Safety above all. This is how the court system has operated since March, albeit continuously. “From the beginning of this crisis, we have not closed the courts. Justice has been delivered continuously throughout this process,” said Hon. Vito C. Caruso, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge (Outside NYC). He recently detailed the courts’ recent and future operations … Continued
Chief Judge Charles Breitel explaining pending court reforms to New York City judges at a statewide judges conference of continuing education with David Ross (seated) and William Kapelman, circa 1976. Judge Bellacosa is standing behind Chief Judge Breitel. Chief Judge DiFiore and the Lesson of History A common wisdom holds that those who fail to … Continued
As the nation remains focused on the rising number of COVID-19 cases, one statistic has been largely overlooked – the rise in domestic violence cases brought on, to a large degree, by the stress of mandatory stay-at-home orders. While the surge is cause for concern, it is not unprecedented. At the end of World War … Continued
New York’s animal cruelty laws need updating. They have not kept pace with contemporary animal protection legislation. Our pets are beloved family members yet under New York statutes abused animals are still treated more like property. The evolving view is to treat pets as sentient creatures and provide stiff penalties to protect them from cruelty. … Continued
Manhattan Attorney Lawrence Garbuz was dubbed “patient zero” after testing positive in the first known New York City coronavirus case, which led to the shutdown of his suburban neighborhood of New Rochelle. The moniker, he says, may be a bit unfair since other people unknowingly had coronavirus, but the 50-year-old with no underlying health conditions … Continued
Scott M. Karson, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement criticizing tenant advocates who harassed attorneys at the Brooklyn firm of Balsamo, Rosenblatt & Hall during three days of anti-eviction protests.
Being a lawyer is stressful in the best of times. Rates of mental illness, fatigue, substance use and other health issues are higher for those in the law than in any other profession. I recognize this firsthand, as the profession has exacted a physical toll on me. I am a Type 2 diabetic who takes … Continued
The chance of landing a new client is 8 to 1. The chance of getting work from an existing client is 3 to 1. This was one of several key takeaways delivered by Carol Schiro Greenwald, on the recent CLE webinar, “How To Create A Realistic And Effective Marketing Plan Despite COVID-19.” Even with the … Continued
On August 5, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.55 invoking new powers from a law passed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic to temporarily suspend or modify laws necessary to assist or aid in coping with a declared State disaster emergency. On March 3, 2020, the Governor signed into law legislation that expanded his … Continued
The Legal Writer continues its series on what we can learn from the great writing teachers. In this column, we continue our focus on William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s renowned little book, The Elements of Style. Part II of this two-part column addresses White’s core principles on effective style and Strunk’s recommendations on effective … Continued