Pro Bono Legal Service

Rule 6.1 of the South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct provides, "[a] lawyer should render public interest legal service. A lawyer may discharge this responsibility by providing professional services at no fee or reduced fee to persons of limited means or to public service or charitable groups or organizations, by service in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession…" The South Carolina Lawyer's Oath, sworn or affirmed when admitted to practice in this state, includes "I will assist the defenseless or oppressed by ensuring that justice is available to all citizens and will not delay any person's cause for profit or malice…" To that end, the Court informs the bar of the following opportunities:

1) South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) is seeking attorneys to assist unrepresented parties who meet SCLS's income guidelines by taking bankruptcy cases on a pro bono basis. SCLS collects the initial intake information from the debtor, which is provided to assist the attorney. Further information is available on the SCLS website.

2) SCLS is also looking for volunteers to participate in its Private Attorney Involvement ("PAI") program. The program allows for flexibility in the amount and timing of cases to be referred by SCLS to the attorney and malpractice insurance is provided by SCLS. If interested in volunteering, more information can be found here.

3) Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services is seeking attorneys for bankruptcy cases referred to it on a pro bono basis. Pro Bono Legal Services gathers documents and completes an initial interview, all of which are provided to the attorney to help in assessing the case. More information is available on the Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services website.

4) The University of South Carolina School of Law has established a Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic, in which law students provide assistance with completing and organizing documents for filing under the supervision of the clinic director and/or a volunteer attorney. For more information, contact Jefferson Coulter at the USC School of Law.

5) In coordination with the American Bar Association, the South Carolina Bar offers South Carolina Law Free Legal Answers, an online service in which qualified low income individuals may post legal questions, including those related to bankruptcy law, that are answered by volunteer attorneys. Volunteer attorneys are provided malpractice insurance at no cost for the legal guidance that they provide on the South Carolina Law Answers website. More information about volunteering for this service is available here.