PRO BONO
The Minnesota Supreme Court has adopted two rules in recent years to promote pro bono legal services: the CLE for Pro Bono Rule and the Emeritus Rule. The State Board of Civil Legal Aid is charged with designating “approved legal services providers” under these rules.
An "approved legal services provider" is defined as:
- an organization funded by the Legal Services Corporation or the Minnesota State Board of Civil Legal Aid, OR
- an organization designated by the Minnesota State Board of Civil Legal Aid. Eligibility for designation is limited to: (a) programs providing pro bono legal representation within 501(c)(3) organizations that have as their primary purpose the furnishing of legal services to persons with limited means; (b) law firms, law libraries or bar associations that conduct programs that have as their primary purpose the furnishing of legal services to persons with limited means and are under the supervision of a pro bono coordinator or designated lawyer; (c) law firms that provide pro bono legal services on behalf of a Minnesota Judicial Branch program, including but not limited to, the Guardian ad Litem Program.
If an organization is not an "approved legal services provider" under the first part of the rule but meets the criteria under the second part of the rule, an Application for Designation as Approved Legal Services Provider may be submitted to BOCLA. Applications are reviewed and, if approved, are effective from the day of receipt.
The following organizations have submitted applications and been approved as eligible for CLE credit for qualifying pro bono or for Emeritus pro bono under the rule:
- Administer Justice - Effective 7/14/26
- Great North Innocence Project - Effective 4/1/09
- Institute for Justice Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 6/30/10
- Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans Pro Bono Program - Effective 11/29/11
- Disability Rights Oregon - Effective 10/17/14
- Legal Rights Center - Effective 11/25/14
- Children's Law Center of Minnesota - Effective 7/1/16
- Domestic Abuse Legal Advocacy Center - Effective 7/5/16
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network - Effective 8/29/18
- Casa Corneilia Law Center - Effective 8/29/18
- Family Preservation Foundation - Effective 12/13/18
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project - Effective 6/22/20
- Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (LAMP) - Effective 5/16/24
- Dorsey & Whitney Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 10/13/08
- Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/29/08
- Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Judicial Branch Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/29/08
- Fredrikson & Byron Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/25/08
- Stinson Pro Bono Program (including Deinard Legal Clinic) - Effective 9/23/08
- Ballard Spahr Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 10/1/08
- Robins Kaplan Guardian ad Litem Pro Bono Program - Effective 2/18/09
- Robins Kaplan Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/12/09
- Federal Bar Association, Minnesota Chapter, Pro Se Project - Effective 9/22/10
- Anoka County Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Carver County Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Ramsey County Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Scott County Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Washington County Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Minnesota State Law Library - Effective 7/1/13
- Minnesota State Law Library Appeals Clinic - Effective 7/19/16
- Nichols Kaster Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 3/19/21
- Dakota County Law Library - Effective 3/15/23
- ABA Free Legal Answers - Effective 9/15/23
- University of St. Thomas School of Law Legal Clinics – Effective 2/13/25