The parts of the firm that aren't billed by the hour.
A firm this size doesn't need a large corporate responsibility function to take this seriously. It needs a partnership that agrees it matters, and a small number of commitments kept consistently.
Every associate carries a pro bono matter.
Every associate at the firm carries at least one pro bono matter alongside their fee-earning work, most often in partnership with a small number of charities and advice organisations we've worked with for years rather than a rotating list of one-off engagements.
Partners supervise pro bono matters with the same seniority they'd give a fee-earning file of equivalent complexity. We don't think pro bono work should be treated as a lesser priority, and we try to make sure it isn't in practice, not just in policy.
What that looks like, honestly.
Judged by outcomes, not statements.
Recruitment
Structured interview panels and anonymised case-study assessment at every stage of hiring, at every level.
Retention
Formal mentoring for every associate, paired deliberately across practice areas rather than only within one's own team.
Partnership Track
Publicly understood criteria for partnership, reviewed by the full partnership rather than a single sponsoring partner.
Modest, and honest about it.
We are a single-office professional services firm; our direct environmental footprint is modest compared to industries we advise. We don't overstate what that means, but we do take the parts within our control seriously — office energy sourcing, paper use in a profession that still runs on documents, and travel policy for the international arbitration work that occasionally requires it.
We would rather be candid about the limits of what a firm our size can meaningfully affect than publish a sustainability report disproportionate to our actual footprint.
Charities and advice organisations we might be able to help.
If your organisation has a legal need that fits within our practice areas, we'd welcome hearing from you directly.
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