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S07860 Summary:

BILL NOS07860B
 
SAME ASSAME AS A08318-B
 
SPONSORHOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
COSPNSRMAY
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §§53 & 468-a, add §484-a, Judy L
 
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.
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S07860 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         7860--B
            Cal. No. 1209
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                       May 9, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, MAY -- read twice and ordered print-
          ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary  --
          committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
          recommitted to said committee -- reported favorably from said  commit-
          tee,  ordered  to first and second report, ordered to a third reading,
          amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place  in  the  order  of
          third reading
 
        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
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11929-08-5

        S. 7860--B                          2
 
     1  another  state  and has received a degree from a law school which quali-
     2  fies such person to practice law in such state, other than a law  school
     3  which  grants  credit  for  correspondence  courses,  provided that such
     4  person  has  been  engaged in the actual practice of law in the state in
     5  which they are admitted for no less than five years.
     6    § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 468-a of the judiciary law, as added  by
     7  chapter 714 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
     8    3.  The  chief  administrator  shall  prescribe the form in which such
     9  registry of attorneys shall be maintained and the procedures for  public
    10  access thereto, and may make all such other rules and regulations neces-
    11  sary  and  appropriate  to  implement and enforce the provisions of this
    12  section. Such form may require an attorney to report the number of hours
    13  of pro bono service completed by the attorney at the time  the  attorney
    14  files  a  biennial  registration statement; provided, however, that such
    15  qualifying pro bono service shall not include any hours assisting in the
    16  provision of legal services required pursuant to an agreement between an
    17  attorney or the attorney's law firm and  the  federal  government  under
    18  which  the  federal  government specifies the recipient or recipients or
    19  type or types or nature of such legal services.
    20    § 3. The judiciary law is amended by adding a  new  section  484-a  to
    21  read as follows:
    22    § 484-a. Compulsory legal services prohibited. No law firm employer in
    23  the state of New York may require an employee to assist in the provision
    24  of legal services provided pursuant to an agreement between the law firm
    25  and  the federal government under which the federal government specifies
    26  the recipient or recipients or type or types or  nature  of  such  legal
    27  services.
    28    § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    29  it shall have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed Janu-
    30  ary  20,  2029.    Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
    31  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
    32  this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
    33  on or before such effective date.
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