Dreyfus to name and shame pro bono laggards

afr.com:

The Albanese government will name and shame law firms that do not meet national pro bono targets, and is warning the laggards they could lose lucrative government work.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has told the firms on legal services panels that they should be logging 35 hours per lawyer per year of pro bono work and there would be “further incentives” to encourage compliance.

In a letter sent to panel firms on August 13, and posted to the Attorney-General’s Department website, Mr Dreyfus said many firms were meeting or exceeding the target but “more can be done”.

Laying down the law on pro bono work: Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. Alex Ellinghausen

The most recent Commonwealth Legal Services Expenditure Report (LSER) – for 2020-21 – showed the top 10 legal services providers accounted for 80.6 per cent of the $301.6 million spent on professional fees.

The top 10, by market share, were: Australian Government Solicitor (30 per cent), Clayton Utz (11 per cent), Sparke Helmore (8 per cent), MinterEllison (7 per cent), Ashurst (5 per cent), King & Wood Mallesons (5 per cent), Norton Rose Fulbright (4 per cent), Maddocks (4 per cent), HWL Ebsworth (4 per cent) and Mills Oakley (3 per cent).

However, the report only published a list of those that met the pro bono target; it said 28 firms did and 34 did not.

Patent law firm Griffith Hack topped the 2020-21 table with 84.76 hours per lawyer. Of the top 10 by spend, Clayton Utz was best on 67.4 hours, followed by KWM and HSF.

Only three of the top 10 by spend did not make the list: Australian Government Solicitor (AGS), Maddocks and HWL Ebsworth.

Mr Dreyfus said in his letter those that fell short would now be named.

“Commencing with the LSER for 2021-22, which will be