Michael A. Simons on New York's New Pro Bono Service Requirement

May 25, 2012

In the Media

Panel is Tasked to Suggest Ways to Enact NY Pro Bono Requirement
By Laura Haring
New York Law Journal
May 24, 2012

Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman yesterday announced the creation of an advisory committee that will make recommendations on how to implement a new pro bono service requirement set to become a prerequisite in 2013 for admission to the New York bar.

Lippman introduced the committee at an event at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law that brought together leaders from New York law schools and legal aid organizations, as well as members of the judiciary, practitioners and students to discuss how law schools can help address the unmet legal needs of low-income New Yorkers.

Michael Simons, dean of St. John's University School of Law, called the requirement a "huge undertaking." An effective program, he said, should be "valuable for service providers, manageable from a cost point and a positive learning experience."