In an email sent to all active North Carolina attorneys, Chief Justice Martin announced the launch of the pro bono reporting period collecting information about NC Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1 activities in 2018. The text of the email follows.
To report your 2018 pro bono hours, visit ncprobono.org/report.
To view the signed letter from Chief Justice Martin, click here.
Dear North Carolina Attorney,
At the beginning of each year, we have the opportunity as a profession to reaffirm our commitment to the ideal of equal justice under law, one of the ultimate goals of our legal system. We can honor this commitment by reporting information concerning our pro bono legal services. This information allows us to recognize the ways in which North Carolina lawyers are making a difference for people in our state who are unable to afford counsel in matters that affect their daily lives: health, housing, economic stability, safety, and more.
We are grateful that attorneys are heeding this call to share. Over the past two years, the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society has more than doubled—last year recognizing nearly 350 North Carolina attorneys who met the aspirational goal enshrined in Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1—that each North Carolina attorney provide at least fifty hours of pro bono legal services annually to those who are unable to pay.
The North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center, an initiative of the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, is currently collecting information about pro bono legal services provided in calendar year 2018. Submissions will be accepted through March 31, 2019, but no need to wait until the deadline! Visit https://ncprobono.org/volunteer/reporting for more details regarding the information being collected about the activities encouraged by Rule 6.1 and to submit your reporting form.
Thank you to those of you who have reported your information in the past and to those of you who have done so much to address the unmet legal needs that exist in our state. We look forward to hearing from you and to celebrating your efforts again. All North Carolina-licensed attorneys who report at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services will be inducted into this year’s class of the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society and will receive a certificate from the Supreme Court of North Carolina recognizing their achievements.
Please join me in spreading the word about the good work being done by North Carolina attorneys.
Best regards,
Mark Martin