Authorizes a requirement of pro bono service as a condition of admission to the bar or attorney registration; exempts pro bono work performed pursuant to an agreement with the federal government if the federal government designates the recipients of the pro bono work or type or types or nature of such legal services; provides for the expiration of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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10288
IN SENATE
May 11, 2026
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Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to pro bono service by
attorneys and candidates for admission to the bar; and providing for
the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 53 of the judiciary law, as
2 amended by chapter 450 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 3. The court shall prescribe rules providing for a uniform system of
5 examination of candidates for admission to practice as attorneys and
6 counsellors, which shall govern the state board of law examiners in the
7 performance of its duties. Such rules may require a candidate for admis-
8 sion to the bar to complete a certain number of hours of qualifying pro
9 bono service prior to filing an application for admission; provided,
10 however, that such qualifying pro bono service shall not include any
11 hours assisting in the provision of legal services required pursuant to
12 an agreement between the candidate for admission's supervisor or the
13 supervisor's law firm and the federal government under which the federal
14 government specifies the recipient or recipients or type or types or
15 nature of such legal services. The court shall not by its rules cause to
16 be barred from examination or, upon successful completion of the exam-
17 ination process, subsequent admission to the state bar, provided [he or
18 she] the candidate shall otherwise meet any requirements for admission,
19 any person who is currently admitted to practice in the jurisdiction of
20 another state and has received a degree from a law school which quali-
21 fies such person to practice law in such state, other than a law school
22 which grants credit for correspondence courses, provided that such
23 person has been engaged in the actual practice of law in the state in
24 which they are admitted for no less than five years.
25 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 468-a of the judiciary law, as added by
26 chapter 714 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11929-10-6
S. 10288 2
1 3. The chief administrator shall prescribe the form in which such
2 registry of attorneys shall be maintained and the procedures for public
3 access thereto, and may make all such other rules and regulations neces-
4 sary and appropriate to implement and enforce the provisions of this
5 section. Such form may require an attorney to report the number of hours
6 of pro bono service completed by the attorney at the time the attorney
7 files a biennial registration statement; provided, however, that such
8 qualifying pro bono service shall not include any hours assisting in the
9 provision of legal services required pursuant to an agreement between an
10 attorney or the attorney's law firm and the federal government under
11 which the federal government specifies the recipient or recipients or
12 type or types or nature of such legal services.
13 § 3. The judiciary law is amended by adding a new section 484-a to
14 read as follows:
15 § 484-a. Compulsory legal services prohibited. No law firm employer in
16 the state of New York may require an employee to assist in the provision
17 of legal services provided pursuant to an agreement between the law firm
18 and the federal government under which the federal government specifies
19 the recipient or recipients or type or types or nature of such legal
20 services.
21 § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
22 it shall have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed Janu-
23 ary 20, 2029. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
24 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
25 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
26 on or before such effective date.
