Month: April 2021

Sweet Potatoes, Shredded Chicken and Inorganic Arsenic?: Food for Thought on the Legal Issues Surrounding Heavy Metals in Baby Food

Sometimes, what’s not on a nutrition label matters the most. While food safety in America is largely focused on pathogens and bacteria, a bombshell Feb. 4, 2021 U.S. House Subcommittee report found that baby foods can contain arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. In March, the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 was introduced to Congress … Continued

NYSBA Enters Into Historic Agreement With Milan Bar Association

Continuing its mission to expand its global presence, the New York State Bar Association and the Milan Bar Association in Italy – a mandatory bar association of about 25,000 lawyers – entered into a historic cooperation agreement during a virtual event April 28. The accord – officially called a memorandum of understanding (MOU) – formalizes … Continued

Catching Up to Technology: Using Social Media Posts as Evidence

To many outside the legal world, the images and videos posted on social media during the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 would seem to be enough to press charges. During a recent New York State Bar Association webinar, “Criminal Investigations and Social Media, Geolocation, and the Capitol Riots,” panelists discussed how content posted on social … Continued

Bill To Repeal NY Law Office Requirement Advances

The State Senate Judiciary Committee voted April 27 to advance NYSBA-backed legislation that would repeal the controversial Judiciary Law Section 470, which requires lawyers admitted to practice in New York – but residing in other states – to maintain a physical law office in New York State. Nearly 25 percent of NYSBA membership reside or … Continued

New York Continues To Reform Voting Laws

Over the last few years, New York has risen as a progressive front runner for election law in the United States. Since the Democrats took control of the legislature, New York has enacted substantial election law reforms including pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds, removal of burdensome identification requirements, and enactment of the Automatic Voter Registration … Continued

NYSBA Advocates for its Priorities on ABA Lobby Day

The leadership of the New York State Bar Association and the association’s Government Relations team met with key members of the New York Congressional Delegation as part of the annual American Bar Association lobby day on April 21. Participating were NYSBA President Scott M. Karson, President-Elect T. Andrew Brown, Secretary and President-Elect Designate Sherry Levin … Continued

Chief Judge Urges Vaccinations as Staffing Levels Increase

Good afternoon Members, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, in her weekly coronavirus update today, urged all state court system judges and staff to get vaccinated, as they prepare to return to work at courthouses statewide on Monday, May 24. Additionally, DiFiore said beginning today, judicial districts outside New York City have increased their staffing levels to … Continued