Providing justice for all is central to the mission of the Oregon State Bar. To come closer to this mission, the Oregon State Bar makes it easy for lawyers to provide Pro Bono legal services and recognizes those who give their time to help Oregonians with low incomes.
The Pro Bono Program does not match clients with pro bono attorneys. Use the following resources to find free or low-cost legal assistance:
In 1989, the members of the Oregon State Bar adopted the Pro Bono Aspirational Standard as a goal for Oregon attorneys. Additionally, the Oregon Supreme Court has recognized the importance of pro bono legal services by making supporting pro bono activities part of the Oregon State Bar Statement of Professionalism.
“Pro bono publico or pro bono service includes all uncompensated services performed by lawyers for the public good. . . Each lawyer in Oregon should endeavor annually to perform 80 hours of pro bono services. Of this total, the lawyer should endeavor to devote 20 to 40 hours or to handle two cases involving the direct provision of legal services to the poor, without an expectation of compensation. If a lawyer is unable to provide direct legal services to the poor, the lawyer should endeavor to make a comparable financial contribution to an organization that provides or coordinates the provision of direct legal services to the poor.” - OSB Policy 12.100
Oregon lawyers are encouraged to provide 80 hours of unpaid service to their communities each year. That 80-hour total includes all kinds of volunteer community work from giving free legal help to serving on a nonprofit, church, or community board. Even things like volunteering to clean up litter or volunteering to coach an organized kids' sports team count.
Additionally, Oregon lawyers are encouraged to dedicate 20 to 40 of those volunteer hours to providing direct pro bono legal services to Oregonians with low incomes. If a lawyer cannot provide direct pro bono legal services, they are encouraged to donate to an organization that provides those services.
There are ways for any active member of the Oregon State Bar to provide direct pro bono legal services. Active members—other than Active Pro Bono members and those practicing under some special admission rules—who maintain their own PLF coverage can volunteer with any pro bono program or take pro bono clients as part of their regular practice. All other active members can volunteer with Certified Pro Bono Programs. Additional members who can volunteer with Certified Pro Bono Programs include Active members who do not have PLF coverage, Active Pro Bono members, and Members admitted under the House Counsel rule or the Out-of-state Active Pro Bono rule.
The Oregon State Bar maintains a directory of both certified and non-certified pro bono programs across the state. Look for the words “OSB Certified” in the right margin of the directory to find Certified Programs. The directory makes it easier for lawyers to find volunteer opportunities that match their interests and location.
Oregon Attorneys are encouraged to report their pro bono time voluntarily as part of the Pro Bono Roll Call by logging into the online member portal and selecting “Pro Bono Reporting” in the Regulatory Notifications section. Reporting Pro Bono time helps the Bar and legal aid better target programs for Oregonians with low incomes.
The Pro Bono Honor Roll annually recognizes Oregon lawyers who provided at least 40 hours of direct pro bono legal services in the preceding year. Additionally, the Pro Bono Challenge recognizes the lawyers, law firms, and law students who contributed the most time to direct pro bono legal services. The Honor Roll and Challenge Awards show how Pro Bono is an important part of Oregon's legal culture.
You can get one hour of MCLE credit for every two hours of covered volunteer time. You can claim up to six credits per full reporting period—three credits in a short reporting period. Some activities are automatically approved, like doing pro bono work with an OSB Certified Program, others are at the discretion of the MCLE Program Manager. MCLE credit encourages attorneys to provide more pro bono work.
With RPC 6.5, when lawyers participate in some pro bono programs providing short-term limited legal services like a drop-in refer and advise legal clinic, conflict check requirements are relaxed. RPC 6.5 makes it easier for lawyers to volunteer when they have no known conflicts of interest.
Certified Pro Bono Programs make pro bono legal work available for Active Bar members who do not have PLF coverage, Active Pro Bono members, and Members admitted under the House Counsel rule or the Out-of-state Active Pro Bono rule. Oregon's legal practice rules prevent these members from taking pro bono clients unless they do their pro bono work through a Certified Program. Additionally, the Bar screens Certified Programs to make sure they provide liability coverage to volunteers either through their host organization's liability policy or through PLF Pro Bono Coverage.
Look for the words “OSB Certified” in the right margin of the volunteer opportunity directory to find Certified Programs. Certified Pro Bono Programs make it possible for every Active Oregon State Bar member to volunteer.
Pro Bono programs that meet the Bar's requirements set out in OSB Policy 12.100 and show that they have policies and procedures to ensure volunteers provide good quality legal services can become Certified Pro Bono Programs. When reviewing programs, the Bar focuses on how they train and support attorneys, match clients to appropriate attorneys, and track clients. Programs must also show that they provide liability coverage to lawyer volunteers either through their host organization's liability policy or through PLF Pro Bono Coverage. PLF Pro Bono Coverage is extended, free of charge, to certified programs that meet the PLF's requirements Per PLF Policy 3.800.
The Oregon State Bar created Active Pro Bono Status in Bylaw Section 6.101 as an alternative for lawyers considering retired or inactive status. Active Pro Bono Status has the reduced fees and regulatory requirements, like no CLEs, of retired and inactive status while allowing lawyers to continue to represent pro bono clients through Certified Pro Bono Programs. Active Pro Bono members may only practice law through Certified Pro Bono Programs; any legal practice beyond the confines of a Certified Pro Bono Program requires the attorney to transfer to regular Active Status and in most cases requires PLF coverage. Active Pro Bono Status lets Oregon lawyers retire from the daily practice of law but continue to help those most in need.
In special circumstances, the Admission Rules of the Oregon State Bar allow members of other state bars to limitedly practice in Oregon. Two of the specialty admission categories specifically allow participation in Certified Pro Bono Programs. First, the Admission of House Counsel Rule, 16.05, allows members of other bars to apply to limitedly practice in Oregon as in-house counsel. Included in the work House Counsel Admittees can perform is pro bono work with Certified Programs. Second, the Out-of-state Active Pro Bono Admission Rule, 17.05, allows experienced members of other bars to seek admission in Oregon for the limited purpose of taking Pro Bono clients from Certified Pro Bono Programs. These Special Admission rules allow attorneys from any state a way to be part of Pro Bono in Oregon.
During the last week of October each year, the Oregon State Bar participates in the National Celebration of Pro Bono. During this week, the Bar holds its annual Pro Bono Celebration including free CLEs, a fair where attorneys can connect with pro bono programs, presentation of the Pro Bono Challenge awards, and a reception to recognize the efforts of all the Oregon lawyers who do their part for pro bono.
The following resources can help attorneys successfully provide pro bono legal services.
Volunteering to do pro bono work is just one of the three steps you can take to help make sure there is justice for all in Oregon. Here is the whole list:
In addition to providing direct legal services, Oregon attorneys can support pro bono through a number of statewide and local bar pro bono committees.
Eric McClendon,
Director of Referral & Information Services
emcclendon@osbar.org
(503) 431-6418