Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman is planning to require future New York attorneys to perform 50 hours of pro bono service before being admitted to practice law in New York. Pro bono is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken without payment or at a reduced fee, as a public service. Judge Lippman has said, the presiding justices of all four appellate divisions have endorsed the new pro bono plan and that the 50 hours could be performed during law school or any time before admission to the bar. The requirement is expected to help address the need for legal services for the poor, as well as, give law students practical experience before practicing in the profession.
