Corporate responsibility will go under the microscope next month when Allens Arthur Robinson joins up with the Australian Human Rights Centre and the Gilbert + Tobin Centre for Public Law to explore improved protection for human rights. The firm is opening its Sydney offices in Deutsche Bank Place for the occasion on 21 May. The seminar will consider whether corporate social responsibility initiatives are effective or detract from notions of corporate accountability.  

Freehills introduces new pre-partner level

As reported by The New Lawyer online yesterday, law firm Freehills has slipped a new role under the partner level in an effort to retain staff and prepare the best talent for the top jobs. The Executive Counsel addition has been a long time coming, and chief executive Gavin Bell said it has taken almost a year of internal and international research to identify what the new role should be. It’s a position for those lawyers “who want to progress from senior associate and make a meaningful contribution to the success of the firm, without taking on all the responsibilities of partnership”. The first string of executive counsel roles will be announced in June, as will new partners, special counsel and senior associates. 

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