WLG | impact '24: Giving Back in Bangkok
Chandler MHM Limited: Providing Long-Lasting Community Impact
Chandler MHM Limited (Thailand), has been a member of World Law Group since 2007. Celebrating 50 years of business in Thailand this year, its team of over 100 lawyers offers national and international clients a full range of corporate, banking, litigation, and specialist legal services. Alongside their practice, the firm has proudly shared multiple annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives since the inception of WLG | impact in 2021.
Over the past three years, Chandler MHM Limited (CMHM) has traveled to impoverished schools outside of Bangkok, where firm members have helped with the creation of a school garden and mushroom silos, improvement of facilities including classroom, fence and playground renovations, donations of school supplies, financial assistance to food programs, educational activities, and more. The firm's goal is to better the lives of others in the local community. Partner, Pranat Laohapairoj, reflects on the trips, stating, "We believe these contributions will provide long-lasting impact to the students and the communities, from the most basic such as nutritional supplements, to opening possibilities via better physical infrastructure."
The firm has three more trips planned for this year; two will be to schools, and planning is underway for another trip, where firm representatives will re-plant trees in areas where the forest has deteriorated.
The firm has noticed an unintended benefit to its CSR projects as well. Pranat shares, "We have witnessed a significant increase in cross-practice and cross-position mingling [through these activities], which greatly enhances collegiality and cohesion within the firm." He adds that this has "morphed into a parallel purpose of these activities."
WLG | impact: Giving Back in Bangkok
Recently, CMHM hosted WLG | regional Bangkok '24, bringing together colleagues from 10 member firms with business interests in the Asia-Pacific region to expand their knowledge of law firm economics, operational strategies, and the art of collaborative client service. Attendees participated in a local CSR activity as part of WLG | impact's 2024 expansion to include in-person activities at WLG | regionals and WLG | summits.
Participants traveled to a community center in Bangkok's Bang Krajao Green District, where they crafted pillows for local elderly patients from recycled straws. Prepared straw was packed into pre-sewn pillowcases, and some participants who knew how to sew helped to close the cases. These pillows will be used by patients with limited mobility, providing comfort and preventing skin conditions caused by lack of movement and bodily pressure.
"People enjoyed the activity! It also served as a friendly networking opportunity, as the action of cutting straws was repetitive, meaning people could actually work and talk to each other at the same time. We had lots of laughter," explained Pranat, who called the activity a success overall.
CMHM remains a wonderful example of how member firms can give back to their communities through CSR activities and to the larger, global community in conjunction with WLG member firms across the globe!