A NZ law firm has taken a different approach to giving back to the community.
The largest law firm on Auckland’s North Shore has a game plan for helping the community’s youth – and one that’s relatively unheard of in the legal space.Simpson Western has partnered with the SKYCITY Breakers in creating the team’s new youth development programme Game Plan.
Announced last month, the pilot self-development programme is a targeted at Year 11 students, and their parents, Breakers CEO Richard Clarke said.
“Together with Simpson Western, we will hold focused workshops on culture, goal-setting, preparation, attitude and brand awareness.”
The programme will initially feature in six schools, with a view to roll out to the remaining secondary schools on the North Shore.
“The Breakers’ values and reasons for existing as a basketball club are very much based in the community, on providing pathways and opportunities for young people to better themselves through an involvement in basketball,” Clarke said.
“This is a fantastic new partnership and an exciting new venture for the SKYCITY Breakers. We’re delighted to be working alongside Simpson Western as an official partner.”
Speaking to NZLawyer, Simpson Western partner Ken Paterson said the firm was proud to be an official partner.
The firm, which has ten partners and around 50 employees spread across three offices, has been keen to be involved in a community initiative for some time.
“The whole concept is centred around youth development to support the future leaders in our community.”
The Breakers are a successful sporting organisation based in the same stomping ground as Simpson Western – the North Shore so it is a fabulous opportunity for our two organisations to work together and roll out the programme across the secondary schools here, he said.
Game Plan is set to encourage the students taking part to set a ‘big goal’ they wish to achieve, and develop their own ‘game plan’ to attain success.
The SKYCITY Breakers and Simpson Western will provide case studies which demonstrate how having a plan has helped them achieve success in their respective fields of sport and business.
“We believe that having a game plan in life and in business helps one succeed and the entire firm is pleased to be playing an integral part in the development of the Game Plan programme,” Paterson said.
“Our values are very much aligned with those of the Breakers – we train our young staff, provide career pathways and mentor them throughout their careers. This is a marvellous opportunity to ‘give-back’ to the North Shore. We’re very excited about working not only with the Breakers but also the nominated Year 11 students and their parents.”