Proposed Skills Requirement for Prospective New York Lawyers

The New York Court of Appeals is seeking comments on a proposed skills requirement for prospective lawyers.  The Task Force on Experiential Learning and Admission to the Bar has proposed five separate paths that will allow applicants for admission to the bar to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the skills competency requirement. Pathways 1 and 2 require certification by the law school that the applicant has fulfilled the requirement through the law school skills curriculum or practice-based experiential coursework. Pathway 3 allows applicants who have successfully completed the Pro Bono Scholars Program to satisfy the skills requirement. Pathways 4 and 5 were designed for applicants who did not have plentiful opportunities for skills training during their law study.

Persons or organizations wishing to comment on this proposal should e-mail their submissions to attorneyadmissions@nycourts.gov or write to: Margaret Wood, Court Attorney for Professional Matters, Court of Appeals Hall, 20 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207. Submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. on November 9, 2015. All public comments will be treated as available for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law, and are subject to publication by the Office of Court Administration. The issuance of a proposal for public comment should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that proposal by the Court of Appeals.

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