongoing, including her expand the services we offer to meet real need in application for debt waivers on hardship grounds. the community. Working with our clients to achieve a healthy mind and body equips them to deal with For the volunteers working with Jessica, her other challenges,’ said Margaret Crowley, Chief case has been an eye‑opening reminder of the Executive Officer, Lou’s Place. importance of scratching the surface to learn each client’s full circumstances. Although her case initially seemed simple, her request for legal assistance was a vital part of a bigger effort to move on with her life. *Not her real name

11 PROTECTING A NATURAL WONDER

Allens has a long‑standing pro bono relationship with the This year, the GBRF initiated an opportunity for corporate Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF). teams to participate in the Reef Blitz Corporate Challenge. ‘Our relationship with Allens goes back 15 years to The Corporate Challenge is designed to give people real our inception. We work in a complex and high profile insight into the challenges facing the Great Barrier Reef. environment so ensuring we have support and guidance Teams are challenged to survey and record information and a solid governance structure in place is vital,’ said about species of marine and bird life on the reef, which, in Anna Marsden, GBRF Managing Director. turn, provides valuable observations about the health of the reef. ‘With all of the challenges the reef faces, it is important that we work with strong partners who share our passion Julia Kovarsky, an Associate from Sydney, was able for protecting this irreplaceable natural wonder.’ to participate in the challenge as part of the Qantas Green Team. Programs such as the Reef Blitz Corporate Challenge connect people with many of the innovative ideas being explored and implemented on the reef to ensure its protection.

Anna Marsden

Photo courtesy of Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum CARBON OFFSET PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT COMMUNITIES

After Allens was certified carbon neutral WE HIGHLIGHT TWO GREAT at the end of 2014, we entered into an PROJECTS WE’VE SUPPORTED innovative carbon offsetting partnership, THROUGH OUR PURCHASE the Qantas Future Planet Program. OF CARBON OFFSETS. Purchasing all of our carbon offsets through this program has enabled us to access high‑quality carbon offsets from domestic and international projects that deliver not just emissions reductions activity but also environmental, social and economic benefits for local communities.

IMPACT 14 The North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project has helped our community economically, socially and culturally. And involvement in the project has led to improvements in the health of the community more broadly,

Warren Greatorex, Chief Executive Officer, Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation.

NORTH KIMBERLEY FIRE ABATEMENT Our support for the Kimberley region also includes pro PROJECT: reducing emissions and bono assistance from Emily Gerrard, Allens’ Co‑Head of strengthening connection with land Climate Change, to one of the Aboriginal groups involved in the North Kimberley fire management projects. This project is a savanna fire management program In August 2016, Emily and Partner Tim Stewart, who leads established by North Kimberley traditional owners. It the firm’s sustainability efforts, attended the Healthy reduces greenhouse gas emissions by conducting strategic Country Forum in the Kimberley to learn first‑hand about early season burning on country, to reduce the intensity of the project and the social, cultural and economic benefits late dry season fires. for the local communities. The project provides employment and an income stream ‘The forum was a great opportunity to learn how to local Aboriginal communities, while at the same time traditional fire management techniques are solving strengthening connections with the land and allowing modern environmental problems. And to see the cultural, the traditional owners to fulfil cultural responsibilities. It economic and social benefits of the fire abatement also helps to conserve biodiversity and provides various projects in the community,’ Tim said. substantial social benefits within the local community. About 18 per cent of our carbon offset portfolio for FY2015‑16 was sourced from this project.

15 HOW DOES CARBON OFFSETTING WORK? We measure, reduce and offset our emissions. Our contribution is directed to verified carbon offset projects that mitigate climate change, protect wildlife and nourish communities.

Where does the money go?

Indigenous fire Protecting PNG Renewable management rainforests energy

LEADING BY EXAMPLE By joining global industry leaders in environmental sustainability action we seek to inspire and influence our people, clients and broader stakeholders to also become agents for change. Steps to sustainable leadership

Measure Reduce Offset Inspire your where where others 1 footprint 2 you can 3 you can’t 4 to act

Photos courtesy of Qantas Future Planet Program APRIL SALUMEI PROJECT, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: conserving forest and empowering communities This project assists 163 incorporated land groups or around 8,000 people who depend upon the rainforest for their livelihoods. The project protects virgin rainforests that would otherwise have been harvested for timber and converted to agriculture. Until recently, commercial logging (which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions) was the primary economic opportunity available. By agreeing to conserve their forest, these communities can access and utilise carbon finance. It has also brought significant benefits to local communities. About 16 per cent of our carbon offset portfolio for FY2015‑16 was sourced from this project. PNG Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) project coordinator Stephen Hooper highlighted three ways the projects are having an impact: >> Distributing solar lights to schools and health centres, which has meant health centres can now operate at night, and schools can be open for children to study. The project has also ordered 2,000 sets of solar lights for every house in the 163 villages across the project region. As the villagers have become less nomadic, with more established villages, lighting has become more important. >> Planting 15,000 Grynopsis Leadermani (large evergreen trees) across five local nurseries to provide sustainable agricultural opportunities and stop the destruction of the trees by people trying to access high value ‘eaglewood’ or ‘oud’, which is a dark resin that forms in 2 to 3 per cent of trees when they become infected with a natural fungus. This resin is valued in Asia for its fragrance (used in incense). Stephen said the aim of this project is to develop a commercial crop of trees that can be induced to produce the hardwood resin, generating income for local villagers and protecting the native population of trees. >> There are six Landowner Companies representing all the families in the project. Each Landowner Company has been financed to build a local community centre where the communities can learn about conservation and hold meetings. It is hoped that these resource centres will build closer ties with the community to provide a safe meeting place for all. ‘The April Salumei project is about sharing the benefits of carbon offsetting with local communities and demonstrating that communities can develop viable, alternate sources of income whilst protecting their forests,’ Stephen said.

