Daniel Wiessner who writes for Reuters reports that, “ Following the lead of the New York state court system, New Jersey’s top judge has formed a committee to consider requiring prospective attorneys to complete pro bono work before being admitted to the state bar.

The 17-member panel, which Chief Justice Stuart Rabner created last week, will be chaired by Judge Glenn Grant, the acting administrative director of New Jersey’s court system. The committee will review New York’s pro bono mandate, which requires 50 hours of work, and make recommendations to Rabner.

The panel includes private attorneys, bar association officials, legal service providers and officials from the state’s three law schools, as well as a third-year law student and a retired state judge.

According to an Oct. 15 letter Grant wrote inviting the officials to join the committee, 97 percent of small claims litigants and 99 percent of tenants in housing cases in New Jersey show up to court without a lawyer.

“These numbers, combined with the ongoing limits of resources for Legal Services of New Jersey, continue to cause concern about access for a considerable portion of those who could be most in need,” he wrote.”

New Jersey is not the only state that is examining how to get more lawyers involved in pro bono activity.  New York’s Chief Judge, Jonathan Lippman, proposed a requirement for mandatory pro bono service New York in May. The New York proposal designated an array of existing law school programs, such as clinics, internships and judicial clerkships, to qualify as mandatory pro bono hours. New York’s  rule will  apply to anyone admitted to the bar after Jan. 1, 2015.