Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from the Initial Report of NYSBA’s Committee on Cannabis Law Regarding Legalized Cannabis Legislation in New York State that was approved by the House of Delegates on January 31. The complete report can be viewed at www.nysba.org/cannabisreport/. As more and more states across the U.S. legalize cannabis for adult use, … Continued
New York state receives hundreds of thousands of Freedom of Information Act requests each year and state agencies post thousands of pages of documents ranging from criminal justice statistics and campaign spending to MTA turnstile usage and solar energy projects. With so much information available yet still so many requests for more, questions surface about … Continued
The Legal Writer continues its series on what we can learn from the great teachers of writing, both lawyers and non-lawyers. In this column, we highlight the teachings of distinguished trial lawyer and law professor, James McElhaney (1938–2017). After graduating from Duke Law School in 1962, McElhaney served in the Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps … Continued
The New York State Bar Association is offering its assistance to policymakers and health authorities as the state prepares to deal with its first case of COVID-19, more commonly known as the novel coronavirus. It is one of the association’s core missions to serve as a resource for New Yorkers and state policymakers on substantive … Continued
New York law students battling depression, anxiety and other mental health issues will no longer suffer in silence for fear that treatment may prevent them from becoming a lawyer. In a major victory for the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), mental health-related questions have been removed from the state bar application effective immediately. The … Continued
The New York State Bar Association and the state Court of Appeals are co-hosting a “Convocation on Civic Education” May 20 in Albany. Chief Judge Janet DiFiore discussed the convocation in her State of the Judiciary address on Feb. 26. DiFiore said leading lawyers, judges, educators, policymakers, students and members of the media will convene … Continued
Speaking at the Legal Aid Society of New York’s 75th anniversary celebration in 1951, the immortal jurist Learned Hand observed: “If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: Thou shalt not ration justice.” Truer words in the law may never have been spoken. Yet here we are some 70 years later … Continued
Here are three small changes you can make to your practice that can have a big impact on your cash flow. No matter the size of your law firm, maintaining a positive cash flow is essential. The most successful law firms use a variety of best practices to manage their finances effectively, many of which … Continued
You triggered a national movement. This was how President Hank Greenberg kicked off the Working Group on Attorney Mental Health luncheon at the State Bar. What was initially planned to be a recognition luncheon of the group turned into a “happy victory” luncheon after the Chief Judge announced that the mental health question has been … Continued
Improving your cybersecurity health is increasingly important for lawyers both to stay safe and to keep up with ethical requirements. To help lawyers with these tasks, our Committee on Technology and the Legal Profession has issued a guide, “” identifying simple actionable and practicable items lawyers can use to protect themselves. Getting started A minimum level … Continued