Our experience
Giving back to the community has always been and will continue to be a core value at Arnold Bloch Leibler. Today, we represent a diverse group of public interest, charitable and not-for-profit organisations on a pro bono basis, including many organisations and communities progressing their native title and land rights aspirations.
We aim to make a real and valuable contribution to civil society by offering strategic legal advice in the public interest to defend or assert rights, develop the law or improve the administration of justice. Our clients are active in the cultural, health, religious, Indigenous and environmental sectors.
Our efforts have achieved significant outcomes for a wide variety of people. We have contributed to legislative reform and played a part in improving the understanding of social issues.
We also advise not-for-profit groups on critically important corporate governance and associated legal matters, including how best to structure their not-for-profit operations to help achieve tax exempt and deductible gift recipient status. This work is crucial to ensure their financial viability.
The firm is deeply committed to Indigenous capacity building endeavours and we have partnered with a broad variety of Indigenous organisations and community groups to assist them in their efforts. Our lawyers work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and causes to establish the commercial structures that will enable them to fulfil their cultural and environmental responsibilities to their traditional lands, in caring for country, kith and kin.
The firm’s reconciliation work preceded the establishment of Reconciliation Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program and we became the first law firm to develop a RAP in 2008, as part of the group of trailblazers who launched the program.
“ABL is wholehearted in its support and that shows in the quality of the advice. They go the extra mile and are in the trenches with you.”
Committed partnerships
Many of our public interest law clients are tackling deeply ingrained social barriers and obstacles that they seek to overcome through implementation of long-term visions. We are committed to each client and each project undertaken, no matter how long the journey or how hard the path to achieve the desired outcomes.
We have represented the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Nation since 1993 in their native title determination efforts and well beyond. After decades of legal setbacks, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support the Yorta Yorta peoples and communities like them in their struggles for justice.
Our approach to public interest law
Our public interest law services are co-ordinated through a dedicated public interest law practice that is both well-known and widely respected by the legal, business and not-for-profit sectors. The way in which we manage the public interest law practice and deliver services to the community is as important as the work itself.
At ABL, there is no distinction between paid and non-paid work. As with other practice areas, the public interest law practice is managed by a full-time partner. Peter Seidel, who heads this practice area, is also board member of the Wantok Musik Foundation.
The practice draws together lawyers from relevant disciplines across the firm, including corporate, dispute resolution, intellectual property, real property, taxation and workplace advisory.
Native title and land rights
ABL’s native title and land rights practice offers advice to some of the most vulnerable communities in the country. Our practice assists with determination applications, development negotiations, Indigenous Land Use Agreements, negotiating and drafting associated documents (including trust deeds, rules, powers of attorney, constitutions and the like), seeking tax concession for groups, establishing corporate structures and providing related legislative and policy advice.
The firm has resolved several potential disputes to ensure co-existent land uses and interests and mediated outcomes that are satisfactory to all. Our ongoing involvement with various Indigenous entities and peoples has afforded the firm invaluable knowledge of the commercial and litigious aspects of native title, land rights and related Indigenous issues.
Our native title and land rights work
Anindilyakwa Land Council
Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation
Waayni Advancement
Goldfields Land and Sea Council
Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation
The Lowitija Institute
Wantok Musik Foundation
Anindilyakwa Land Council
Other features
Public policy formulation
Our lawyers apply legal research, analytical and writing skills to assist in public policy formulation. They also serve as board members on numerous community organisations, from the arts and higher education to advanced scientific research.
Taxation
We advise charitable and not-for-profit organisations on the most tax-effective corporate structures and help them to prepare submissions to the Australian Taxation Office seeking charitable and not-for-profit status.
Litigation
Our team has experience in a range of test case disputes, including property, employment and human rights issues, particularly in relation to racial and other forms of discrimination, including the recent seminal case of Haile Michael and Others ats Victorian Commissioner of Police and Others, in which we acted on behalf of the complainants as co-advocates with Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre.
We represent our public interest law clients in all jurisdictions, including State, Federal and High Court jurisdictions.
Arnold Bloch Leibler is “extremely supportive of our work and respectful of our community.”
Key clients
Arnold Bloch Leibler acts for more than 150 not-for-profits and community causes on a pro bono basis, comprising clients active in the cultural, health, religious, Indigenous and environmental sectors across a range of public interest law issues. Some examples of organisations we work with include:
- Australian Conservation Foundation
- Australian Indigenous Governance Institute
- Carriageworks
- Cataract Kids Australia
- Children’s Cancer Institute Australia
- Culture is Life
- Footscray Community Arts Centre
- Global Citizen
- Greenpeace Australia Pacific
- Hayden’s Helping Hands
- Heide Museum of Modern Art
- The Lowitja Institute
- Law & Advocacy Centre for Women
- Namatjira Legacy Trust
- National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (Vic) Inc
- National Association for the Visual Arts
- North Home
- Opening the Doors Foundation
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- The Sunrise Project
- Snowdome Foundation
- Stroke Foundation
- Stand Up - Jewish Commitment to a Better World
- Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation
- Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
- Wantok Musik Foundation
- Youth Live4Life
People
Insights & news

