Quote:
Originally Posted by SlowHuck
"ten minutes 'pro bono' with a lawyer."
That's funny!
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Actually, it's not. Despite common misconceptions, we take our ethical obligations quite seriously. Under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, all private lawyers are encouraged to do some percentage of their time as pro bono work, or to donate funds to an organization which provides legal services to those who cannot afford them.
Here's Virginia's version:
Quote:
Rule 6.1
Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service
(a) A lawyer should render at least two percent per year of the lawyer’s professional time to pro bono publico legal services. Pro bono publico services include poverty law, civil rights law, public interest law, and volunteer activities designed to increase the availability of pro bono legal services.
(b) A law firm or other group of lawyers may satisfy their responsibility collectively under this Rule.
(c) Direct financial support of programs that provide direct delivery of legal services to meet the needs described in (a) above is an alternative method for fulfilling a lawyer’s responsibility under this Rule.
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Source: The Virginia State Bar:
http://www.vsb.org/pro-guidelines/in...ain/print_view
You are by no means required to get a lawyer, but there is some possibility that a lawyer could help your confusion. At least check with these folks:
http://www.valegalaid.org/