The New York Courts have finalized the bar applicant mandatory pro bono rules.  The National Center for Access to Justice blogs with the details and links here.

But the bigger picture news is how much attention this has gotten.  Look at this Google Search result.

Its another example of how leadership means being in front of the crowd, rather than with it.  When first announced by the New York Chief, the proposal was controversial.  Now it seems like an obvious deal, and that is bound to have a major impact nationally.

At the risk of being repetitious, the lesson for me is that the judicial leaders can take public stands that are potentially controversial provided they relate directly to the core mission of the courts, and provided that they grounded in universal values (like access).  (Of course, there is always the worry that some issues, like a direct assertion of a civil Gideon claim, might come before a court in a litigation context, with implications for possible need for recusal when a direct on-point opinion has been stated.)