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East County News Service
August 17, 2016 (Sacramento) - A bill requiring law students to complete 50 hours of supervised volunteer or pro bono service before taking the bar exam will go the governor after the state senate voted late Monday to approve changes made in the Assembly.
“This bill, SB 1257, provides law students with hands-on experience in addition to classroom theory before going on to practice law, and provides California’s indigent with a new resource for legal assistance,” said Sen. Marty Block (D-San Diego), the measure’s author. He added that representing low-income clients might also spur law student interest in high need, but relatively low-paid fields of law.
Under the bill, law students will be required to complete, sign and submit a form to the State Bar confirming completion of 50 hours of pro bono service. Acceptable service under the bill would include work that benefits the public interest or persons who are indigent or of modest means. Partisan political activities would not qualify as pro bono service.
In the Assembly, the bill was amended to allow students to receive payment for their work, so long as payment was not from the client who benefitted from the service. Students who are already licensed in foreign countries or other states are exempt from the bill.
“SB 1257 will provide practical experience for law students, legal assistance for needy Californians and staff support for organizations that already represent the underserved,” Block said.
SB 1257 is supported by the Conference of California Bar Associations and the Monterey College of Law. It was approved by the Senate on a 26 –12 vote.
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