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History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S2440
Title of bill
An act relating to the study of law in certain law schools to be eligible to sit for the New York state bar exam
Purpose
To allow graduates of Massachusetts School of Law (MSL) to take the New York State Bar Examination immediately following graduation. To deem the MSL as an approved law school.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: deems the Massachusetts School of Law as an approved law school, even if it has not been approved by the American Bar Association, so long as the school has met all the other requirements established by 22 NYCRR Part 520.03.
Existing law
Currently, to sit for the New York State bar exam, one must graduate from an accredited law school or have worked in another state for 5 years after being duly admitted to that state's bar.
Justification
This legislation would allow graduates of the Massachusetts School of Law (MSL) to take the New York State Bar Examination immediately after graduation instead of waiting five years after employment in Massachusetts. Currently, New York State Law does not permit an individual who graduated from a non-accredited law school to sit for the New York State Bar Exam, unless they have been admitted in another state and worked there for five years. In one particular instance, in the Senator's district, an individual, who passed the Massachusetts's bar exam after graduation, has worked for a New York State law firm for the past five years, is unable to sit for the New York State bar examination because he was employed in New York and not Massachusetts where he was admitted. Therefore, the Court of Appeals has ruled that his experience of five years employment is not sufficient.
Thus, this bill is necessary to insure that all qualified applicants are given the chance to sit for the New York State bar. The legislation does not guarantee admission, rather it only provides equal opportunity for all law school graduates who have met the academic requirements of graduation but have not attended an accredited law school.
Legislative history
S.1791 of 2010 - Referred to Higher Education
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.