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Retired, inactive lawyers permitted to work pro bonoThe Illinois Supreme Court on March 26 filed an amendment to Rule 756 that authorizes limited pro bono legal services by inactive and retired attorneys, and in-house counsel. The proposal was strongly supported by the Illinois State Bar Association during a Supreme Court Rules Committee hearing on Jan. 28 in Chicago. The ISBA Assembly voted unanimously last June to back the proposal as submitted by the Committee on Delivery of Legal Services. The amendment adds a paragraph (j) that was drafted by a coalition that included Prairie State Legal Services, the Chicago Bar Foundation and Caterpillar. Among Duties of Sponsoring Entities is verification that malpractice insurance is provided to volunteer participants, a recommendation that was made by the ISBA. Under Rule 756(j), Pro Bono Authorization for Inactive and Retired Status Attorneys and House Counsel, volunteers may provide services, without charge or expectation of fee, to people of limited means or organizations as defined in paragraph (f). Participate must be under the auspices of sponsoring entities that include not-for-profit legal service providers, government entities, law school clinics or bar associations. Procedures for attorneys seeking authorization, and the duties of sponsoring entities, are spelled out. Participants are required to register annually but do not have to pay registration fees. They are exempted from MCLE requirements, but could have to undergo appropriate training by the sponsoring entity.
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