(1) Creation. There is a Standing Committee of the Supreme Court on Pro Bono Legal Service.

(2) Members. The Standing Committee consists of the following members appointed by the Supreme Court.

(3) Terms. The term of each member is three years. A member may be reappointed to serve one or more additional terms. At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed. Unless reappointed, a member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term until a successor is appointed.

(4) Chair. The Supreme Court shall designate one of the members as chair.

(5) Consultants. The Standing Committee may designate a reasonable number of consultants from among court personnel or representatives of other organizations or agencies concerned with the provision of legal services to persons of limited means.

(1) Required. The Standing Committee shall:

(2) Permitted. The Standing Committee may make recommendations to the Supreme Court concerning the appointment and reappointment of its members.

(1) Generally. Within three years after the effective date of this Rule, the Standing Committee shall submit to the Supreme Court a State Pro Bono Action Plan to promote increased efforts on the part of attorneys to provide legal assistance to persons of limited means. In developing the Plan, the Standing Committee shall:

(2) Contents. The State Pro Bono Action Plan may include a recommendation for increasing or decreasing the aspirational goals for pro bono publico legal service set forth in Rule 19-306.1 (6.1) of the Maryland Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct. The Plan should include suggestions for the kinds of pro bono activities that will be most helpful in meeting the need for pro bono legal service throughout the State and should address long-range pro bono service issues.

Committee note: Examples of long-range issues that may be addressed include opportunities for transactional attorneys, government attorneys, business attorneys, and in-house attorneys to render pro bono legal service; opportunities for pro bono legal service by attorneys who are unable to provide direct client representation; “collective responsibility” for pro bono legal service when a law firm designates certain attorneys to handle only pro bono matters; and encouraging pro bono legal service among law students and in the legal academic setting.