Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct

Rule 6.7 Requirement for Reporting of Direct Pro Bono Legal Services

Effective January 1, 2024

(a) Reporting Requirement.

To encourage and assess the current and future extent of volunteer legal services provided directly to individuals of limited means and to public service or charitable groups or organizations, an attorney must report as part of the attorney’s annual registration, the following information:

(1) Pro Bono Hours - no compensation.

(A) During the previous calendar year ending December 31, I have personally provided approximately ______ hours of legal services in Indiana or other states directly to individuals reasonably believed to be of limited means without charge and without any fee expectation when the services were rendered. (B) During the previous calendar year ending December 31, I have personally provided approximately ______ hours of legal services in Indiana or other states directly to public service or charitable groups or organizations as defined in Rule 6.1 Comment 1(d) without charge and without any fee expectation when the services were rendered.

(2) Pro Bono Hours - substantially reduced compensation.

(A) During the previous calendar year ending December 31, I have personally provided approximately _____ hours of legal services directly to individuals reasonably believed to be of limited means at a charge of less than 50% of my normal rate and without expectation of any greater fee when the services were rendered. (B) During the previous calendar year ending December 31, I have personally provided approximately _____ hours of legal services directly to public service or charitable groups or organizations as defined in Rule 6.1 Comment 1(d) of less than 50% of my normal rate and without expectation of any greater fee when the services were rendered.

(3) Financial Contribution.

During the previous calendar year ending December 31, I have either (i) made monetary contributions of $_______ to one or more of the following: (A) the Indiana Bar Foundation, (B) IRC 501 (c)(3) bar foundation in Indiana which provides financial support to a qualifying legal service organization or local pro bono district, (C) any IRC 501(c)(3) pro bono district listed in the Indiana Supreme Court website, or (D) a legal service organization located in Indiana that is eligible for fee waiver under I.C. 33-37-3-2(b); or (ii) made an in-kind contribution of tangible property fairly valued at $ ______ to one or more of the foregoing qualifying legal service organizations or local pro bono districts.

(4) Exempt Persons.

An attorney is exempt from reporting under this Rule who is exempt from the provision of pro bono legal services because he or she (i) is currently serving as a member of the judiciary or judicial staff, (ii) is a government lawyer prohibited by statute, rule, regulation, or agency policy from providing legal services outside his or her employment, (iii) is retired from the practice of law, or (iv) maintains inactive standing with the Executive Director of the Indiana Office of Admissions and Continuing Education.

(b) Reporting Required.

By requiring the affirmative reporting of pro bono legal services provided directly to an individual of limited means, this Rule 6.7 requires reporting only for a subset of the public interest legal service encouraged under Rule 6.1.

(c) Public Disclosure of Information Received.

Information received pursuant to this Rule is declared confidential and shall not be publically disclosed by the Indiana Supreme Court or any of its agencies, on an individual or firm-wide basis.