The New York State Court of Appeals has amended Part 524 of its Rules, effective July 22, 2020, to establish a program by which eligible graduates of ABA-approved law schools may apply for temporary authorization to practice law under the supervision of an attorney who is admitted to practice in New York State. This program is intended to meet the needs of law graduates who are employed in New York, pending their admission to the bar. Pursuant to the amended rules of the Court of Appeals, temporary authorization to practice may be granted by order of the Appellate Division upon application by an eligible applicant.
Program requirements and application instructions, along with the required forms (Application Form and Employer Supporting Affirmation) which need to be completed in support of the Temporary Authorization application. Applicants who anticipate being certified by the State Board of Law Examiners for admission in the Second Judicial Department may submit their completed application materials to this Court electronically by email to the following address:
AD2-temporarylawpractice@nycourts.gov
The Appellate Division recognizes the unique challenges that are confronting recent law graduates and joins the Court of Appeals in seeking to provide an impactful means of assisting these graduates in pursuing legal employment in New York pending their admission to the bar.