17 TURNING LIVES AROUND

For more than 22 years, the Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation has run its drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment centre, ‘The Glen’, on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

Founded by Cyril Hennessy, who was an Aboriginal man from Bourke, The Glen’s mission and only purpose is to help men suffering from substance abuse problems with an opportunity to change their lives. The Glen started with the goal of trying to address the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system by dealing with substance abuse issues, which were causing the offending behaviour, through treatment and rehabilitation. The Glen treats approximately 150 Indigenous and non‑Indigenous men each year through its award‑winning ‘residential program’. This is only 10 per cent of the people who apply to The Glen for help. The Glen offers a holistic program of recovery that addresses the physical, spiritual, mental and cultural needs of its clients. Joe Coyte, Chief Executive Officer at The Glen, said to continue to offer the centre’s services and build capacity to do more, it is important to secure freehold tenure to the land on which The Glen operates on the NSW Central Coast. ‘Some years ago we approached the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) for guidance on how to access quality legal advice. ORIC put us in touch with not‑for‑profit, Law Help Australia, and that relationship led to us meeting the Allens team. ‘We have a long‑term lease over the property (crown land) and Allens is working with us to ensure that we can further develop our site to offer more opportunities for our clients and to get away from our reliance on government funding,’ said Joe. Allens Partner, and long‑time supporter of The Glen, Mark Stubbings said helping The Glen secure freehold title to the site would provide for self‑determination.

18 ‘The work The Glen does is vital and assisting it to have In early 2016, after a visit by The Glen boys to Allens’ head the right legal framework in place to enable it to grow and office, the paintingMud Crab Dreaming, by artist Lindon develop is a contribution we’re more than happy to make.’ Dargin, a Yorta Yorta man from the Murray River region, ‘We obviously love that Allens people visit and take an was presented to the Allens team in recognition of the interest in how we run The Glen and we enjoyed visiting friendship between the two organisations. Allens in Sydney and playing a game of touch footy Allens shares another connection with The Glen through together,’ Joe said. its association with Jawun, one of the firm’s RAP partner organisations, as The Glen is supported by Jawun.

Photos courtesy of The Glen, Artwork: Mud Crab Dreaming ©Lindon Dargin 2016

19 HELPING ASYLUM SEEKERS NAVIGATE THE LAW

Preparing for an interview is a daunting The lawyer can also prepare post‑interview legal prospect for most people but for the more submissions on behalf of the client setting out information about the human rights situation in their than 24,500 people seeking asylum in our home country and the legal principles that apply. community – applying for a temporary ‘In the main, applicants are seeking asylum because of protection visa from the Department of persecution in their home country for diverse reasons, Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) – including being part of an ethnic, cultural or religious group, political affiliations or because of their sexual the interview can be life changing. orientation. Each applicant’s experience is unique but we As a result of the new ‘fast track’ approach, the hear stories of people being permanently displaced and DIBP makes its decision based on the application and unable to establish themselves in a village because their the interview. It is very difficult to request a review of a ethnicity or culture is viewed with suspicion and stories decision so a lot depends on the information the applicant of persecution and detention by the authorities in their provides during their only in‑person interview. home country. The Human Rights Law Program is an independent, not for ‘There are 10,000 applicants in Victoria alone and with profit Community Legal Centre working within the Asylum more than 80 per cent of legal funding by the government Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Melbourne. The program being cut, ensuring people have representation presents a seeks to provide asylum seekers with legal representation real crisis in terms of legal need. for their application and interview. ‘We have a team of 10 lawyers but the demand for ‘The visa application process involves completion of representation is far in excess of the capacity of our team, lengthy application forms and a statement of refugee so we are very lucky to supplement with firms like Allens,’ claims, all in English, together with an interview with Melinda said. an official from the Department of Immigration. The In Perth, The Humanitarian Group runs a complexity of this process and dire consequences of community‑based clinic assisting people seeking asylum refusal mean that legal advice is critically important, and with the temporary protection visa application process. It navigating this process alone can be extremely daunting is the only organisation in WA that specialises in providing for people seeking asylum,’ said Melinda Jackson, principal migration assistance to refugees. solicitor, ASRC. Two Allens lawyers attend the clinic each week to assist ‘Our program provides legal support during the clients with the 41‑page application form and a statement application and interview stages. The interview is critical detailing their protection claim. Lawyer Darcy Doyle said as it is the only opportunity an applicant has to meet the hearing people tell their story was very moving. Darcy decision maker face‑to‑face to present their case. recalled an Iraqi man who faced threats of harm because ‘The lawyer is present at the interview and can step in of his association with Coalition Forces: ‘It is stories like to advocate if required but importantly, the lawyer has his, from people who have experienced such high levels of an opportunity during the ‘natural justice break’ to help trauma, that make me committed to helping through the the applicant comment on any adverse information the clinic program.’ Department might have raised during the interview. Every day around the country individuals and families are seeking asylum. It is a complex process – often conducted in a language foreign to the applicant. Working with other firms, Allens lawyers provide on‑the‑ground assistance including: statement taking; application preparation and assisting with interviews at six different asylum seeker specialist community legal centres around the country.

