Tennessee Bar Journal Editorial Board

Last year, the New York State court system announced its first-of-its-kind 50-hour pro bono requirement for new attorneys. Effective in 2015, every applicant must have completed 50 hours of pro bono legal work. The National Law Journal reports that leaders of the State Bar of California are now poised to adopt a similar rule this fall, while a task force of ­judges, legal educators and attorneys in New Jersey is weighing the merits. In Tennessee, there is no similar requirement for new lawyers or practicing lawyers; however 50 hours of pro bono per year is an aspirational goal outlined in Supreme Court Rule 6.1. Learn more about that in this issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal.