Announced at the Fair Trade Association's launch of Fair Trade Fortnight last week, Mallesons earned the Fair Trade Workplace accreditation by choosing to provide Fair Trade Certified tea, hot chocolate and coffee in the firm's kitchens.

Under the Fair Trade Accreditation scheme, workplaces throughout Australia and New Zealand are encouraged to purchase certified products to ensure that growers and producers in developing countries receive fair and stable rates for their produce and labour.

Fair Trade Certified products, which have met internationally agreed standards, are designed to minimise the disparity of power in trading relationship and unstable markets, and are ultimately designed to give more control to farmers and workers: something which is often lost during conventional trade processes.

The additional Fair Trade Premium allows communities, in which products such as tea and coffee are grown, to invest in health, education and social welfare projects.

In receiving the accreditation, Mallesons joins other legal associations such as Victoria's Department of Justice, Moores Legal, and Clothier Anderson & Associates Immigration Lawyers.