McCullough Robertson Lawyers (McR) has delivered on its $1 million pro-bono commitment to support community housing, reaching $1,040,266 as of the end of September 2026.
The commitment was one of the major projects for the firm’s 100th year anniversary, being celebrated in 2026.
McR Chair of Partners Kristan Conlon said the goal of the pro-bono commitment was to help deliver more housing where it was needed most.
“Since then, we’ve been proud to work alongside community housing providers, government and industry partners on projects that are expected to deliver hundreds of social and affordable homes across Queensland and New South Wales,” Ms Conlon said.
“From supporting major affordable housing developments and domestic violence accommodation initiatives to helping streamline critical government contracting arrangements, this work demonstrates the important role legal advisers can play in removing barriers, unlocking investment and helping housing projects move from concept to reality.”
Ms Conlon said the McR team was uniquely positioned to deliver these results with specialist expertise across corporate, construction, finance and real estate.
She said this seamless expertise was what Community Housing Providers needed most – whether that advice was to help them securely structure their entities or negotiate financing project terms with the State Government.
The firm remained committed to using its expertise to support the long-term growth, sustainability and impact of the community housing sector as it responded to Australia’s housing challenges.
However, she said success in the profession had never been just about the law. It was also about relationships, service and creating stronger communities.
McCullough Robertson earlier this year received a special Board of Governors Award at the 2026 Queensland Philanthropy Awards.
In 2025 it was named Pro Bono Team of the Year at the Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards. Pro-bono work has been a big part of McR’s values and community engagement since it was formed in 1926.
Just this year, McR’s community housing team helped over 30 community housing providers across the nation. Some of the projects supported under the 2026 pro-bono pledge include:
Women’s Housing Company
In New South Wales, McR worked with the Women’s Housing Company on the Cartwright development in south-west Sydney, a community housing project expected to deliver around 100 homes.
Bric Housing
The firm supported the acquisition of its largest project to date, being the Goodfellows Road development at Kallangur, which is expected to deliver 144 social and affordable housing units and the acquisition of the Armstrong Street site at Petrie, which is expected to deliver 96 social and affordable housing units.
Settling in June this year, they assisted in the acquisition of Emsworth Street, Wynnum delivering 50 social and affordable housing units. They also worked on the acquisition of the Kippa-Ring site, which will deliver 24 wholly social housing dwellings providing modern, self-contained social housing apartments, with a focus on vulnerable cohorts including seniors, lower-income workers and people living with disability.
The Salvation Army
McR advised the organisation on its Mission Collaboration Agreement, which provides the framework for the funding, development and operation of housing and a centre supporting victims of domestic and family violence.
Master Agreement with the Queensland Government
McR’s work helped address key challenges for the community housing sector, with their proposal to streamline around 2000 individual agreements into 114 contracts, making it simpler and more efficient for providers to manage their arrangements with the State.
Community Action Inc
In Gympie, north of Brisbane, they were able to support Community Action Inc on a number of townhouses which are set for construction by the middle of next year. These will be delivered as 100% social housing, supporting transitional and long-term accommodation in the region. A key part to the project was helping Community Action Inc meet key eligibility requirements to ensure they could receive pivotal funding under the Queensland Community Housing Investment Pipeline.
Mangrove Housing
With five turnkey properties acquired in Logan, they were able to assist Mangrove Housing with legal support during the purchase, with these houses set to provide for Queenslanders who are vulnerable or at risk of homelessness.
Coast2Bay Housing
McR worked on the proposed purchase of a precinct at Birtinya Town Centre in Kawana Waters, which is planned to deliver around 80 social and affordable housing dwellings. The homes are intended to provide secure, stable and affordable accommodation for people and families experiencing housing stress, with Coast2Bay committing to operate and manage the homes for at least 20 years.
McR Partner and joint-lead of Community Housing, Kara Mezinec said the supported projects reflected the increasing maturity and sophistication of the community housing sector.
“Providers are not only delivering more homes, but they’re also leading innovative partnerships and exploring new funding and ownership models that can help address housing supply challenges at scale,” Ms Mezinec said.
“Our role is to help create the legal and commercial frameworks that give organisations the confidence to invest, grow and deliver.
“We’re excited to continue supporting the sector’s growth and helping community housing providers achieve even greater impact in the years ahead.”
