Your report is important. When you report volunteer hours through the Pro Bono Roll Call, you are helping the Bar and legal aid better target programs for Oregonians with low incomes. Your report also helps the legal community and the public see how committed Oregon lawyers are to pro bono.
Oregon Attorneys are encouraged to report their pro bono time voluntarily by logging into the online member portal and selecting “Pro Bono Reporting” in the Regulatory Notifications section.
The Bar calculates aggregate statistics from the pro bono reports of Oregon Lawyers. Additionally, The Bar uses reports to compile and publish the Pro Bono Honor Roll and to determine winners of the Pro Bono Challenge.
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.
The Pro Bono Challenge recognizes the lawyers, law firms, and law students who contributed the most time to direct pro bono legal services.
OSB Bylaw 13.1 encouraged Oregon Lawyers to provide 80 hours of unpaid service to their communities each year. That 80-hour total includes all kinds of volunteer community work from providing 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 are included.
Additionally, Oregon lawyers are encouraged to make sure that 20 to 40 of those volunteer hours are dedicated 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.
Attorneys report their volunteer time in three categories and indicate whether they donate to organizations that provide direct legal services to Oregonians with low incomes.
Includes volunteer legal services in which you provided direct representation.
Includes volunteer activities that improve the law, the legal system, and the legal profession. Examples include:
This list is not exhaustive; many other activities qualify.
Includes volunteer time in a non-legal capacity for the public good. Examples include volunteering for organizations like Meals on Wheels or Habitat for Humanity.
Includes donations to organizations that provide free or low-cost legal help to Oregonians with low incomes. Lawyers can donate to Oregon’s statewide coordinated network of legal aid offices through the Campaign for Equal Justice. Other notable places to give include the Oregon Law Foundation’s Grantees.