Pro Bono UpdatePro Bono Update

Jeff BrownJeff BrownPro Bono CoordinatorPro Bono CoordinatorState Bar of WisconsinState Bar of Wisconsin

608-250-6177608-250-6177jbrown@wisbar.orgjbrown@wisbar.org

www.wisbar.org/probonowww.wisbar.org/probono

New SCR 20:6.1New SCR 20:6.1

Effective July 1, 2007Effective July 1, 2007

Identical to ABA Model RuleIdentical to ABA Model Rule

Unanimous support of State Bar Unanimous support of State Bar Board of GovernorsBoard of Governors

Previous Rule Previous Rule

Multiple types of service Multiple types of service encouragedencouraged

Financial support encouragedFinancial support encouraged

No hours recommendationNo hours recommendation

VoluntaryVoluntary

What’s New?What’s New?

More focus on the poor and groups More focus on the poor and groups that serve themthat serve them

Goal of 50 hours/lawyer per yearGoal of 50 hours/lawyer per year

Legal services, not general Legal services, not general community service or board community service or board serviceservice

Other ChangesOther Changes

Organizations protecting civil Organizations protecting civil rights, civil liberties or public rights, civil liberties or public rightsrights

Other groups where paying Other groups where paying regular fees would “significantly regular fees would “significantly deplete” resources or be deplete” resources or be “inappropriate”“inappropriate”

What Hasn’t Changed?What Hasn’t Changed?

Still includes reduced fee workStill includes reduced fee work

Voluntary, not mandatoryVoluntary, not mandatory

No reportingNo reporting

Why?Why?

Federal funding flat since 1982 Federal funding flat since 1982

< 50 full-time legal aid lawyers to < 50 full-time legal aid lawyers to serve over 500,000 eligible peopleserve over 500,000 eligible people

50-80% of eligible clients turned 50-80% of eligible clients turned away away www.wisbar.org/atj/studywww.wisbar.org/atj/study

The State Bar Can HelpThe State Bar Can Help

Free liability insuranceFree liability insurance Free LexisNexisFree LexisNexis Reimbursement of costs Reimbursement of costs Recognition and rewards Recognition and rewards Find opportunities at Find opportunities at

www.wisbar.org/probonowww.wisbar.org/probono

I am only one; but still I am one. I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can refuse to do the something I can do.do. - Helen Keller - Helen Keller

What you leave behind is not What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.into the lives of others. -Pericles-Pericles