Interim report on Indigenous Voice “an astute next step”

2021 Legal 500 Asia Pacific results

Arnold Bloch Leibler features in 2021 Chambers Asia Pacific guide

Are proposed new governance standards for charities the latest effort to curtail advocacy?

Peter Seidel awarded 2020 pro bono partner of the year

Peter Seidel recognised as one of Australia’s finest pro bono partners

Arnold Bloch Leibler tops pro bono survey

Victoria reduces red tape for charitable fundraisers

ABL acts for Stroke Foundation in successful cy-pres application

In Conversation: Exploring the special status of Indigenous Australians

“A product of and a shaper of this community” – AJN features The Powerbroker: Mark Leibler, an Australian Jewish Life
Jewish leader Mark Leibler’s lessons showed Noel Pearson the way

AFR extract of The Powerbroker “explores the Jewish roots of one of Australia's most influential law firms”

“How Mark Leibler exercises his power and influence”: AFR Weekend

Weekend Australian extract of The Powerbroker: “His influence far exceeds his public profile”

Philanthropy in the time of COVID-19

JobKeeper update for charities - Cautious optimism in unsettling times

Navigating COVID-19: An update for the charity sector

Charities update - 5 important developments

ABL hosts recognition discussion with Minister Ken Wyatt

Nyadol Nyuon a winner in the AFR’s Women of Influence awards

External Conduct Standards for charities operating overseas

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Q&A with First Nations Foundation - NAIDOC Week Celebrations

Joey Borensztajn receives Queen’s Birthday Honour

Peter Seidel a finalist in 2019 Partner of the Year Awards

Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards

Law firms back Uluru Statement

High Court’s Timber Creek decision "appropriate, fair and just"

2020 Best Lawyers® International results

ABL hosts Wantok Musik event at MPavilion

New electoral funding and disclosure laws

Arnold Bloch Leibler recognised in the 2018 Doyle’s Guide

Arnold Bloch Leibler listed in Chambers Asia Pacific 2019

Voice to Parliament accepted as the only option for Indigenous recognition

Charities update: 5 key developments

Q&A with Peter Seidel: Public Interest Advocacy

Arnold Bloch Leibler negotiates historic settlement for descendants of Albert Namatjira

A full program in Perth for Mark Leibler

A debt of gratitude to the Hon. Jenny Macklin MP

It’s all or nothing on Uluru Statement

Reflections from Uluru Statement panel discussion

ABL wins back Brownlow medals of football legend

33 ABL lawyers listed in Best Lawyers 2019 guide

ABL named a finalist for ‘Law Firm of the Year’ at the Australasian Law Awards

International Women’s Day 2018

The national security package and why it matters to charities and business

PM agreed to consultations on Indigenous Voice proposal

Closing the gap means keeping faith with Uluru
