Success Stories

King & Wood Mallesons

FROM THE JUDGES:

A very solid entry with real substance and impressive participation rates – one for others to aspire to!”

RESULTS + IMPACT

  • 91% of partners and staff participate in pro bono and 40% in workplace volunteering
  • Community organisations were the beneficiaries of 54,273 pro bono legal hours
  • 6,697 skilled volunteering hours were donated to 27 community clients

 OVERVIEW + HIGHLIGHTS

KWM is a global top-tier law firm headquartered in Asia. The Australian division employs 1579 staff across five states and territories. The firm’s social impact goal is to reduce inequality and poverty among young people, especially First Nations young people.

Pro bono/workplace volunteering is deeply embedded in the firm and is fully integrated in the firm’s social impact ambitions. Partners and staff are encouraged to donate their skills and time in pro bono work, skilled volunteering and fundraising events.

Each year, KWM supports 30 First Nations aspiring legal professionals and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through their social mobility platform. This is generating hundreds of volunteering opportunities for KWM partners and staff, as well as the program partners and clients staff.

The social impact of pro bono, volunteering and workplace giving at KWM is guided by an Outcomes Framework to track, measure and report on progress of achieving structural, systemic and sustainable change toward reducing inequality and poverty.

KWM continues to innovate the pro bono and volunteering program with creative ways to support organisations to advance their social impact goals. Some of the programs that are powered by KWM volunteers include:

  • KWM School of Opportunity: a 10-month work placement and professional skills development program, supporting up to 10 young people each year, from The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program to improve job-readiness, grow professional skills and networks and increase their future employment prospects.
  • Waiwa Mudena: an immersive work placement and professional skills development program co-designed with First Nations law students to access practical training in KWM legal teams. Up to 10 students supported each year.
  • Supporting10 aspiring First Nations legal practitioners through their first year of law via KWM’s First Nations Fellowship. Key Fellowship components are financial, mentoring and networking support. The participants go on to receive ongoing connection, professional and peer support for the remainder of their law studies.

The firm respects and celebrates the contribution of its staff in both donating through WPG and sharing their skills, experience and passion through pro bono and volunteering.  The focus on communications to help raise awareness, knowledge and engagement has helped KWM achieve another record level of participation for 2021.