What if you could get your law degree faster? And in the process, what if you also racked up 500 hours of practical experience while helping to fill the need for pro bono legal services in the state of New York?
That is the winning combination offered to third year law students interested in the Pro Bono Scholars Program introduced by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman approximately a year ago. The PBSP allows students in their final year of law school to devote their last semester to performing pro bono service for the poor through an approved externship program and students accepted into the program will be eligible to sit for the February bar exam – in the middle of their final year of study. That means admission to practice can likely be within weeks of law school graduation.
Oh, to be a 1L and have that option to consider! But that’s only in New York.
The PBSP is the first of its kind in the country, with the fundamental goal to reinforce the legal
profession’s commitment to a culture of service while generating countless hours of pro bono work on behalf of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
Anyone who has been looking for a legal position in recent years knows what the competition is like and understands the need to have as much experience as possible on their resume. The Pro Bono Scholars Program builds upon New York’s 50-hour pro bono bar admission requirement. Pro Bono Scholars will easily meet this requirement with their 12 weeks of full time service.
By Nora A. Jones
