Professional Rules of Conduct
American Bar Association
The ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1, adopted in some form in a majority of jurisdictions, provides Rule 6.1 Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service, as follows.
Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours pro bono publico legal services per year. In fulfilling this responsibility, the lawyer should:
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provide a substantial majority of the (50) hours of legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:
- persons of limited means or
- charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are
- designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; and
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provide any additional services through:
- delivery of legal services at no fee or substantially reduced fee to individual, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civic rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters in furtherance of their organizational purposes, where the payment of standard legal fees would significantly deplete the organization's economic resources or would be otherwise inappropriate;
- delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee to persons of limited means; or
- participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession.
In addition, a lawyer should voluntarily contribute financial support to organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.
Oklahoma Bar Association
The Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 6.1. Pro Bono Public Service (as adopted in 1988, no further amendments) read as follows.
A lawyer should render public interest legal services. A lawyer may discharge this responsibility by:
- providing professional services at no fee or a reduced fee to persons of limited means or to public service or charitable groups or organizations;
- serving without compensation in public interest activities that improve the law, the legal system or the legal professions; or
- financial support for organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.