Pro Bono/Emeritus Attorneys

Many jurisdictions encourage retired, inactive, or out-of-state lawyers to provide unpaid legal help through pro bono or emeritus admission. Eligibility often turns on active/inactive status, association with an approved program, and limits on compensated work. Some states also allow authorized house counsel to do pro bono work.

The map below marks states with a distinct pro bono/emeritus admission rule:

States with pro bono/emeritus rules
States without a separate pro bono/emeritus rule
Hover a state for details, click to open the page.