BRISBANE Refugee and Immigration Legal Service HOURS LAWYERS 148.6 12 PERTH

The Humanitarian Group SYDNEY HOURS LAWYERS Refugee and Justice 546.5 30 MELBOURNE Casework Service Connect HOURS HOURS Asylum Seeker Refugee Resource Centre Legal 30 1008 LAWYERS LAWYERS HOURS HOURS 135.7 282.9 8 41 LAWYERS LAWYERS 8 10 Startups in social innovation and Indigenous entrepreneurship face challenges and opportunities that are distinct from their peers in other sectors. To address AUNTY’S the sector‑specific challenges, Allens Accelerate this year held its inaugural Social Innovation Startup Bootcamp, bringing together the next generation of social enterprises HOUSE with leading experts and like‑minded individuals. Designed and hosted by Allens, the free, half‑day event included a startup essentials masterclass, panel discussion, pitching workshop and networking lunch. HELPING DOMESTIC One participant in the workshop was Aunty’s House, a VIOLENCE VICTIMS social venture for women living with domestic and family violence. Designed to provide breathing space for women experiencing domestic violence, Aunty’s House is a digital platform that allows willing ‘Aunties’ to offer temporary housing within the community. Allens also provides pro bono legal services to Aunty’s House. ‘Women commonly suffer between eight and 28 incidents of physical assault before they consider leaving a domestic violence situation or report to traditional services,’ said Aunty’s House co‑founder Sylvianne Heim. ‘Aunty’s House allows women to dip in and out of a service without judgement, providing them access to critical tools like safety plans and options counselling at a much earlier stage. This important early intervention helps a woman change her course from victim to survivor. ‘Domestic and family violence is a community problem. Silence only encourages it. Aunty’s House is the community saying “no” to domestic and family violence. By facilitating community participation, we lower tolerance.’ With an ultimate goal of curing domestic violence, Aunty’s House addresses the severe lack of accommodation for women in need of temporary shelter. While 92,000 women and children presented to housing services due to domestic and family violence in 2014‑15, only 9 per cent were able to be accommodated by government‑funded services, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data. Aunty’s House addresses this shortfall with the use of a digital platform that links survivors of domestic violence, via an NGO caseworker, to an Aunty, a volunteer in the community trained and supported by Aunty’s House. Survivors using the platform will be supported on an ongoing basis by the NGO. ‘Aunty’s House is designed to act as a circuit breaker to interrupt the escalation of psychological and physical abuse that results in the death of one to two women each week in Australia,’ Sylvianne said. ‘The Allens Bootcamp gave us the confidence to step up and take Aunty’s House to the next level. It allowed us to present our concept in a professional and supportive environment, which was very motivating.’ Aunty’s House will commence its pilot with the YWCA in Nowra in early 2017. SPREADING THE MAGIC OF BOOKS ACROSS PNG

Author Stephen King once said that ‘books are a uniquely Books are donated from many sources, including at portable magic’. It is the magic of imagination that fundraising events such as BBQs and quiz nights. In Lawyers4Literacy hopes to ignite by providing books January 2017, the team will deliver books to four schools to primary and elementary schools across rural Papua in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The schools have New Guinea. built new library shelves in anticipation of the literary gift. Nancy Pogla, an Associate at Allens, said that the desire to ‘It’s just wonderful give back to the community and foster a culture of reading to see how excited inspired the founding of Lawyers4Literacy Inc. and happy the ‘Giving children the opportunity and encouragement to children are when learn to read and improve comprehension is important we arrive. Education in helping them dream of possibilities bigger than their is fundamental to village,’ she said. the development of our country and we ‘It’s such a rewarding program to be involved in, want to ensure the particularly knowing that many of the children may not students understand otherwise have had access to a variety of reading books.’ that at a very early Since the group was set up in 2015, they have donated a age,’ Nancy said. thousand books to three schools and are looking to spread the program out to other communities in Papua New Guinea, especially to geographically remote areas that would otherwise have poorly stocked libraries or none at all.

Photo courtesy of Lawyers4Literacy 23 SECURING PROTECTION FOR LGBTI ASYLUM SEEKERS

For many asylum seekers fleeing countries where identifying as an LGBTI person is a crime, the notion of applying for asylum on the grounds of sexuality or gender identity has deep cultural and sometimes religious stigma attached.

Law Access is a not‑for‑profit organisation that coordinates the giving of pro bono legal assistance by the Western Australian legal profession, including migration work. Law Access recognised that asylum seekers faced particular difficulties when claiming refugee status on sexuality or gender identity grounds. ‘Securing protections with an asylum seeker claim can be a matter of life or death for the applicant,’ said Katrina Williams, principal lawyer, Law Access Limited. ‘Understanding a gender identity based asylum claim is a complex area of law. And we felt applicants needed a simple, plain language guide to help them better understand their claim, the information they will be required to produce in support of their claim and some of the consequences of stating sexuality and gender identity as a reason for seeking asylum. Stakeholders tell us Allens assisted Law Access by reviewing publicly available that the guide has decisions of the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal where an asylum seeker been very helpful. had claimed refugee status on sexuality or gender identity grounds. Lawyers from across the firm prepared detailed Katrina Williams case summaries of those decisions. The purpose of the guide is to give asylum seekers an understanding of the factors that are taken into account and what kind of evidence might be needed in an application. The next step is the preparation of a more detailed publication for lawyers and migration agents.

