Potential Lawyers Now Need 50 Pro Bono Hours To Pass NYS Bar
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New York is raising the bar for potential lawyers.
Starting Jan. 1, anyone looking to enter the New York State Bar will have to complete 50 hours of pro bono work.
The rule will immediately apply to all students entering their first or second year of law school.
Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, who appointed the panel that decided how to implement the new requirement, says it's important for law students to understand the values that are a key part of the legal profession.
"Pro bono work has been a part of the core values of our profession from time immemorial," he said. "This is what we do. Service to others. That's what the legal profession is all about."
Students will have to be supervised by an attorney or judge as they complete their 50 hours, which can be in various levels of the legal system.