Sussman v. Grado

OPINION OF THE COURT

Joel K. Asarch, J.

There is an unmet need for legal representation of a large portion of the state’s population in civil proceedings. Despite laudable efforts by the practicing bar to provide free and reduced rate legal services to the public (pro bono publico), many people still cannot afford to obtain the assistance of counsel in civil cases. However, as the Ad Hoc Committee for Non-Lawyer Practice of the New York State Bar Association found, “[t]he employment of educated and trained legal assistants presents an opportunity to expand the public’s accessibility to legal…