Ashurst has hired Reed Smith's Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) pro bono and CSR head to lead its own global pro bono practice.

Sarah Morton-Ramwell (pictured) will be the first partner hired into the firm to exclusively focus on pro bono work.

Morton-Ramwell said: "I will be helping create and drive the global pro bono strategy and we are hoping to have a world-leading practice.

"At Ashurst pro bono is run as a legal practice rather than a business support programme. It is staffed by lawyers and headed up by a full-time partner."

Morton-Ramwell will be based in Sydney, following a short time in London, and will work with the firm's current pro bono team including the Europe and Middle East pro bono head, London-based partner Mark Clarke.

"There are certain skills and there is a career path in pro bono. I expect to see more pro bono at firms run as practices," Morton-Ramwell added.

Ashurst managing partner James Collis said: "Sarah's outstanding track record, global expertise, deep commitment to social justice and proven leadership skills will be invaluable in the next stage of the programme's development. We are fully confident that she will have a considerable impact on the pro bono practice and the firm."

As firms continue to grow their pro bono offering Morton-Ramwell expects that partners will increasingly be appointed to lead global practices. Furthermore, she notes that in-house teams are often keen to become involved in their law firms' programmes.

"It [pro bono] is a professional responsibly for lawyers and it is something people intrinsically want to do and people want to use their legal skills for maximum impact," she said.

Morton-Ramwell trained at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London and worked in its pro bono team. She is qualified to practise in New South Wales and England and Wales.