Australia.
Offering commercial legal advice to not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises.
Providing a secondee to a civil society organisation working to combat climate change (or, for individual lawyers or law students, volunteering at such an organisation).
Providing legal information and advice to those affected by a natural disaster.
BizRebuild is a business-led initiative, developed by the Business Council of Australia and managed through the charitable Community Rebuilding Trust, to provide practical, on the ground assistance to individuals, small and local businesses left devastated by major natural disasters like the 2019/2020 bushfires and 2021 floods. Taking a strategic long-term approach to ensure recovery is sustainable, BizRebuild helps the recovery primarily through providing:
1. construction grants and project management support for rebuilding/refurbishing community halls and business hubs affected by disasters to rebuild stronger communities;
2. small grants to affected business to establish themselves; and
3. vouchers for retooling or business advisory services,
all assisting to create jobs, reactivate business precincts and restore thriving economies in small towns.
Since June 2020, MinterEllison has assisted BizRebuild across the spectrum of its programs including advising on the voucher rollout program and seconding several lawyers to assist in negotiations with community members, grant recipients and contractors to ensure legal issues are addressed and risk mitigated for not only BizRebuild, but also the grant recipients. Further essential pro bono legal advice is delivered back at the firm including in relation to building projects and grant agreements, such as Mogo’s pop up mall (enabling local businesses to trade while their premises were rebuilt) and the Cobargo Innovation Hub.
