IMPORTANT - Complete Bar Forms for Pro Bono and Other Legal Work

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Pro Bono
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IMPORTANT - Complete Bar Forms for Pro Bono and Other Legal Work

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Please make sure you complete the appropriate bar forms for pro bono and other legal work when you complete your employment. You must keep the originals for your future application for admission to the New York bar. You will need to report employment since age 21 (or for the last ten years whichever is shorter) on your application for admission to the bar.

1. PRO BONO WORK

New York state required fifty (50) hours of pro bon work for admission to the bar. School of Law Clinics and Externships count toward these hours. The Clinic will complete the forms for you. BUT, YOU must download and complete the forms for Externships, Fellowships and other pro bono work.

Pro Bono work includes, but is not limited to:
- legal services for individuals who do not have access to justice (fellowships and stipends do NOT disqualify the work from being pro bono)
- judicial clerkships
- legal work for a government entity

See this Frequently Asked Questions memo for more information: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/f ... sion_0.pdf

Link to 50 hour Form Affidavit for Applicant’s Compliance with the Pro Bono Requirement is at: https://www.nybarexam.org/Admission/F- ... ments.pdf . You want to complete these now or at the end of the semester, so you do not have any trouble locating your supervising attorney when you are applying for admission to the bar and have time deadlines. In addition, you May also want to obtain any non-pro bono law-related employment forms.

In addition, PLEASE report your pro bono work to the School of Law. We need it for various reporting requirement. And, if you perform more the 400 hours of pro bono work, you will receive a pro bono service honor cord to wear at Commencement (graduation). The easy online form is at: https://www.law.buffalo.edu/current/pro ... ional.html

2. OTHER LEGAL WORK - this includes being a research assistant for a School of Law professor

Students who work for lawyers, law firms or in house legal departments should fill out the Law Related Employment Affidavit is available at: https://www.nybarexam.org/Admission/D-B ... oyment.pdf

YOU MUST KEEP THESE FORMS AND SUBMIT THEM WITH YOUR APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE BAR AFTER YOU TAKE THE BAR EXAM. DO NOT TRY TO SUBMIT THEM TO THE LAW SCHOOL.

Any questions? contact Vice Dean Melinda Saran at saran@buffalo.edu
Lisa Patterson
Program Director for Externships, Public Interest
and Access to Justice Initiatives
518 O'Brian Hall
Phone: (716) 645-6262
Email: LPatter@Buffalo.edu
Pronouns: She/her/hers

My Office is a Safe Space
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