Dean Salkin's Response to Judge Lippman's Announcement of the ProBono Scholars Program

Today, New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced a new Pro Bono Scholars Program in his 2014 State of the Judiciary address.

 

The new program would allow law students to dedicate their last semester of law school to completing pro bono service by working while gaining practical experience and receiving law school credit.

 

In response, Touro Law Center Dean Patricia Salkin stated, “Touro Law Center has been a leader in New York State when it comes to access to justice. Long before the mandatory pro bono requirement, Touro Law required our students to satisfy a pro bono requirement as a condition of graduation. Judge Lippman’s proposed ProBono Scholars Program is an innovative idea that attempts to address both calls from the profession for more experiential education and demands to meet access to justice across the state. We look forward to being part of the discussion to further develop the details of the program, ensuring it is beneficial for law students seeking hands-on learning opportunities in real world settings while making a meaningful impact in closing the justice gap. I am certain that the faculty will be studying the proposal and the forthcoming details as we continue to hone our cutting-edge collaborative court and experiential profession-ready curriculum.”