LAWFUEL – The Law Firm Newswire – Blake Dawson Waldron lawyer, Cecilia Riebl is the recipient of the 2007 Victorian Women Lawyers Community Justice Award. The Award is made in recognition of a student or recently admitted lawyer who demonstrates a commitment to issues related to women and justice on a pro bono or volunteer basis.
Cecilia is a first year lawyer in the firm’s Environment practice in Melbourne. She was nominated for her significant pro bono work for marginalised and disadvantaged people through the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic and in assisting the Human Rights Law Resource Centre.
In accepting the Award Cecilia said: ” It has been immensely rewarding working with the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic and the Human Rights Law Resource Centre helping to ensure that disadvantaged and marginalised women have access to justice. It has been particularly satisfying working with the HRLRC to address issues of discrimination encountered by women in prison, who are among the most powerless people in our community.
“I feel very fortunate to have been given so many opportunities to practice pro bono at Blake Dawson Waldron. As well as the satisfaction from the work itself, it has provided me with great research and litigation experience and exposure to senior counsel – not to mention a wide-reaching education in human rights law.”
Commenting on the Award, Blake Dawson Waldron Chairman of Partners, Mary Padbury said: “This is an outstanding and well deserved honour for Cecilia who has made a major contribution championing access to justice for women in particular. We are fortunate to have Cecilia at the firm and are very proud of her achievements”.
The Award is being presented at The Pro Bono Forum hosted by the Victorian Women Lawyers Justice Committee in Melbourne today. The Forum is held to encourage pro bono and volunteer work and to inform lawyers about the work of local community organisations and access to justice for women in the community more generally. Elizabeth Bennett, Amnesty International Victoria Legal Group, Hugh deKrester, Executive Officer, Federation of Community Legal Centres Inc. and Tabitha Lovett, Manager, Public Interest Clearing House Victoria will speak at the Forum.
