New York S 10288: Relates to pro bono service by attorneys and candidates for admission to the bar

Bill Text

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S10288 Summary:

BILL NOS10288 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A08318-B

&nbsp

SPONSORSKOUFIS

&nbsp

COSPNSRBOTTCHER

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§53 & 468-a, add §484-a, Judy L

&nbsp

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.

Go to top S10288 Actions:

BILL NOS10288 

&nbsp

05/11/2026REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

Go to topS10288 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS10288 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS10288 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10288

 IN SENATE

 May 11, 2026
 ___________

 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.