Active Pro Bono Status
Oregon State Bar Bylaws - Subsection 6.101 Active Pro Bono Membership Status
“The purposes of the Active Pro Bono category of active membership in the Bar is to facilitate and encourage the provision of pro bono legal services to low-income Oregonians and volunteer service to the Bar by lawyers who otherwise may choose inactive status or even resign from membership in the Bar, and by lawyers who move to Oregon.”
Active members may transfer their membership to pro bono status by completing and submitting an online application. Members may request a future effective date within 30 days of the application, but the date must be prior to January 31st to receive the reduced fee.
The Pro Bono category of active membership is available to lawyers in good standing who agree to provide pro bono legal services to indigent clients referred by pro bono programs certified under Section 13.2 of the Bar’s Bylaws. Pro Bono members are not authorized to provide legal services except under programs specified above or in volunteer service on the State Professional Responsibility Board, the Disciplinary Board or as bar counsel.
There is a $125 annual pro bono membership fee. Members who have already paid fees for the current year are not required to pay the pro bono fee until the following year. Between December 1st and January 31st, the pro bono fee must be paid to complete your status change. For Active members, transfer requests submitted after January 31, require full active membership fees to be paid before the request is processed.
Inactive or Retired members who wish to transfer to active pro bono status may do so under Bar Rule 8.14 by completing and returning the BR 8.14 Reinstatement Form. There is no reinstatement fee required to complete this transfer.
Pro Bono members have no MCLE, IOLTA, or PLF obligations. Members should contact the PLF accounting department at 503-639-6911 to notify the PLF of the transfer and complete any required exemptions forms.
Pro Bono members will continue to receive the Bar Bulletin and access to Fastcase and Bar Books.
Pro Bono members must apply for reinstatement to active status before they can practice law in Oregon except under the circumstances provided above. Please see our Reinstatement FAQs for more information regarding the process and the necessary forms.