Maddocks reflects on a significant year of pro bono impact across Australia

Maddocks has released its FY26 Pro Bono Annual Report, revealing another year of delivering meaningful outcomes across our communities, with more than 16,000 hours dedicated to pro bono legal work in the past financial year.

Maddocks lawyers assisted 306 pro bono clients across 599 files and exceeded the National Pro Bono Target of 35 hours per full-time lawyer. The firm maintained eight ongoing clinic relationships with community legal centres, undertook three secondments to frontline community legal centres and assisted 46 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and individuals on a pro bono basis.

Maddocks CEO and Partner Paul Woods said the program, and the FY26 achievements, reflects the firm's core purpose to ‘make a difference’:

"From our strategic advice on new housing for the Dja Dja Wurrung people, to our work assisting the merger of two organisations that provide critical support to the disability community in Victoria, Maddocks is making a difference in the community.

“I am grateful to all of the Maddocks lawyers and staff who have contributed to our pro bono program over the last 12 months. As a firm, we are committed to offering all of our lawyers the opportunity to do pro bono work and make a positive impact on the lives of those in need,” Mr Woods said.

The Maddocks pro bono program has also marked a recent leadership transition, with Ron Smooker stepping into the role of Pro Bono Partner: "I have a strong belief in the importance of pro bono work – it is fundamental to who we are as a firm and who we are as lawyers,” Mr Smooker said.

A warm thank you to all Maddocks people who worked on matters that changed lives, strengthened communities and helped community organisations to build the capacity to assist individuals to access justice.

View the full report here.