24 CHALLENGING DISADVANTAGE IN VIETNAM

As an emerging economy, Vietnam Among many programs and services offered, the Lifestart struggles to provide health services to all Foundation Free Rehabilitation Centre in central Vietnam provides assistance to adults with complex disabilities. in need – particularly in rural and remote Lifestart Foundation founder, Karen Leonard, said that parts of the country. there is a constant need for free services to help disabled people across Vietnam. The Lifestart Foundation is a not‑for‑profit ‘The Centre works directly with adults providing all sorts of charity, established in 2000, that helps rehabilitation requirements and works with local hospitals disadvantaged Vietnamese people and to refer patients in need of surgery or prosthetics. their families to become self‑sufficient. ‘As a not‑for‑profit charity, the Lifestart Foundation, relies on individual and corporate grants to enable more people to access services. Allens provide the Lifestart Foundation with a grant that helps support a physiotherapist position in the centre, who treats people with disabilities caused by polio, war injuries, stroke, cerebral palsy and accidents. ‘In addition to providing a range of rehabilitation and other health services, part of Lifestart’s approach is to work with the people it helps to ensure they have a future by providing wheelchairs and three‑wheeled motorbikes that allow independence and a way to earn an income,’ Karen said.

Photo courtesy of Lifestart Foundation SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS LAWYERS

Competition winners Zachary (third from left) and Mollie (fourth from left) with other competitors. Photo courtesy of Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland Indigenous Australians are starkly ‘Finishing university with degrees in business and law will underrepresented in the legal profession, give me the financial stability I need to support my family in the years to come. particularly in corporate law private ‘The moot gives all Indigenous law students a chance to practice, the bar and the judiciary. get a feel for what court really is, as well as challenging them against their peers in a positive way. If the event As part of its efforts to improve the participation of continues, it will allow the continual growth of the skills Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the needed for young lawyers to adapt to the legal profession,’ legal profession, and diversity more broadly, Allens this he said. year ran the second annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ Moot Competition, in conjunction For Mikaela French, a student at QUT, the moot provided with Ashurst, North Quarter Lane Chambers and the an opportunity to gain an insight into how lawyers work Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland Inc. and to meet with like‑minded Indigenous students and legal professionals. Lawyers from each organisation and members of the judiciary volunteered their time, with Allens and Ashurst ‘I am passionate about receiving Constitutional providing funding. recognition for Indigenous people. I decided to study law because I knew that, in order to make a difference, I had The moot is the first inter‑university moot for Indigenous to be educated in an area that would allow me to make lawyers, and was organised by Allens at the suggestion of significant changes,’ Mikaela said. an Indigenous intern in Allens’ Brisbane office. ‘The moot was an amazing opportunity to enhance It provides opportunities for Indigenous students to my legal skills and meet inspiring Indigenous students develop their legal skills through written and oral from other universities. The event also allowed us to be advocacy training from leading barristers and feedback more engaged with the work lawyers do and to apply from members of the judiciary, and to gain a unique the knowledge we have learned from our subjects at insight into the legal profession through networking with university to the hypothetical scenario.’ members of each arm of the legal profession. ‘Our involvement in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Held in May, the 2016 event saw 10 Indigenous students Islander Students’ Moot Competition enables the legal from the University of Queensland, Bond University, profession to support Indigenous students in a practical Griffith University and QUT take to the Supreme Court way,’ said John Hedge, a Partner who leads reconciliation of Queensland to present their arguments in front of efforts in Brisbane. members of the Queensland judiciary. The University of Queensland team of Kamilaroi man Zachary Frazer, ‘The moot is part of our broader commitment to 20, and Noonuccal woman Mollie O’Connor, 19, took addressing reconciliation and closing the gap in Australia, top honours. which also includes our Indigenous Legal Internship Program, which runs in all four Australian offices, our ‘I have always been passionate about studying law,’ RAMP (Reconciliation Action Mentoring Program) said Zachary. in Brisbane, and our national support for partner ‘I have a big interest in social justice and I think a law organisations like the Australian Indigenous Mentoring degree will provide me with the best platform to help Experience (AIME) and the Australian Indigenous those that are disadvantaged by our legal system, Education Foundation (AIEF). particularly Indigenous people.’ ‘Initiatives such as these are a step towards making sure The first in his family to attend university, Zachary was Indigenous students are able to access the same level of keen to embrace the opportunities afforded by the moot. opportunity as other students. It is really pleasing that ‘I was really interested in participating in the moot we have been able to partner with others in the legal because of the invaluable research and advocacy skills profession to achieve that. that will no doubt be beneficial for my legal career. It was a good opportunity to put what I’ve learned in my degree into practice,’ he said. For Slade Bell, a student at Griffith University, the journey If we can help to create to university has not been an easy one. opportunities for Indigenous lawyers ‘Due to my family circumstances, I wasn’t able to finish who can become the trailblazers and high school, so the road to getting here has been hard fought,’ Slade said. inspiration for Indigenous lawyers of Slade is the carer of his terminally ill father, who has the future, that will be a wonderful end‑stage renal failure and a heart condition, and the legacy for the firm. primary caregiver of his disabled younger brother, who is blind in one eye and has limited vision in the other. John Hedge

27 Competition winners Zachary (third from left) and Mollie (fourth from left) with other competitors. Photo courtesy of Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland PRESERVING UNIQUE WETLANDS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS Securing, protecting and conserving Australia’s biodiversity and natural landscapes are shared objectives of Bush Heritage Australia and South Endeavour Trust – both independent, not for profit organisations.

