Community Involvement

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much"
Helen Keller

Our commitment to our wider community includes providing access to justice working with qualifying organisations on a pro bono basis, awarding prizes, mentoring, volunteering and contributing to professional development activities within the profession.

Pro Bono

We all know of many organisations in our community doing great work supporting others. We recognise that we can support these inspiring not for profits, social enterprises and charities to protect and enforce their valuable IP by providing our services at a reduced cost or without charge.

Organisations we have worked with include:

Pūkare Cards

Lazy Sneakers
The Shift Foundation
Wā Collective National Council for Women
Gender Equal NZ
New Zealand Aged Care Association
Alzheimers New Zealand
YWCA (Wellington)
The Independence Collective
SPCA (Wellington)
GoodWeave International
Medecins Sans Frontieres International
 Every Bite NZ


Acceptance of instructions on a pro bono basis is at our discretion. To qualify, the organisation must meet our pro bono requirements, which include:

  • The cause must genuinely be one for the public good; and
  • The scope of the work must be within the firm's area of expertise in the intellectual property field.

We reserve the right to withdraw if circumstances change.

Where the firm accepts instructions, we can offer reduced fees arrangements or no charge, dependent on the circumstances. It will be expected that in all cases you are responsible for any official or filing fees.

Supporting students

Creativity is all around us and we like to do our bit to foster creativity and young talent with the Henry Hughes IP award at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Design.

Since 2014 Henry Hughes IP have sponsored prizes at the School's end-of-year exhibition. In 2020 we presented a prize for a project in Masters of Design Innovation.

Our contribution to the profession and the community in other ways includes:

  • running an ongoing paid intern programme;
  • membership of committees of professional associations;
  • mentoring, including participation in the participation in Victoria University of Wellington's Alumni as Mentors programme;
  • contributing to continuing legal education through presenting at seminars and conferences.

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