Did you know that you can report one CLE credit for every six hours of pro bono work you do through VLN? Every three-year reporting cycle, you can claim up to six credits this way.

Follow these steps to ensure your hours are recorded at VLN and to apply for CLE Credit:

If your client is a full representation client:

  1. Ensure that a VLN staff person referred the client to you.
  2. Report to us the hours you have worked on the case on the “Full Representation Case Closing” form here.
  3. If you would like to claim hours prior to a case’s completion, please email your Case Placement Coordinator reporting the hours you have worked on the case(s) thus far.
  4. Complete the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education form “Affidavit of Pro Bono Representation to the Board” located here and referenced as “Appendix II” and submit this to the CLE Board.  List VLN as the “legal services provider.” You may list on the reporting affidavit as your contact any VLN staff person with whom you have been working.

VLN address: 600 Nicollet Mall, Ste 390A, Minneapolis, MN 55402

If you volunteer at a VLN clinic:

  1. Be sure to complete the clinic data sheets provided at the clinic.
  2. Complete the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education form “Affidavit of Pro Bono Representation to the Board” and submit this to the CLE Board.  List VLN as the “legal services provider.”

Note: if you volunteer at a VLN clinic in partnership with your law firm: you may be able to list your firm and pro bono coordinator as the “legal services provider”

To read the entire rule/s and see lists of approved organizations, please click here to visit the Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education Pro Bono page.

Effective July 1, 2010, the Rules of the CLE Board require that a Minnesota lawyer who files a paper affidavit to report the lawyer’s CLE attendance must pay a $10.00 filing fee.  This filing fee is waived for the Pro Bono Credit which must be applied for by filing a paper affidavit.  

Download the Tip of the Month:

pdfdownload2 June Tip of the Month – CLE Credit for Pro Bono

Published by Molly Whelan