In a unique, wetlands region 160km north‑west of Bourke in outback New South Wales, Bush Heritage Australia and South Endeavour Trust will work together to double the area of the nationally important Yantabulla Wetlands currently being managed for conservation purposes.

Naree Station Reserve is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia and Yantabulla Station by South Endeavour Trust and both have great significance as part of the least disturbed parts of the Murray‑Darling Basin. The area is an important wetland in which waterbirds breed and feed. With complementary goals across both properties, an innovative partnership has been formed that enables Bush Heritage managers – based at Naree – to manage the properties as one consolidated reserve. Jody Gunn, Executive Manager South East, Bush Heritage Australia, said the partnership made sense as it more than doubled the conservation footprint of the area. ‘We have such an amazing opportunity with South Endeavour to sustain the health of these nationally important wetlands and woodlands. ‘Surveys completed at Naree suggest there are more than 170 bird species, 350 plant species, 16 different vegetation communities and three mammals listed as vulnerable. ‘This is a new and unique approach to jointly manage the conservation of land. Allens’ willingness to partner with us and its ability to develop creative legal solutions has been invaluable. Bush Heritage Australia had ‘Our ultimate goal is to secure a Conservation worked with Allens previously Agreement that will enable both organisations and we were keen to work to put in place an adaptive management plan and broader protection agreements to secure the collaboratively with South future of the region in perpetuity,’ Jody said. Endeavour to ensure we have the right legal framework established for the management of the region.

Photo courtesy of Peter Morris

SPEAKING UP FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T SPEAK OUT

Most of us hope that if we were confronted with injustice, or saw harm being done to others, we would speak up and try to change the situation.

But what if the law prevented you from speaking out? For doctors such as Richard Kidd and Barri Phatarfod, such a situation was untenable. It prompted their group Doctors for Refugees (D4R) to engage the Fitzroy Legal Service (FLS) to launch a High Court challenge against the Federal Government’s controversial legislation that banned people from speaking out about what they saw in Australia’s on and off shore detention centres. ‘I was worried about the wider implications of a law that gags doctors, nurses and other health professionals from doing what we are bound to do by the Hippocratic Oath and also our code of ethics,’ said Richard, who is a GP, based in Brisbane, with refugees and asylum seekers among his patients. ‘But the law has a chilling effect on all who work in this area. It has a direct effect on our capacity to provide The category of ‘entrusted persons’ is specified effective care and it has a direct effect on the quality of in a determination issued by the secretary of the medical care provided.’ Department of Immigration or by the Australian Border The Australian Border Force Act, which came into force on Force Commissioner. The first determination included 1 July 2015, prohibits ‘entrusted persons’ from disclosing health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, midwives ‘protected information’, which is defined in the Act as and psychologists. ‘information that was obtained by a person in the person’s D4R has approximately 500 members and is a group capacity as an entrusted person’. This could mean, for of Australian doctors and other health practitioners example, information about the conditions or incidents campaigning for fair and humane treatment of refugees that an entrusted person witnesses in a detention centre. and asylum seekers in Australia. After discussions between the government and peak medical bodies did not resolve the issue, D4R and FLS issued the High Court challenge.

IMPACT 32 I was worried about the wider implications of a law that gags doctors, nurses and other health professionals from doing what we are bound to do by the Hippocratic Oath and also our code of ethics.

As a direct result of the High Court challenge, a later determination exempted health professionals from the definition of entrusted persons. However, other groups, such as teachers, social workers and detention centre guards, are still covered by the prohibition. The reports that they provide to D4R are important in enabling D4R to speak out about conditions in detention centres. FLS and D4R are therefore continuing with the proceedings to try and overturn the secrecy provisions so that anyone will be free to speak out. Allens Partner Malcolm Stephens, who (with Allens lawyers Mary Flanagan and Angelica McCall) is working pro bono on the case with the Fitzroy Legal Service, said the High Court proceedings challenge the law on the basis that it infringes the implied freedom of political communication in the Australian Constitution. ‘The treatment of asylum seekers in Australia is a highly political issue, and our constitution protects the right to communicate about political matters. It would be a serious curtailment of our democratic freedom if governments could prohibit people from revealing the impact of governments’ policies,’ Malcolm said. ‘I am also hopeful that, if the public are better informed about the conditions in detention centres, they will want our governments to adopt more humane policies towards refugees and asylum seekers.’ Richard said the revised determination was a win for the medical profession but that it was important to continue with the challenge so that the legislation was repealed. ‘We are incredibly grateful to have Allens on board. It’s a complex case. We’re a tiny, under‑resourced organisation and this type of litigation is absolutely impossible without the help of firms like Allens,’ said FLS solicitor Meghan Fitzgerald. At the time of writing, the proceedings were due to be heard by the High Court in early 2017.

