Birthday celebrations traditionally involve receiving gifts, but RMB Lawyers is celebrating its 130th birthday by committing $25,000 to a law scholarship fund at the University of Wollongong.
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It is the law firm's second big contribution to the Jack Goldring Memorial Fund, taking its total commitment to $50,000, after it gave $25,000 to help launch the fund in 2013.
The Jack Goldring Memorial Fund honours UOW's Foundation dean of law, Professor Jack Goldring, who established the Law School in 1990.
The scholarship honours Prof Goldring's passion for social justice issues by providing a $10,000 annual scholarship for a UOW law student who has demonstrated a commitment to social justice.
Speaking at a presentation at RMB Lawyers' head office in Wollongong on Wednesday, managing partner Craig Osborne said the firm had a strong relationship with UOW's Law School.
Mr Osborne said providing additional support for the Jack Goldring Memorial Fund was an ideal way to celebrate the firm's 130th anniversary.
"As in any relationship, giving is better than receiving," he said.
Mr Osborne also paid tribute to the Law School, whose graduates had helped RMB develop into one of Australia's most successful regional law firms.
"RMB sees as fundamental to its sustainability, relevance and success its relationship with the University of Wollongong Law School," he said.
"Our firm is filled with UOW Law graduates and students as valued employees. Indeed, most of our partners are UOW graduates ... so we have a natural, heartfelt and meaningful bias to students emanating from the UOW Law School."
Mr Osborne said the Goldring Scholarship's commitment to social justice matched the firm's philosophy.
"The Jack Goldring Scholarship is awarded to one UOW law student each year who is unashamedly seeking out a career in areas of social justice, assisting the underprivileged or involving themselves in innovation, with respect to law reform," he said.
"Jack Goldring has influenced us all positively and we hope that the administering of this scholarship in his name will continue to make positive effect and influence in the practice of law and the behaviour of people."
UOW dean of law Professor Warwick Gullett thanked Mr Osborne and RMB for the firm's continuing support of both the scholarship fund and the law school's students.
"RMB has been going for 130 years, and for the last 25 of those it has given tremendous support to the law school, through providing opportunities for experience-based learning for our students and, most importantly, employing our graduates," Prof Gullett said.
"Over 60 per cent of the firm's lawyers are UOW graduates ... it feels like a branch office of the UOW Law School Alumni Chapter.
"This scholarship is one of the most important things we do, supporting students who want to make a difference.
"RMB gave a significant donation to launch it two years ago, and it is great to have this further support."
