IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENT TO RPC 6.1

) ) )

ORDER NO. 25700-A-777

     The Washington State Bar Association having recommended the adoption of the proposed amendment to RPC 6.1, and the Court having considered the amendment and comments submitted thereto, and having determined that the proposed amendment will aid in the prompt and orderly administration of justice;

     Now, therefore, it is hereby

     ORDERED:

     (a) That the amendment as attached hereto is adopted.

     (b) That the amendment will be published in the Washington Reports and will become effective September 1, 2003.

     DATED at Olympia, Washington this 15th day of July 2003.

	Alexander, C.J.
Johnson, J.	Bridge, J.
Madsen, J.	Chambers, J.
	Owens, J.
Ireland, J.	Fairhurst, J.

[CURRENT RULE]

RPC 6.1 Pro Bono Publico Service. A lawyer should render public interest legal service. 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, by service in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession, and by financial support for organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.

[PROPOSED AMENDMENTS]

The legal profession Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to assist in the providesion of legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least thirty (30) hours of pro bono publico service per year. In fulfilling this responsibility, the lawyers should:

     (a) provide legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:

     (1) persons of limited means or

     (2) charitable, religious, civil, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters which are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; and

     (b) provide pro bono publico service through:

     (1) delivery of legal services at no fee or substantially reduced fee to individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civil, 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;

     (2) delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee to persons of limited means; or

     (3) 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.

Pro bono publico service may be reported on the annual fee statement furnished to the WSBA. Lawyers rendering a minimum of fifty (50) hours of pro bono publico service shall receive a recognition award for such service from the WSBA.

.

     Reviser's note: The brackets and enclosed material in the text of the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

     Reviser's note: The typographical errors in the above material occurred in the copy filed by the State Supreme Court and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office