From helping people who have lost their homes in bushfires to those who are struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic, Justice Connect has had a busy year.

Justice Connect is a free legal service, which matches pro bono cases to lawyers from law firms across Australia, including White & Case.

Melbourne Partner Michelle Keen explains: “When we opened our office in the winter of 2016, we were keen to start our pro bono practice as soon as possible.

“We saw pro bono work as a great way to keep our people engaged while work volumes were growing and to help us connect with the global Firm through its strong pro bono practice. We also have many lawyers who are passionate about assisting people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to legal help.

“We chose Justice Connect, because the service is a great way to find out about local pro bono cases that match our areas of expertize and fit with the Firm’s pro bono criteria.”

Justice Connect has close relationships with several community groups. It provides a platform through which law firms can volunteer for matters based on their preferences and suitability for each matter.

Michelle says: “Recent cases we’ve taken include assisting a client whose home was badly damaged in the bushfires that swept Australia last year.

“The service has focused recent efforts on helping businesses and individuals who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 and we have been closely monitoring the opportunities to see what we’re able to assist with.”

Our lawyers have also seen their assistance translate into very tangible results for clients.

In 2018, a team of seven lawyers and legal staff from our Melbourne office stepped in to assist a retired couple involved in a long-running domestic building dispute being fought in a Victorian state civil and administrative tribunal.

After numerous defects were identified after they moved into their new home (including a sinking wall on one side of the house that forced the couple to prop up their bed with a brick) the couple initiated proceedings against the builder.

Two and a half years later, after the engineer and building surveyor were also implicated, the couple had exhausted their funds, including a loan they took out to pay for the litigation, so they had to sever ties with their lawyers.

The matter became increasingly complicated, with the prospect of the couple having to appear at a hearing without legal representation.

Associate Zach Tyler comments: “We helped them negotiate a settlement prior to the hearing, which has allowed them to start work on fixing their home.

“It’s been great to see our clients finally able to bring closure to an ordeal that has caused them great stress and discomfort over the past six years.”

When the matter settled, the client expressed their appreciation saying: “Whatever I say, I can’t express enough my gratitude for your efforts and dedication.

“I was very lucky to find a great professional firm to accept my case.”

This passion to make a difference is the driving force behind our work with Justice Connect.

Associate Chenez Dyer Bray says: “One of the reasons I became a lawyer was because I wanted to help people. The strong pro bono culture was one of the things that attracted me to White & Case in the first place, so I was only too pleased to volunteer.

“The range of matters we can receive from Justice Connect is quite broad. We’re currently advising a start-up on its constituent documents, a social enterprise with amendments to their governing documents, and a vulnerable person on their rights following the evacuation of their home during the recent bushfires.”

Part of our support for Justice Connect includes taking part in weekly Domestic Building Legal Service clinics, where lawyers hold one-off hour-long consultations with clients seeking advice on their legal rights and possible next steps in respect of their domestic building dispute.

Associate Sarah Oh explains: “We have a tribunal system in Australia where, if someone has a dispute with a builder, they can attend the tribunal as a self-represented litigant with the aim of resolving the dispute.

“This system is in place to encourage people to resolve relatively small disputes on their own.

“Although these people can engage a lawyer for these tribunal proceedings, it is often too expensive for a number of individuals to appoint legal counsel.

“So, the clinics give us a chance to advise clients on their case, including what their course of action is, what sort of damages they could be entitled to and the procedural steps they will need to adhere to, so they can take the case forward themselves.

“There is only so much we can do in 60 minutes, but it’s not unusual for us to offer clients further pro bono advice or representation if the case resonates with us.”

Our Australian offices dedicated more than 1,000 pro bono hours to Justice Connect matters last year.

Michelle adds: “We can only see our relationship with Justice Connect continuing to grow.

“While each matter is generally small in scale, we’re able to have a big impact on the lives of the people we assist.

“Justice Connect’s goal is to use the power of the law to open up the legal system for those locked out of it, and fight to change the system where it is broken.

“This really resonates with us and we are proud to be part of the Justice Connect service.”