S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8318--B
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LASHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Judiciary -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from
said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
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:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 53 of the judiciary law, as
amended by chapter 450 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as
follows:
3. The court shall prescribe rules providing for a uniform system of
examination of candidates for admission to practice as attorneys and
counsellors, which shall govern the state board of law examiners in the
performance of its duties. SUCH RULES MAY REQUIRE A CANDIDATE FOR ADMIS-
SION TO THE BAR TO COMPLETE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS OF QUALIFYING PRO
BONO SERVICE PRIOR TO FILING AN APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THAT SUCH QUALIFYING PRO BONO SERVICE SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY
HOURS ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CANDIDATE FOR ADMISSION'S SUPERVISOR OR THE
SUPERVISOR'S LAW FIRM AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SPECIFIES THE RECIPIENT OR RECIPIENTS OR TYPE OR TYPES OR
NATURE OF SUCH LEGAL SERVICES. The court shall not by its rules cause to
be barred from examination or, upon successful completion of the exam-
ination process, subsequent admission to the state bar, provided [he or
she] THE CANDIDATE shall otherwise meet any requirements for admission,
any person who is currently admitted to practice in the jurisdiction of
another state and has received a degree from a law school which quali-
fies such person to practice law in such state, other than a law school
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11929-09-5
A. 8318--B 2
which grants credit for correspondence courses, provided that such
person has been engaged in the actual practice of law in the state in
which they are admitted for no less than five years.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 468-a of the judiciary law, as added by
chapter 714 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
3. The chief administrator shall prescribe the form in which such
registry of attorneys shall be maintained and the procedures for public
access thereto, and may make all such other rules and regulations neces-
sary and appropriate to implement and enforce the provisions of this
section. SUCH FORM MAY REQUIRE AN ATTORNEY TO REPORT THE NUMBER OF HOURS
OF PRO BONO SERVICE COMPLETED BY THE ATTORNEY AT THE TIME THE ATTORNEY
FILES A BIENNIAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH
QUALIFYING PRO BONO SERVICE SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY HOURS ASSISTING IN THE
PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES REQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN AN
ATTORNEY OR THE ATTORNEY'S LAW FIRM AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER
WHICH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPECIFIES THE RECIPIENT OR RECIPIENTS OR
TYPE OR TYPES OR NATURE OF SUCH LEGAL SERVICES.
§ 3. The judiciary law is amended by adding a new section 484-a to
read as follows:
§ 484-A. COMPULSORY LEGAL SERVICES PROHIBITED. NO LAW FIRM EMPLOYER IN
THE STATE OF NEW YORK MAY REQUIRE AN EMPLOYEE TO ASSIST IN THE PROVISION
OF LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LAW FIRM
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPECIFIES
THE RECIPIENT OR RECIPIENTS OR TYPE OR TYPES OR NATURE OF SUCH LEGAL
SERVICES.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed Janu-
ary 20, 2029. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
on or before such effective date.