LTAB Role in CLE for Pro Bono Rule

Effective July 1, 2008, attorneys can receive CLE credit for pro bono work. The CLE for Pro Bono Rule is primarily administered by the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education.

Under the rule, only pro bono work done through an "approved legal services provider" is eligible for CLE credit. The rule defines an "approved legal services provider" as:

an organization funded by the Legal Services Corporation, the Minnesota Legal Services Advisory Committee or the Minnesota Lawyer Trust Account Board (the CLE Board Website inlcudes links to lists of organizations that are eligible under this part of the rule), OR
an organization designated by the Minnesota Lawyer Trust Account Board. Eligibility for designation is limited to: (a) 501(c)(3) organizations that have as their primary purpose the furnishing of legal services to persons with limited means; (b) law firms 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 the Lawyer Trust Account Board.

The following organizations have submitted applications and been approved by LTAB as eligible for CLE credit for qualifying pro bono under the rule:

Dorsey & Whitney Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 10/13/08
Faegre & Benson Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/29/08
Faegre & Benson Judicial Branch Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/29/08
Fredrikson & Byron Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 8/25/08
Innocence Project of Minnesota - Effective 4/1/09
Leonard, Street and Deinard Legal Clinic - Effective 9/23/08
Lindquist & Vennum Low-Income Pro Bono Program - Effective 10/1/08
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Guardian ad Litem Pro Bono Program - Effective 2/18/09

Please contact the Legal Services Grant Program Manager with any questions about this application process.