Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways to volunteer if you are interested in attorney ethics. This article describes many of those opportunities.
Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board
The Minnesota Supreme Court posts vacancies for Board service when available, which will be reposted on this site. For more information on volunteering on the Board, visit the Board’s website.
District Ethics Committees
The Office of Lawyer Professional Responsibility invites volunteers to serve on local District Ethics Committees. These Committees investigate complaints of alleged unprofessional conduct by lawyers, and make a written report to the OLPR of their findings and recommendations. This is a great opportunity to contribute to your community, to help safeguard high ethical standards for Minnesota attorneys, and to help ensure the integrity of the judicial system.
Candidates should have an interest in justice, the law, or legal ethics. Candidates do not need to be lawyers or to work in the legal profession to qualify – members of the public are strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates must also be comfortable investigating claims thoroughly and impartially (which will include interviewing people by phone and in person), be able to adhere to strict confidentiality rules, be comfortable working under deadlines, and be able to write clearly and concisely. Training and support are provided.
District Ethics Committee volunteers are appointed to a three-year term and can expect to investigate one to two complaints a year. The time commitment is flexible and varies. For more information, you may wish to speak with the chair of the committee in your district. You can find this information here.
There are 21 District Ethics Committees throughout Minnesota. Candidates will be appointed by the District Bar Association in their area.
Probation Supervisors
If you are an experienced attorney who is interested in mentoring other attorneys to assist them in the ethical practice of law, please contact our Probation Department Lead. Time commitment varies but typically involves meeting monthly with a lawyer to assist them in their practice and providing quarterly reports on probation progress.
Client Security Board
Another valuable volunteer opportunity is as a member of the Client Security Board, which is composed of 7 individuals, five lawyers and two public members, appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court. For more information, visit the CSB website.
If you are interested in DEC service or a probation supervisor role, please submit your resume or letter of interest to:
Volunteer Coordinator
Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility
Minnesota Judicial Center, Suite 105
Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
Or email the Volunteer Coordinator at deccordinator@courts.state.mn.us.