Rule 250.9 - Representation in Pro Bono Legal Matters(1)Maximum Credits. A registered lawyer may earn a maximum of nine CLE credit hours and an LLP may earn a maximum seven CLE credit hours during each three-year compliance period for providing uncompensated pro bono legal representation to indigent or near-indigent persons, or, for a registered lawyer, supervising a law student providing such representation. Professional responsibility credit may not be earned under this rule. (2) Eligibility. To be eligible for CLE credit hours, the pro bono legal matter in which a registered lawyer or LLP provides representation must have been assigned to the registered lawyer or LLP by: a court; a bar association or Access to Justice Committee-sponsored program; a law school; or an organized, non-profit entity, such as Legal Services Corporation, Metro Volunteer Lawyers, or Colorado Lawyers Committee, whose purpose is or includes the provision of pro bono representation to indigent or near-indigent persons. Prior to assigning the matter, the assigning court, program, law school, or entity will determine that the client is financially eligible for pro bono legal representation because (a) the client qualifies for participation in programs funded by the Legal Services Corporation, or (b) the client's income and financial resources are slightly above the guidelines utilized by such programs, but the client nevertheless cannot afford counsel.(3) Computation of Credits. Subject to the reporting and review requirements specified herein, (a) a registered lawyer or LLP providing uncompensated, pro bono legal representation may receive one unit of credit for every five billable-equivalent hours of representation provided to the indigent client; and (b) a registered lawyer who acts as a supervisor to a law student may be awarded three CLE credit hours per completed matter.(4) Claiming Credits. A registered lawyer or LLP wishing to receive CLE credit hours under this rule must submit to the assigning court, program, law school, or entity a completed form as designated by the CLJE Committee. As to supervising a law student, the registered lawyer will submit the form when the matter is fully completed. As to pro bono representation, if the representation will be concluded during a single three-year compliance period, then the registered lawyer or LLP will complete and submit the form when the representation is fully completed. If the representation will continue into another three-year compliance period, then the applying registered lawyer or LLP may submit an interim form seeking such credit as the lawyer or LLP may be eligible to receive during the three-year compliance period that is coming to an end. Upon receipt of an interim or final form, the assigning court, program, law school, or entity must in turn report to the CLJE Office the number of CLE credit hours that it recommends be awarded to the reporting registered lawyer or LLP under the provisions of this rule. The CLJE Committee has final authority to issue or decline to issue CLE credit hours to the registered lawyer or LLP providing representation or mentoring, subject to the other provisions of these rules. (5)Law Student Supervision. A registered lawyer who acts as a supervisor to a law student who is eligible to practice law under C.R.C.P. 205.7(2) may claim CLE credits consistent with (1) and (3) above. The matter must be assigned to the law student by a court, program, law school, or entity as described in C.R.C.P. 250.9(2), or an organized student law office program administered by his or her law school, after such court, program, entity, or student law office determines that the client is eligible for pro bono representation in accordance with C.R.C.P. 250.9(2). The registered lawyer must be available to the law student for information and advice on all aspects of the matter and must directly and actively supervise the law student while allowing the law student to provide representation to the client. The registered lawyer must file or enter an appearance along with the law student in any legal matter pursued or defended for the client in any court. Lawyers may be acting as full-time or adjunct professors at the law student's law school at the same time they serve as supervising lawyers so long as it is not a primary, paid responsibility of that professor to administer the student law office and supervise its law-student participants.Adopted March 15, 2018, effective 7/1/2018; amended and adopted April 15, 2021, effective 7/1/2021; amended and adopted by the Court, En Banc, April 13, 2023, effective 7/1/2023.