Pro bono matters

Osler’s pro bono annual report

Osler's Community Law Program - Infographic

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Our pro bono commitment

At Osler, pro bono matters — to our lawyers and staff, to the individuals and organizations that we help and to the broader legal landscape. Contributing our time and expertise to pro bono initiatives is truly a win-win: our lawyers know they’re making a difference when they take on significant cases that are in the public interest or are highly personal to the people involved and our pro bono clients benefit from top notch counsel that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access because they lack the resources.

Osler’s commitment to providing legal advice and representation on a pro bono basis goes back to the firm’s earliest days. Today, partners and associates from our offices across the country get involved in a wide range of matters, from litigation that addresses civil liberties issues, to obtaining charitable status for community organizations, to advocating for individuals in refugee and human rights cases. In addition, many of our lawyers regularly donate their time to assist with the access to justice mandate of the Pro Bono Ontario, Pro Bono Law Alberta and Access Pro Bono of British Columbia legal clinics and Centre d'appui aux communautés immigrantes in Québec.

Everyone at Osler — partners and associates, staff and students — is encouraged to participate in pro bono and volunteer work. Notably, lawyers’ pro bono hours count as billable time toward their annual target.

We are proud to be associated with the many organizations, both public and private, that make important contributions to those who need it most, every day. These are just some examples of Osler’s pro bono initiatives in our communities:

 

"Our firm has a long tradition of supporting lawyers who want to make a difference in their communities and in the development of the law. Pro bono has been among the most rewarding work that I have done in my professional career. I've been fortunate to work on cases dealing with important issues such as freedom of religion, freedom of expression, the protection of children against exploitation, and aboriginal equality, as well as assisting several foreign-trained medical doctors in their efforts to obtain professional licensing in Canada. I expect that commitment will continue to shape my practice at Osler and my work as the chair of our Pro Bono Committee."

Mahmud Jamal

Mahmud Jamal
Litigation Partner (Toronto)
Pro Bono Committee Chair

"Pro bono work that engages issues of public interest has allowed me to make a small, but meaningful contribution to my community and the world beyond it as well as in the development of the law. It means something to me personally to be able to assist those with compelling needs for personal advocacy by calling upon my skills from my commercial litigation practice. I believe that it is my professional responsibility as a lawyer to act on pro bono engagements and I actively encourage all the members of the Calgary office to get involved in legal issues that matter."

Tommy Gelbman

Tommy Gelbman
Litigation Partner (Calgary)
Pro Bono Committee