June 09, 2005
Print Press Release

The Supreme Court recently adopted a rule change allowing attorneys who are admitted to practice law in the courts of any State, District, or Territory of the United States ( other than Arizona) to provide pro bono assistance through approved legal service organizations. Under the rule, an attorney who volunteers to provide civil legal assistance to individuals unable to pay for such services is allowed to do so, under limited circumstances.

The rule also enables approved legal service organizations to better recruit and retain attorneys by permitting them to work at the program without taking the Arizona bar, as long as the attorney has been admitted to practice law in another jurisdiction for at least two years and is supervised by an attorney who is an active member of the State Bar of Arizona.

Kevin Ruegg, Executive Director of the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education expresses her gratitude to everyone who made the rule change possible, "thank you to the Supreme Court, Hugh Hegyi, Todd Lang, the State Bar's Legal Service Committee, and all those who have worked to increase the ability for attorneys to offer pro bono services to those most in need."

To view the rule in its entirety, visit the Supreme Court's website at: http://www.supreme.state.az.us/rules/ramd_pdf/R-04-0026.pdf