Photos courtesy of Oxana Kriss 33 MENTORING PROGRAMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Mentoring programs offer students from disadvantaged backgrounds access to opportunities and experience that can open up new worlds.

Exposure to a corporate environment, access to work Social events throughout the year provide further experience and building relationships with mentors are opportunity to get to know each other and to build the just some of the benefits students gain. Many Allens students’ knowledge and awareness of working life, and staff are also involved in these program where they can their engagement in school. offer their skills and experience, through our community The highly successful RAMP (Reconciliation Action partner organisations and broader networks. Mentoring Program) was established in 2013, in Our RAP partner organisation Australian Indigenous partnership with the University of Queensland. The Education Foundation (AIEF) has developed a strong program allows Indigenous university students to engage program for its scholarship students, recruiting and in networking and skills building experience, and to obtain training volunteer mentors who support the students mentoring and advice from Allens lawyers. throughout their time at secondary school. Many Allens The program has grown enormously over the past three staff across Australia work as mentors in this program. years. In 2013, three students from the University of Approximately 30 lawyers in our Sydney office have Queensland participated in the program, whereas across engaged in the LEAPS program this year (Law Firms the 2016 university year, 14 Indigenous law students from Encouraging & Assisting Promising Students), run by the a number of different Queensland universities have been NSW Education Department. This program targets year partnered with Allens lawyers through the program. 9 high school students at risk of leaving school early, and In Melbourne, the Spark program, begun in 2015 by provides the opportunity to build a trusting mentoring not‑for‑profit organisation Boundless, provides work relationship with an adult. experience opportunities for a small number of secondary Working with Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and students from disadvantaged schools, engaging Allens Design, and Holsworthy High School, the Allens mentors staff in the delivery of sessions and skills workshops with meet with the students fortnightly in our offices, to work the students. through various projects and tasks. We’ve received very positive feedback to date and look forward to continuing the program in 2017.

34 MENTORING PROGRAMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Over in the west, lawyers and HR team members from our Perth Lighthouse Foundation provides homeless young office support the Women in Law Mentoring scheme run by people, from backgrounds of long‑term neglect Blackstone at the University of Western Australia. The scheme and abuse, with a home, a sense of family, aims to connect female law students at UWA with women in and around‑the‑clock therapeutic care that is the legal profession, to create ongoing relationships and develop individually tailored. professional networks. For more than 25 years, Lighthouse has Mentors and mentees catch up as regularly as they need to, and successfully supported more than 800 young the hope is that these relationships will form the foundation of people to break the cycle of homelessness, a support network and a non‑judgmental space within which move into employment and access educational students can seek advice, inspiration, and encouragement from opportunities, and overcome damaging women with lived experience as legal professionals. life experiences. The Doxa Cadetship program supports young people from Allens supported the ‘Life Changing Program’, challenging life circumstances to complete university and gain skills which allowed 44 homeless young people to for an employable future. The program provides cadetships to year attend a development camp. 12 students transitioning into university and is a three to five year Palmerston Association has supported individuals program (dependent on the length of the student’s degree). Cadets and their families with drug and alcohol issues in receive financial support, a work placement, skilled mentoring, Western Australia for more than 40 years. professional training and invitations to networking events. Allens supported the Association’s partnership Allens has worked with Doxa for many years, and the cadets’ with Indigenous students from Katanning Senior financial support is entirely funded by the firms’ partners and staff High School in rural WA and Indigenous Hip Hop on a personal basis. In addition, the firm provides employment Projects to produce a music video about reducing for the cadets one day a week while they are studying, along with alcohol‑related harm among at risk young, mentoring, and hosting workshops and networking events for particularly Indigenous students. the cadets.

35 Photo courtesy of NewsPix © Stuart McEvoy OPENING A WINDOW INTO THE CORPORATE WORLD

While legal or other technical skills can be learnt at university, it’s the ‘soft’ skills, such as presentation, networking and familiarity with a corporate environment, that can make a difference when it comes to employment opportunities. For Nick Li, a lawyer in our TMT team in Melbourne, the Doxa Cadetship program opened up a world of possibilities that may not otherwise have been available to him. Nick moved from Shanghai to Melbourne when he was eight and applied for the cadetship while in his final year at Ringwood High School. He secured his first university preference – a combined law and biomedical science degree at Monash University – and was then interviewed by partners Chris Schulz and Steve Clifford as part of the Doxa process. Coming into the Allens offices was a rare experience for Nick. Coupled with the unfamiliarity of Melbourne’s CBD was the intimidation of walking into the large marble foyer of a corporate high‑rise. ‘Chris called me ahead of the interview and I asked him if I needed to wear a business shirt. He told me to dress casually but I thought a T‑shirt and hoodie wouldn’t be right. So I wore a business shirt but I didn’t iron it and I didn’t have a tie to wear,’ Nick said. ‘I went up to the reception on level 29 and I’d never been up in a building that high.’ Nick said there were many benefits of the Doxa program, I still would have gone to including exposure to the corporate world, professional development evenings and weekend camps, and work experience. university but I don’t think ‘The Doxa program and Allens opened up a whole raft of I would have had the same connections for me. The work experience was great because employment opportunities I hadn’t worked in a corporate environment before. I became very conscious of how to carry myself day to day in such without Doxa. There’s an environment. nothing I would change but I wish I had ironed that shirt! 8.6% 2,500+ Australian offices in FY15‑16 offices in Australian 38 7,000+ hours of pro bono work our lawyers have have our lawyers bono work hours of pro organisations and individuals in the past year and individuals organisations hours of pro bono work have been invested in been invested have bono work hours of pro reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for our emissions for gas greenhouse in reduction homelessness‑related matters this year at Allens at this year matters homelessness‑related contributed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strait Torres and Aboriginal to contributed

