This award highlighted best practice and innovation in community investment including fundraising and charitable giving, pro bono and non-legal volunteering. The judges looked for innovative and sustainable solutions to an identified need which produced significant impacts for both the community and the organisation, in programmes over and above core business activity. This award was open to all in the legal sector.
By providing specialist pro bono legal advice, training and research to the microfinance sector, Allen & Overy has supported projects designed to help eradicate poverty and build sustainable communities here and across the globe.
Eversheds has overhauled its corporate responsibility strategy to deliver a pioneering global approach. Their new programme includes a global community investment day (Give and Gain Day), an access scheme called Eversheds Unlocked, pro bono programmes across all offices, increased advice clinic involvement, more work on behalf of homeless people and a new relationship with Barnardo's.
Linklaters' global community investment programme saw the firm donate nearly 30,000 hours of pro bono advice, 15,000 hours of volunteering time and £2m in supporting donations. In London , Linklaters has developed key partnerships with local schools and charities in Hackney, with 41 per cent of staff giving time to participate in a range of programmes.
ITV and Lovells have launched a unique pro bono joint venture, enabling ITV lawyers to engage in the same pro bono opportunities on offer to Lovells lawyers. The flagship element of the scheme is a new monthly legal clinic run by Lovells and ITV lawyers at Body & Soul, a UK charity supporting children, teenagers and families affected by HIV.
Despite its small size, Martin Searle Solicitors has developed an intelligent and strategic community investment programme providing training and pro bono advice in employment and community care law and hosting 30 advice clinics over the last year. An assessment of the impact of these activities through an audit and customer satisfaction survey enabled the firm to develop the programme and produce significant business benefits.
Simpson, Sissons & Brooke gives 10 per cent of its turnover in donations to charities and a further 5 per cent through pro bono advice and business expertise to help charity partners become self-sufficient. Their partnership with the Sheffield Steelers Wheelchair Basketball Club has enabled the club to continue its own community work with local schools, while inspiring the firm and providing it with a better understanding of issues faced by people with disabilities.