The Justice and Equity Centre (JEC) offers a range of practical, high‑impact ways for law firms and organisations to advance social justice in partnership with a specialist community legal centre. At the heart of every opportunity is a focus on strategic impact, collaboration and meaningful experiences for your people.

About the JEC

The JEC (formerly the Public Interest Advocacy Centre) works alongside people and communities experiencing marginalisation and disadvantage to tackle injustice and inequality. Our work combines legal representation, strategic test cases, research and policy development, and advocacy for systems change. We focus on five key areas: disability rights, justice for First Nations people, homelessness, civil rights, and energy and water justice.

We aim to ensure pro bono and philanthropic support translates into real change for people affected by unfair laws, policies and systems.

Strategic litigation partnerships

The JEC uses test cases and strategic casework to shift law and policy in areas such as policing, prisons and youth detention, asylum seekers’ rights in detention, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), access to essential services for people with disability, and the regulation of Australia’s energy networks for a just zero‑carbon transition.

There are two main ways to partner on litigation:

• Co‑counselling: Firms commit a litigation team (typically a Partner, Senior Associate and Lawyer or equivalent) to work alongside JEC’s in‑house lawyers, giving JEC matters the same priority as commercial work.
• Litigation secondees: Firms second lawyers into the Strategic Litigation team where they gain hands‑on experience with strategic litigators, policy and communications experts, while significantly increasing the JEC’s capacity to drive change.

Homelessness and HPLS partnerships

The Homeless Persons’ Legal Service (HPLS) works to reduce homelessness and defend the rights of people who are homeless, including through a dedicated Women’s Service. HPLS provides legal assistance on tenancy, fines, debts, victims’ compensation and more, while also engaging in systemic advocacy and law reform.

Firms can partner with HPLS by:

• Becoming a partner firm: Partner firms provide prospects advice in complex matters, undertake casework and representation, and prepare summaries of closed cases that help identify systemic issues and law reform opportunities.
• Providing secondees to the HPLS in‑house team: Secondees help with intake and eligibility assessments, community legal education, training pro bono solicitors, supervising pro bono work, outreach services, and preparation of policy and law reform materials.

Towards Truth – truth-telling and legal education

Towards Truth is a world‑first, award‑winning project telling the story of how laws and government policies have affected First Nations people since 1788, starting with NSW and with scope to expand. It is used by First Nations communities, teachers, researchers, students, policymakers, governments and legal organisations as a powerful truth‑telling and educational resource.

Partnership opportunities include:

• Research support and secondees: Firms second lawyers into the research team, typically for at least two days per week over three months, or undertake in‑depth research tasks in‑house.
• Financial support: Partner firms contribute to the ongoing costs of this major project, helping to sustain and grow a unique resource for truth‑telling and legal education.

Energy and water justice

Through its Energy and Water Justice (EWJ) team, JEC works to accelerate the transition to a net zero‑carbon energy system while improving social equity and protecting households facing disadvantage. EWJ focuses on regulatory and policy reform to make energy and water systems affordable, sustainable and fair, backed by strong consumer protections.

Organisations can:

• Provide policy and advocacy secondees: Secondees assist with research and drafting on regulatory and policy reforms.

JEC policy work

The JEC also invites pro bono support for its policy and law reform work on issues such as raising the age of criminal responsibility, modernising anti‑discrimination, privacy and freedom of information laws, reforming child protection to reduce the removal of Aboriginal children and improving protections against hate speech and discrimination in religious schools

Whether through secondees, undertaking research, financial support or event sponsorship, partnering with the Justice and Equity Centre is an opportunity to align your organisation with impactful, systemic social change – and to give your people meaningful ways to put their skills and values into action.

Further information

To support the work of the Justice and Equity Centre, please contact Cris Parker, Head of Philanthropy and Relationships, [email protected] or 0413 599 076

Download more information on the specifics of each program. Read more about our supporters.