More than half of the top 30 firms which reported both their FY2011 and FY2012 pro bono figures have seen a fall in the number of pro bono hours worked per lawyer.

According to the Legal Services Expenditure Report 2011-2012, there were 46 Commonwealth legal providers which reported their pro bono hours per lawyer, although of those only 20 had reported in the previous financial year as well. Only 11 of the 46 firms reported hours per lawyer above the aspirational target set by the centre of 38 hours per lawyer in the 2012 financial year.

Boutique Sydney firm Lobban McNally reported the highest number of hours per lawyer in FY 2011, although of the major firms DLA Piper led the charge on 56.5 hours per lawyer, an increase of 3.5 hours compared to the previous financial year. Gilbert + Tobin came in second, on 51.3 hours, although it did not report figures for the 2010/11 financial year.

John Corker, director of the National Pro Bono Resource centre, said that there were a number of factors contributing to the high number of decreases in hours worked between the two reporting periods. “There has been a lot of merger activity in the market, which I think has impacted the provision of pro bono legal advice,” he said. “And I expect we will see that trend continue in the coming year.”

General business conditions have also been a factor according to Corker. “We have witnessed a flattening out of pro bono hours,” he said. “The results are consistent with our own findings from a report undertaken in June.”

He also added that the figures for the 2010-2011 year were not very reliable. “I know of a number of firms that did not understand what they were reporting,” he said.

However, despite the number of firms which saw a drop in hours, Corker says there have been many mid tier firms that significantly increased their pro bono hours over the period. “The sector continues to grow and become more sophisticated in the provision of legal advice,” he said.

Gilbert + Tobin pro bono partner Michelle Hannon, said the firm had seen an increased demand for pro bono legal advice in the past few years. “The demand is certainly there for pro bono legal work,” she said. “We do as much work as we have capacity to do.”

Hannon was appointed as a dedicated pro bono lawyer in 1997 and became partner in 2008. She is now joined by two other lawyers in the pro bono practice at the firm. “I work with lawyers within the pro bono team and the rest of the firm to promote pro bono work,” she said. “I also liaise externally to bring work into the firm, while undertaking pro bono case work.” The G+T pro bono practice is guided by a committee led by managing partner, Danny Gilbert.

Pro bono hours per lawyer at 30 of Australia’s largest firms

* Equal position