2012 Pro Bono Publico Award Recipient: New York Supreme Court, Fourth Department

The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Fourth Department, established the department’s Policy Statement on Pro Bono Legal and Volunteer Services, the first pro bono policy for appellate-court lawyers and staff in New York State. The policy encourages appellate-court lawyers to set a personal goal of achieving at least 20 hours of pro bono service per year. Over the last three years, lawyers in the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, have provided pro bono service to more than 200 low-income clients through the Volunteer Legal Services Project’s Family Law Clinic, Pro Se Divorce Clinic, Alternatives for Battered Women Clinic, Wills Clinic and Consumer Law Hotline. Lawyers have also accepted case referrals for employment insurance-benefit denials and wills for seriously ill clients.