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The Indiana Pro Bono Network is a centralized platform that connects attorneys with pro bono opportunities offered by civil legal aid organizations across the state. Supported by The Indiana Bar Foundation and Pro Bono Indiana, and powered by Paladin, this platform streamlines the process of engaging in pro bono work. Attorneys can easily browse and accept available cases and volunteer opportunities with just a few clicks, making it simpler than ever to serve communities in need and fulfill professional service goals.

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Where can I find some example policies and procedures about government lawyers doing pro bono work?

Examples to draft or update your office’s pro bono policy include decades of federal and state government efforts that are successfully combatting the myth that government lawyers cannot participate in pro bono work:

What are some basic parameters that I should think about in drafting a government office policy on pro bono work for Indiana lawyers?

A well-crafted government office pro bono policy might include:

  • An introduction about the purpose of the policy, the why and how of the policy’s adoption
  • A recognition of attorney pro bono responsibilities under RPC 6.1, including that government agencies and offices might impose stricter standards than those imposed by the rule.
  • A definition of pro bono service
  • Reference to applicable government laws and rules on workplace ethics. E.g., in Indiana, ethics laws for state government employees are found in I.C. 4-2-6 and 42 IAC 1. For local government lawyers, codes of ethics may be found in local ordinances, codes, regulations, or policies.
  • The process for approval of pro bono activities
  • Accounting for attorney time devoted to pro bono work. Professional time spent on pro bono work: Government lawyers will be required to make up the time spent on a pro bono case or effort if the case required attention during regular work hours. As such, flexibility in a work schedule may allow the attorney to compensate the public agency for any time spent on a pro bono case during the normal wok day, provided the employing agency consents to this arrangement.
  • The government office responsibilities for volunteer pro bono work by government lawyers (e.g., that pro bono work must not interfere with official duties and responsibilities, that official government work must be given top priority, that all potential or apparent conflicts of interest must be prevented)
  • Use of government resources for pro bono work (e.g., no government supplies or equipment shall be used for pro bono work; no government administrative support shall be used for pro bono work)
  • Clear statement about the volunteer lawyer’s identification as a government lawyer acting in a non-government capacity
  • A statement and procedure about how potential or apparent conflicts of interest will be assessed and resolved
  • A clarification that the government office does not provide professional liability coverage for pro bono work and direction about how volunteer government lawyers might acquire professional liability insurance
  • Effective date and sunset date, if applicable.
Once a government agency or office pro bono policy is in place, what are best practices to encourage government lawyers to participate in it?

Surveys suggest that a government office or agency coordinating with a particular pro bono project that seeks to accommodate government lawyers can be very helpful. For example, providing opportunities outside of working hours, providing a location to meet with clients, or finding an area of law that does not present a conflict of interest to the lawyers or the government agency might make the opportunity to volunteer pro bono time and expertise more compatible with a government lawyer’s professional responsibilities. Additional incentives: leadership, mentorship, practice, appreciation, connection, joy. See, e.g., Supporting Justice V: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of America’s Lawyers (2025).

I am a prosecutor or a deputy prosecutor.   Would pro bono work on sentence expungements be allowed under the Rules of Professional Responsibility? 

Probably yes, but you should check with your office policy before committing to such work. Prosecutors, including deputy prosecutors, have a duty of loyalty to the state of Indiana. Further, RPC 1.8(l) outlines limitations on part-time prosecutors and deputy prosecutors when they are representing private clients, which would include pro bono clients. However, the rule recognizes that upon express written limitation of responsibility to exclude prosecutorial authority in matters related to family law, a part-time deputy prosecutor may fully represent private clients in cases involving family law. If pursuing pro bono work as a prosecutor or deputy prosecutor, it would be wise to enter into a written agreement with your private client that notes the exclusion of the use of prosecutorial authority as a part of the private, pro bono representation.

I am a public defender. Would pro bono work on sentence expungements be allowed under the Rules of Professional Responsibility? 

Likely, yes, but you should check with your office policy before committing to such work.

If I am assigned to work on expungements as a prosecutor or public defender, would that work count as pro bono work under RPC 6.1?  

No, any work assigned by your employer does not qualify as pro bono work. In contrast, if your employer allows you to participate in pro bono work similar to your daily workload, but outside of government employment hours, this could be considered pro bono work.

I am a state or local government agency lawyer.   May I represent pro bono clients before the judicial tribunal that hears my government client matters?

You may do so under certain circumstances. Ind. RPC 1.7 addresses current conflicts of interest and requires that affected clients give informed consent, confirmed in writing, should a direct conflict of interest present itself. Beyond the circumstance of a direct conflict of interest, representing pro bono clients before judicial tribunals in which you conduct or could conduct your government representation might cause confusion. If you are providing outside legal work, you must ensure that all parties involved realize that you are acting solely in a personal capacity rather than in your official capacity on behalf of the government. As with all pro bono work by government lawyers, every step should be taken to check to make sure that such work is within the bounds of your agency or office’s pro bono policy.

I am a state or local government agency lawyer. May I represent pro bono clients before judicial tribunals before which I do not appear as a part of my paid job?    

Yes, but out of an abundance of caution, you should ensure that all parties involved realize that you are acting solely in a personal capacity rather than in your official capacity on behalf of the government. As with all pro bono work by government lawyers, every step should be taken to check to make sure that such work is within the bounds of your agency or office’s pro bono policy.

I am a state or local government lawyer whose agency or office would benefit from otherwise self-represented-litigants appearing before our agency being represented by pro bono lawyers; may I work to connect these potential clients to outside providers of pro bono services?

As with all pro bono work by government lawyers, every step should be taken to check to make sure that such work is within the bounds of your agency or office’s pro bono policy. Beyond that, connecting otherwise self-represented-litigants (SRLs) before your agency or office to pro bono resources (e.g., Indiana Legal Help) would also have to be approved by your agency leadership and follow laws regarding government recommendations and communications. For example, RPC 4.3 limits what a lawyer can tell an unrepresented litigant. Under this rule, you would have to tell the unrepresented litigant (or SRL, self-represented-litigant) that you are not representing the litigant’s interest.

Further, if you are a government lawyer who works for the courts or a judge, you may not show any preference to a firm, agency, or office. See CJC 1.3, requiring the judge and staff to not abuse the prestige of the judicial office by advancing the personal of economic interests of others.

A pilot program might involve the following steps:

  1. Draft a formal pro bono implementation plan that includes a screen for indigency and need for an attorney.
  2. Create or share publicly available training materials for SLRs and/or attorneys interested in providing pro bono services in agency/office matters.
  3. Give the otherwise self-represented-litigant contact information for potential pro bono representation (Indiana Legal Services, Pro Bono Indiana, Indy Bar).
  4. In some appropriate manner, recognize the pro bono service by the lawyer (in issued orders or otherwise).
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