The Keith Steele Pro Bono Leadership Award was created to honour the memory of Keith Steele, Freehills partner and a founding member of the Sydney Pro Bono Committee, which also established the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre in inner Sydney.

Alice Macdougall, Special Counsel for the firm's charity law group in Melbourne, was the first Freehills employee to receive this award, which was presented by Margaret Steele, Keith's widow, at the annual Pro Bono Lunch in Sydney on Friday 18th November 2011.

Freehills Partner and Chair of the Freehills Foundation, Peter Butler, congratulated Alice on her achievement in this sector.

‘Through her legal support in hundreds of matters for charity organisations, Alice has indirectly helped thousands of people across Australia and internationally. She has built a strong reputation within this sector through her academic activity and made a real difference to the ability of others to access justice,' he said.

Alice specialises in tax advice and structuring for new or existing charities and foundations and is part of one of Australia's leading charity law practices.

She has shared her experience and specialist knowledge of charity law through providing papers and running workshops on issues affecting not-for-profit organisation, in order to share her knowledge for the benefit of the sector as a whole.

Annette Bain, Pro Bono Counsel and Executive Director of Freehills Foundation, added: ‘By assisting organisations with their governance issues, Alice enables them to focus on their real goals.'

www.freehills.com.au