New York 2025 Session Status: Introduced

A8318 — Relates to pro bono service by attorneys and candidates for admission to the bar

Last action — In Assembly Committee

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Assembly. Introduced May 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill allows pro bono service as a requirement for bar admission and attorney registration.

This bill authorizes pro bono service as a condition for attorneys seeking bar admission. It also includes an exemption for federal government-designated pro bono work.

Summary

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.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

1 change Share ↗

Compared against the New York Consolidated Laws as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 1 section(s) of the New York Consolidated Laws: Section 53 of the judiciary law.

  • Section 53 of the judiciary law

    he or she → 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 candidate italics 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. § 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.

    amended

Action History

  1. REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

  2. PRINT NUMBER 8318B

  3. AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY

  4. PRINT NUMBER 8318A

  5. AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY

  6. REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 218 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (218)

218 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 218 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does A8318 do?
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.
Who sponsors A8318?
A8318 is sponsored by Micah Lasher.
What is the current status of A8318?
This bill has been introduced in the Assembly. Introduced May 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track A8318?
Track A8318 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on A8318

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of A8318

Last checked for changes 4 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →