In the community
Slater & Gordon is a law company built on social justice values, so it’s no surprise that giving back to the community is part of our business strategy.
We have more offices than any other law company in Australia and we are proud to say that many of our people are active members of their local communities. That’s important to us. But we also operate formal programs that provide financial assistance to support community projects and asbestos disease research throughout Australia. Our company also has a pro bono program that encourages our lawyers to perform thousands of hours of work for free for those who need it.
The Slater & Gordon Community Fund
Our Slater & Gordon Community Fund was set up by management and staff in 2001 to offer philanthropic support to individuals and groups for community projects.
When the fund was launched, it focused on assisting people who found themselves marginalised or vulnerable as a result of the catastrophic financial effects of an injury. The focus of the fund has since widened to include projects that embrace social justice values and are in need of financial support. Examples include issues involving the disabled and disenfranchised; research into occupational diseases; improving access to justice and legal education for minority groups and the disadvantaged. Financial support is given to both short and long-term activities.
The fund is supported by donations from Slater & Gordon itself, as well as from the firm’s staff, friends and clients. In fact, our firm matches the contributions of employees to the fund dollar for dollar. We are proud to say that more than $280,000 has been distributed since the fund was set up.
Some of the projects Slater & Gordon has supported under the fund include $15,000 to the Gawler Foundation in memory of a colleague who sadly passed away from cancer; $15,000 to Paraquad to purchase a new community bus; $75,000 to establish the new Sunshine Youth Legal Centre; and $5,000 to the Heal for Life Foundation in Western Australia to provide residential programs to help people work through their childhood issues. In addition, each year, the fund sponsors the Mother’s Day Classic, a fun run and walk held across Australia to raise money and awareness of breast cancer.
If you would like to know more about the Slater & Gordon Fund, or wish to make a donation, please click on Contact Us above, or contact the Human Resources Manager Rachael Kelly on (03) 9602 6879 or via email.
The Slater & Gordon Asbestos Research Fund
Slater & Gordon has acted on behalf of thousands of people exposed to and diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease. We conducted the first successful common law asbestos litigation case in 1984, and together with our clients have helped shape asbestos law by setting legal precedents. We have been touched by their stories and the strength of their families when faced with life-threatening diagnoses.
In 2004, Slater & Gordon was proud to launch the Slater & Gordon Asbestos Research Fund to support education and research into asbestos-related diseases. With the number of Australians affected by asbestos expected to peak in the next 20 years, increased medical research and information in this area is vital.
Slater & Gordon matches, dollar for dollar, all employees’ contributions to the Asbestos Research Fund. Donations from clients and friends are also welcome. To date, more than $1 million has been distributed through the fund.
Some of the projects the firm has supported under this fund include $150,000 for the Ballarat Cancer Research centre to conduct a two-year trial on chemotherapy protocols; $120,000 to set up a research scholarship into mesothelioma; and $100,000 for the Asbestos Disease Research Centre to research gene expression profiling of mesothelioma.
Our pro bono work
Throughout its history, Slater & Gordon has been recognised for its pro bono and public interest legal work in Australia. This has covered many areas of law and has assisted marginalised members of the community, people who have been defamed, people with severe disabilities, charities and indigenous groups.
The firm’s Pro Bono and Public Interest team’s work led to the $50 million compensation victory for thalidomide victims in July 2010. Recently, Slater & Gordon lawyers have been giving pro bono legal advice to asylum seekers and people living in indigenous communities, as well as working with community legal centres such as the Sunshine Youth Legal Service, Darebin Legal Services in Victoria and the Sussex Street Legal Centre in Western Australia.
Because Slater & Gordon is so committed to its pro bono ethos, the firm in 2010 announced the appointment of a pro bono coordinator, Terence O’Riain, to oversee the thousands of hours of free pro bono work being performed by our lawyers. Led by Terence, the pro bono committee assesses proposals to ensure work is in the public interest and that it gives the community access to justice they may not have otherwise received.
Slater & Gordon’s pro bono work builds on its No Win-No Fee™ initiative, which was established to provide legal representation to those who otherwise could not afford it. The company’s pro bono work takes this initiative further by committing to legal work that is of special public interest where the company derives no direct financial benefit.
For further information, please contact Terence O’Riain on (02) 6058 6326 or via email.
A great place to work
Our firm’s reputation is built on a long history of independence, integrity and courage.
We foster an environment where people are encouraged to ‘give it a go’, where reward comes to those who demonstrate enthusiasm, creativity and innovation. We value integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence and mutual respect, and we are united in our passion and commitment to providing outstanding client service.
Slater & Gordon’s long-standing commitment to pro bono work means that our lawyers can tackle challenging cases outside of their chosen speciality, something that can be incredibly rewarding professionally and personally.
And all staff members have the opportunity to give back to the community by donating to the Slater & Gordon Community fund and/or taking paid leave to volunteer for a worthy cause. Staff surveys highlight how strongly aligned our employees are to Slater & Gordon’s social justice ethos and the empathy they feel to our clients’ particular circumstances.
Staff members are encouraged to participate in the annual Mothers’ Day Classic walk/run to raise money for breast cancer research. Slater & Gordon is a National Gold Sponsor of the event and covers the cost of registration for its staff.
To view the career opportunities at Slater & Gordon, visit our Careers site.