VIDEO: Can Mandatory Pro Bono Work in NY?
May 11, 2012
By now, New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman’s initiative to require pro bono service as a condition of admittance to the New York State Bar has made the rounds of the legal community. Judge Lippman’s announcement, made appropriately on Law Day (May 1), made some waves as various observers touted the pros and cons of the proposal. This week, a column by PBI President and CEO Esther F. Lardent appeared in The National Law Journal, applauding the action while strongly cautioning against overzealous implementation. Lardent outlined several issues that would affect the roughly 10,000 annual applicants to