Allens Arthur Robinson's pro bono work was recognised at Thursday night's inaugural Lawyers Weekly Icon Awards, with Allens' partner Bill McCredie awarded The 2010 Salvation Army Pro Bono Initiative Award.

The judges recognised the firm's long-term relationship with pro bono clients Nambucca Heads Local Aboriginal Land Council and Unkya Local Aboriginal Land Council which came to a climax after years of negotiations with the NSW Government and resulted in approval to establish an Aboriginal-owned National Park near Nambucca Heads.

This initiative saw Allens lawyers regularly flying into Coffs Harbour to meet with clients, and involved a wide-range of advice spanning many practice groups, levels of staff and offices.

The judges also highly commended the efforts of Annette Bain, Executive Director, Freehills Foundation, for the firm's work with three legal clinics in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as part of their participation in Mission Australia's Corporate Advisory Council and the NSW Premiers' Council on Homelessness, and Minter Ellison's Adelaide office, which has developed the Welfare Rights Centre SA to help develop the Housing Legal Clinic in South Australia.

Other finalists also included Gilbert + Tobin's "How Big Are Your Dreams?" project, which has made a significant contribution in assisting Indigenous youth to use their education to make a difference in their lives and communities and Mallesons Stephen Jaques' Cyber Project which has assisted the National Children's and Youth Law Centre in developing and increasing the resources for the Lawstuff website to assist the welfare and development of young people.

The 2010 Lawyers Weekly Icon Awards, recognising excellence in the legal profession, were held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, in Sydney.

Click here to read the full report on all the 2010 Icon Award winners, and don't miss full coverage of the event in the special Lawyers Weekly 500^th edition, on desks on 27 August.