On May 1, 2012, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced that starting next year prospective lawyers will be required to complete 50 hours of Pro Bono work to sit for the New York State Bar.
Beginning in January 2013, a new rule affecting bar admission in New York will be in effect. All candidates seeking admission after January 1, 2015, with the exception of admission on motion candidates, will need to file documentation showing that they have completed 50 hours of qualifying pro bono work, as required by Rule 520.16 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals. [1]
We pulled the relevant documents as part of the Legal Ethics Research Guide – see New York State Pro Bono Requirement for Bar Admission. Of particular interest may be the New York State Bar Admission: Pro Bono Requirement FAQs, revised as of October 1, 2012.