The College of Law does not require any pro bono hours for graduation. However, students who complete a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono work are recognized by the College at Commencement.
- Students who complete the minimum 50 hours will receive a certificate from the Dean and special recognition at Commencement.
- Students who complete 75+ hours will receive a certificate from the Dean, a Blue Pro Bono Honor Cord, and special recognition at Commencement.
- Students who complete 100+ hours will receive a certificate from the Dean, an Orange Pro Bono Honor Cord, and special recognition at graduation.
- The top three graduating students providing the most pro bono and community service hours will be individually recognized.
New York State does not assess eligibility in the same way that the College of Law determines eligibility. See the requirements below for each.
Syracuse University College of Law Eligibility Requirements (Optional Pro Bono service)
- Work is not for academic credit or financial compensation;
- Work is law-related and necessitates the use of legal skills;
- Work is performed under the supervision of an attorney;
- Work is done on behalf of a nonprofit organization, a legal services organization, a government agency, or a private firm; and
- Work provides pro bono legal services directly to persons with limited means
Submitting College of Law Pro Bono Hours
- Log into Symplicity
- Navigate to the left sidebar
- In the "My Account" tab, click "Pro Bono"
- Click "Add New" button
- Fill out all parts of the form
- Click "submit" button
New York State Bar Eligibility Requirements (Mandatory for admission to NYS Bar)
Hours comply with Rule 520.16 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals and conforms to its commentary:
- Work is law-related and necessitates use of legal skills;
- Work is performed under supervision of an attorney;
- Hours are certified by the supervising attorney via an Affidavit of Compliance; and
- Hours are completed prior to the student's admission to the Bar
Submitting New York State Bar Hours
For information on submitting New York State Bar hours, see the Affidavit of Compliance. These hours do not need to be tracked with the College of Law through Symplicity.