Rule 16-603 Membership in legal services organization.

Lawyers can volunteer or serve as a director, officer, or member of a legal aid or legal services group, even if that group sometimes helps people whose interests conflict with the lawyer's own clients. Being involved with this kind of organization on the side does not automatically create a conflict of interest.

However, there are limits. The lawyer cannot take part in any decision or action by the organization if doing so would conflict with the lawyer's duties to their own client under the conflict of interest rules. The lawyer also cannot get involved in a decision that could hurt the organization's representation of a client whose interests are opposed to the lawyer's own client.

In short, lawyers can wear two hats: their regular law practice and volunteer work with a legal services group. But they have to step back from specific decisions or actions if being involved would create a real conflict for either their own client or the organization's client.