Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced at the New York Court of Appeal's Law Day celebration that New York attorneys must now report their pro bono hours with the mandatory registration every two years.  The state also revised its pro bono service goal from 20 to 50 hours per year.  "While the legal profession in our state selflessly provides millions of hours of pro bono work to help people of limited means each year, the civil legal needs of low-income New Yorkers are enormous and continue to grow as a result of the uncertain ecomomy," Judge Lippman said in a statement.  "I have every confidence that the steps we take today will help increase pro bono service and narrow the enormous access to justice gap in our state."1

 

Many attorneys in the United States Bankruptcy for the Northern District of New York meet their annual requirements through providing much needed representation of debtors who are unable to afford their services.  In the first quarter of this year, sixty-four debtors received pro bono representation.  These debtors were assisted by twenty-nine lawyers practicing within the three divisons of the court.  Several attorneys provided pro bono representation to three or more debtors, including:  Michael Toomey (7), Jerrold Bartman (7), Michael Jude O'Connor (6), Gregory Germain (5), Marc Ehrlich (5), Richard Croak (5) and Tom Miller (4).

 

The following list comprises the Honor Roll of Pro Bono Attorneys who have represented pro bono at least one debtor, served as a mediator without compensation or volunteered time for the Legal Project or another bankruptcy clinic. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York extends a special thank you to these dedicated professionals who serve the legal needs of the economically underprivileged in their community.

 

 

 

1. http://www.law360.com/articles/437711/ny-chief-ushers-in-new-pro-bono-rules-on-law-day