2016 HIGHLIGHTS 95

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students have now completed our Indigenous Legal Internship Program

29 charities

Allens provided financial support through its philanthropy program

3,900+

hours of pro bono work have been invested in asylum seeker‑related projects and individual matters in the past year

550+ number of staff hours contributed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations through our partnership with Jawun and the Empowered Communities project

39 13 05 09 01 and The Big Issue 40 vendor Craig during the Craig vendor

at the Cullacabardee Community Centre. Community the Cullacabardee at Thuong, founder of social enterprise of social enterprise Thuong, founder Thuong Thuong Handmade. the AIEF attend scholarship students Workshop, Readiness Work year 11 office. hosted in our Sydney Warren Emma Melbourne Partner on a joins other senior executives partner with RAP York Cape visit to Jawun. organisation, community partner staff join Perth bee a working Whitelion for organisation Emily Gerrard at the Healthy Country Country the Healthy at Emily Gerrard Kimberley. in the Forum Michelle Melbourne Managing Associate on AO with June Oscar Bennett works in Aboriginal Children the Kimberley forum. Care AIME Hoodie Day. staff celebrate Sydney Hop Dang visits the Hanoi Hanoi Partner an where Club, Women’s International Thu by electric wheelchair is received Brisbane staff weave ribbons to ribbons weave Brisbane staff support End the One Million Stars to project. Violence of work on the development staff Perth garden. rooftop office the QV1 Young Jin staff member Sydney secondment a Jawun experiences in Association Warrior Tribal with the inner Sydney. Stewart and Senior Associate Tim Partner Melbourne staff enjoy a friendly match match a friendly Melbourne staff enjoy corporates other with peer firms and organised event, Soccer a Street at Justice Connect, by Australia. Philanthropy Spurio hosts Richard Managing Partner AIEF lunch for Thought for a Food and alumni. scholarship students National Brisbane staff celebrate Day. Tree Chief Operating Officer Rod Fielding joins Fielding Rod Officer Chief Operating The Big Issue Selling Campaign. annual CEO team don their Estate Real The Sydney a Cause’ for the ‘Cooking for aprons OzHarvest. bono client with pro project

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41 Sydney: Sydney: Ian McGill Jodi Reinmuth, Jodi Reinmuth, Beth Patterson, Renee Renee Patterson, Beth Sydney: Sydney: Perth: Michael Graves, Ellie Michael Graves, Sydney: Bill McCredie, Logan Brown, Brown, Logan Bill McCredie, Melbourne: Brisbane: Tim Stewart, Phillip Cornwell, Beth Patterson, Elise Beth Patterson, Stewart, Cornwell, Phillip Tim Richard Spurio, Rod Fielding, Nicky Friedman, Malcolm Malcolm Friedman, Nicky Fielding, Rod Spurio, Richard 42 Nicky Friedman, Emma Fitzgerald, Jodie Symes. Jodie Emma Fitzgerald, Friedman, Nicky Dianna Barton, Cameron Barnes, Guru Kugananthan, Andrew Andrew Guru Kugananthan, Barnes, Cameron Dianna Barton, Chris Schulz (Chair), Houston Ash, Jason Borg, Nick Boyd‑Caine, Jason Borg, Nick Boyd‑Caine, Ash, Houston Chris Schulz (Chair), Peter Haig, David Donnelly, Alicia Salvo, Clare Smith, Shaun Cartoon, Shaun Cartoon, Smith, Clare Alicia Salvo, Haig, Donnelly, David Peter John Hedge (Chair), Peter Brennan, Gillian Hayden, Andrea Moffatt, Moffatt, Andrea Gillian Hayden, Brennan, Peter (Chair), John Hedge Andrew Knox, Michael Ilott, Jenni Cameron, Laura Nagy, Giselle Kilvert, Giselle Nagy, Laura Michael Ilott, Knox, Jenni Cameron, Andrew Perth:

Gerard Woods (Chair), Fiona Potter, Thanushar Sridaran, Cameron Cameron Thanushar Sridaran, Potter, Fiona (Chair), Woods Gerard Chris Schulz Malcolm Stephens Malcolm Tim Stewart Tim Kate Towey Towey Kate

RECONCILIATION PRO BONO PRO FOOTPRINT CHARITY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BOARD ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY COMMITTEE COMMUNITY ASIA Alexandra Lanyon, Dianna Barton, Rod Aldus, Darcy Doyle, Lindsay Dick, Eloise Eloise Dick, Doyle, Lindsay Darcy Aldus, Rod Dianna Barton, Lanyon, Alexandra Watkins. Dolling,Helen Indiana Moore, Julie Birch, Jasmin Last, Elise Kessler, Emma Gorrie, Laylah Gavin, Tarsha Galas, Rae Boundy, Williams. Stewart, Alice Tim O’Connell, Juanita Risorto, Theodore Souris, Brydon Wang, Gabrielle Morriss, Heydon Heydon Gabrielle Morriss, Wang, Brydon Souris, Theodore Juanita Risorto, Wardell‑Burrus. Chair: Chair: Brisbane: Bryan, Nicky Ah Shay, Kate Daniel Bradford, Christina Badgley, Christina Russell, Ben Zillmann. Shanahan, Whitney Jessica Rusten, Christa Howat, Harrison Cross, Melbourne: Jessica McCarthy, Sophie Harper, Dana Harel, Emily Gerrard, Friedman, Nicky Smith, Clare Roberts, Kelly Rennie, Sarah McIlwraith, Clare McCarthy, Matthew Wong. Chadwick Woodcroft, Holly Webster, Jon Fletcher Stewart, Jodie Symes, Perth: Doyle, Lily Darcy Emma Cundale, Jamie Donnelly, Elliott Clutterbuck, Barnes, Christine Nebel, Isobel Rosenstreich. Munro, Sarah Hands, William Ross, Antonia Bradbury, David Bloch, Valeska Beckett, Briony (Chair), Bereicua, Laura Simun Soljo, Maria Poulos, Daniel MacPherson, Elise Ho, Coote, Chair: Chair: Friedman, Nicky Matheson, Hill, Sarah Ted McCall, Angelica Cornwell, Phillip John Hedge, Fraser, Doyle, Karla Darcy Woods, Gerard Rennie, Sarah Oldfield. Rebekah Chair: Chair: secretariat: National Alexandra Dick, Lindsay Thrower, Noveen Gjokmarkovic, Peter O’Connell, Toula Judd, Chloe Mitchell, Rebecca Friedman, Nicky Emma Fitzgerald, Lanyon, Scorgie. Phil Tonks, Jenelle Panopoulos, Thrower, Noveen Shanahan, Whitney Gjokmarkovic, Peter Galbraith, Ross Jaclyn Webb. Lisa Watt, Ward, Katharine Chloe Mitchell, Ann Meehan, Amundsen, Renee Easton, Mulholland, Patrick Adam Nicholas Allingham, Twomey, Ng, Nicholas Yi‑Ling Brennan, Matthew Travis. Duncan Panopoulos, Toula Judd, Rebecca Percy, Nicky Friedman, Melissa Keane, Sarah Kuman, Hieu Nguyen, Hien Tran. Hien Hieu Nguyen, Kuman, Sarah Melissa Keane, Friedman, Nicky Chair: Brisbane: Prato. Kathryn Briais, Julieane Bull, Gillian Drinkwater, Karla Emma Clarke, Melbourne: Emma Glynn, Sarah Lee, Alex Emily Johnstone, Malak Johnson, Panopoulos, Toula Veljkovic. Vukasinovic. Suzana Quan‑Sing, Rosenstreich, Isobel Jeremy Pascoe, Ratu, Sikeli Mason, Alexandra MacKinnon, Vanessa Heath, Derek Towey, Kate Drayton. Tyler Francis, Catherine Julia Kovarsky, Stephanie Essey, Board members: members: Board Towey. Stewart, Kate Tim Schulz, Chris Stephens, members: Team COMMITTEE MEMBERS Photo courtesy of Qantas Future Planet Program Planet Future courtesy of Qantas Photo MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR Our commitment to sustainability and best practice environmental management means not only that Allens OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT is a carbon‑neutral business but that we do all we can to Allens is a leading law firm made up of talented lawyers contribute to our community’s understanding of the need and other experts. Our core business is to provide legal for careful resource use. services to major corporations. A second critical aspect of Our skilled legal professionals provide pro bono legal our business is to contribute to our community. And just assistance to NGOs, including Bush Heritage Australia as we do for our commercial clients, when we work for and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, that strive our community, we apply all of our skill and expertise to to protect our natural environment. Our in‑house produce excellent work. technology and sustainability experts work to reduce our One way we have found to be effective, both in impact on the environment and also, to contribute to commercial and in community work, is to focus on areas profession‑wide efforts to conserve resources. where we can have the most impact. In our pro bono legal Through our philanthropy committees in each office, work, one area of focus is on advancing human rights, our people work hard to support and advocate for including of asylum seekers, the homeless and LGBTI charities that work with the vulnerable in Australia, people. In order to do this work well, we team up with PNG and Vietnam. the specialists – community legal centres that advise We look forward to continuing to work side by side with and advocate for the marginalised. We invest time and those in our community. effort to ensure our people become experts in relevant areas of law – and we stick with the work as long as we are needed. We have made a public and significant commitment to Nicky Friedman contribute to reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Director of Community Engagement Strait Islanders and Australia’s non‑Indigenous peoples. We collaborate with organisations like Jawun, AIME and AIEF to identify avenues for our skill and expertise. A highlight each year is the opportunities provided by Jawun for our staff to spend time working with Aboriginal‑led organisations. In 2016, five Allens staff spent a total of 36 weeks living and working alongside Indigenous communities from Arnhem Land to inner Sydney to the West Kimberley. Staff return from these life‑changing immersions and join the growing cohort of Allens Jawun alumni and the other passionately committed partners and staff who contribute to the firm’s ongoing reconciliation related mentoring, education and cultural activities.

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