Industry
Legal Services
Summary
The partnership between King & Wood Mallesons and The Smith Family stands as a leading example of how creativity, long-term alignment, and shared purpose can generate extraordinary community outcomes. Spanning over 40 years, the collaboration has grown into a multi-layered relationship that combines workplace giving, pro bono legal expertise, employee engagement, and co-designed student opportunities.
Success Factors
Strong governance and stewardship, purpose-driven engagement and shared expertise
About King & Wood Mallesons and The Smith Family
The Smith Family has been working with KWM since 1983 – supporting young Australians in need so they can make the most of their education and realise their potential.
The partnership between King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) and The Smith Family (TSF) stands as a leading example of how creativity, long-term alignment, and shared purpose can generate extraordinary community outcomes. Spanning over 40 years, the collaboration has grown into a multi-layered relationship that combines workplace giving, pro bono legal expertise, employee engagement, and co-designed student opportunities.
A defining feature of the partnership is KWM Explore, a unique, purpose-built program developed in collaboration with TSF. This initiative provides Learning for Life tertiary students with a 30-week paid work placement, one day a week, inside KWM’s Shared Services and Support teams. Beyond financial support, the program equips students with real-world skills, professional confidence, and networks that significantly improve their career prospects. KWM complements this by sponsoring one student for each placement, ensuring holistic, long-term support.
Alongside KWM Explore, the firm’s DigDeep® matched payroll giving program offers employees the chance to directly sponsor students or contribute to TSF’s wider programs. In the most recent reporting period, employee contributions exceeded $76,000, which KWM dollar-matched, resulting in over $540,000 in total support. This combination of individual generosity and corporate backing makes a tangible difference to students living with disadvantage, with many employees forging deep connections through ongoing sponsorship.
Pro bono legal services represent another pillar of impact, with KWM providing over $400,000 in legal support annually. These contributions extend far beyond financial value: they enable TSF to progress complex initiatives such as securing education data-sharing arrangements across multiple states, strengthening the organisation’s ability to deliver timely, effective support to students and families.
The partnership thrives due to three critical success factors:
- Strong governance and stewardship, with dedicated relationship managers and consistent alignment across both organisations.
- Purpose-driven engagement, ensuring every initiative directly supports disadvantaged students.
- Shared expertise, with KWM contributing legal and strategic insights while TSF brings deep community knowledge.
Employee involvement is broad and meaningful, spanning payroll giving, mentoring interns, volunteering, and contributing professional expertise. Communications are authentic, whether through co-produced videos, podcasts, or panel discussions, reinforcing the partnership’s shared values.
Together, KWM and TSF have shown how a corporate–charity partnership can go beyond financial contributions to create real change. By aligning expertise, resources, and creativity, they are breaking cycles of educational disadvantage and setting a benchmark for innovative, community-driven collaboration.
