Norton Rose Fulbright and BMO Celebrate Three Years of Pro Bono Collaboration Supporting Ontarians

Toronto, ON, July 21, 2025 – Norton Rose Fulbright LLP (NRF) and BMO are proud to mark the third year of their joint pro bono initiative, working together to expand access to justice for Ontarians via Pro Bono Ontario’s Free Legal Advice Hotline.

Pro Bono Ontario develops and delivers free, high-quality, and relevant programs to connect volunteer lawyers with underserved communities. Their critical work supports vulnerable individuals who desperately need help with everyday legal problems. They also help build communities by supporting small businesses, entrepreneurs and social services organizations, working to unlock equitable access to otherwise costly legal services. PBO emphasizes responding to every day legal problems, including in housing, consumer protection, and employment.

Held throughout July, the NRF and BMO collaboration brings together lawyers from both organizations to provide free legal advice to low-income Ontarians, small businesses, non-profits and charities. Volunteers support callers facing common legal challenges in housing, employment, civil litigation, debt, and corporate governance; all areas where legal help can make a lasting difference. This initiative builds on BMO’s years of leadership in access to justice programming, with partnerships helping to expand its reach and impact.

Senior leadership from both NRF and BMO, including NRF Managing Partner, Jennifer Teskey, are engaged in the initiative.

“Partnering with BMO on this initiative demonstrates what’s possible when pro bono work is approached as a shared priority between law firms and in-house legal departments,” said Jennifer Teskey, Managing Partner. “It’s about building meaningful partnerships and a more equitable legal system.”

Three years into the collaboration, the 2025 iteration expanded both in scope and reach, adding more volunteers and in-person service days. This growth reflects not only increased involvement from BMO and NRF, but also the rising popularity of collaborative pro bono efforts across industries.

“Joint efforts like the BMO-NRF collaboration are crucial to the sustainability and increased outreach of the hotline,” said Kirsti McHenry, Executive Director of Pro Bono Ontario. “Their ongoing participation continues to drive real change for people who would otherwise be unable to access critical legal services.”

NRF’s pro bono program is one of the many ways the firm brings its values to life in community. Led by Grace Pastine, KC, Pro Bono Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright, the program develops new pro bono initiatives and encourages and facilitates lawyers to provide meaningful legal assistance to those in need.

“We’re proud to identify new approaches to how law firms and in-house legal departments can partner to lead on access to justice,” said Ms. Pastine. “Each year, we’ve been able to reach more people, offering more legal services to those who need them most. It's crucial for us to utilize our expertise and actively support pro bono efforts within our communities.”

Norton Rose Fulbright is also a gold-level sponsor of Pro Bono Ontario’s 100 Percent A2J Leadership Circle. The vision behind the program is: “Everyone deserves access to justice. Everyone has a role to play.” The proceeds from this annual commitment support a variety of pro bono initiatives.

To learn more about Pro Bono Ontario and the hotline, visit: https://www.probonoontario.org/hotline/

To learn more about Norton Rose Fulbright’s pro bono program, visit: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/services/a5b55975/pro-bono

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