In this episode of Remotely Ethical, we discuss a recent change to the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, which permits lawyers to provide financial assistance to certain indigent pro bono clients.

Watch below!

In this episode we discuss:

• Until recently, Rule 1.8(e) of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct prohibited lawyers in litigation from providing financial assistance to clients for non-litigation related expenses
• We discussed this rule in a previous episode about whether lawyers can pay bail for their clients
• Rule 1.8(e) has now been amended to allow financial assistance to indigent clients in pro bono cases, as long as certain conditions are met
• Whether this rule change - called the "humanitarian exception" - would now permit lawyers to pay bail for their clients and, if so, would that create a conflict under other rules

If you are interested in contributing to a charitable bail fund or learning more about how bail funds work, here is a list of organizations:

• The Bail Project
• Brooklyn Community Bail Fund
• New York Immigrant Freedom Fund
• National Bail Fund Network

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