Brooke Massender

As Global Head of Pro Bono for Herbert Smith Freehills, Brooke leads the direction of pro bono services across a global network of 26 offices.

Brooke’s practice focuses on leveraging her experience in social impact to advocate for systemic change, bringing together cross-sector stakeholders to achieve tangible outcomes for disadvantaged communities.

Brooke has over 20 years' experience in working with a diverse range of pro bono clients and is regularly sought out by non-profit, charities, social enterprises and corporate Boards and Executives for strategic and legal advice. Brooke is renowned for going above and beyond to maximise social impact through deploying skills and influence at a systemic level.

Brooke has particular expertise in access to justice and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Between 2004 and 2018 Brooke developed expertise on the Aboriginal “Protection” legislation that underpinned the Stolen Generations. Brooke helped to obtain various successful outcomes in respect of Stolen Wages casework for individual claimants and group claims.

Key client relationships include Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Justice Connect, GO Foundation, CareerTrackers, CareerSeekers, various community legal centres/peaks, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.

Please note: Brooke does not accept direct requests for pro bono work, preferring to operate through clearing houses and long-standing referral partners.

For more information on the firm’s pro bono practice, please click here. 

Background

Brooke holds a Bachelor of Law with European Law from the University of Nottingham, England and the Universistät Göttingen, Germany.

Brooke was the inaugural recipient of Herbert Smith Freehill’s Kathryn Everett Leadership Fellowship for Women Lawyers and undertook the Harvard Business School course in Authentic Leadership Development in 2016.

Brooke serves on PILnet’s global Pro Bono leadership Council as well as the Boards of Justice Connect and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).

Brooke served on the NSW Law Society Indigenous Issues Committee (2018-2020) and co-chaired the Legal Profession Reconciliation Network (2014 - 2016).

Market Recognition

Brooke’s technical and analytical ability have been consistently acknowledged through various awards, media, leadership opportunities and speaking roles.

Brooke was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award by Chambers in 2022. She has also been shortlisted externally for Pro Bono Partner of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2019.

In 2018, Brooke received the CareerTrackers Co-Chairs Award in recognition of her longstanding commitment to increasing Indigenous participation in the legal profession.

Brooke’s expertise and advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients was first recognised with the Lawyers Weekly Pro Bono Award in 2013.