Resilience. As the New York State Bar Association celebrates its 150th anniversary, we can look back at its history as one of perseverance in the face of adversity. Through the Great Depression, two world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, the Watergate scandal, 9/11, the Great Recession and a global pandemic, we survived. We supported our … Continued
Artificial intelligence has steadily begun to transform nearly every professional industry in the world, and this month Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a decision in United States v. Heppner[1] that has made more waves in the legal community’s already persistent AI storm. The … Continued
As we celebrate the New York State Bar Association’s 150th anniversary, we reflect on the issues the association addressed in its formative years and find many of those same challenges continue today. The matters of association membership, dues structure and whether to prioritize issues purely related to the practice of law and our courts, or … Continued
In 1880, Yale faced Harvard under Walter Camp’s newly crafted rules, creating what is now recognized as modern American football. While we cannot know with certainty what motivated those Ivy League students to take the field, it is likely they were animated by the ideals of amateur competition and the desire to transform from boys … Continued
As every litigator knows, where a defendant can be sued depends on a combination of long-arm statutes and due process considerations: The defendant has to have minimum contacts with the forum court before the defendant can be sued there. So typically, after a seller transfers a business to a buyer, a later plaintiff can establish … Continued
The New York State Bar Association is launching a nine-part lunch and learn, continuing legal education program that will explore far-reaching issues on the use of artificial intelligence and its impact on the legal profession. The program “Listen and Learn and Enhance Your Understanding of AI, GAI, and Agentic AI in the Legal Profession”. The … Continued
The recent advancements in artificial intelligence are attracting many to use the technology in everyday practice. Such technology presents new opportunities and challenges for people without legal representation and the legal system. That shift reflects potential for improving accessibility to the legal system, and it is reshaping the dynamics of legal advocacy. Despite such advantages, … Continued
This article provides a brief practical overview of changes introduced by the One Big Beautiful Bill that are relevant to elder law and estate planning. We cover changes to 529 plans, ABLE Accounts, the new Trump Accounts, the Estate and Gift Tax Basic Exclusion amount, and changes to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Each section … Continued
The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, in issuing Formal Opinion 518 in October 2025, has done the mediation field a favor, although not every individual mediator may agree. In revisiting lawyer-mediator obligations when dealing with unrepresented parties and clarifying a neutral’s obligations to be truthful in an environment where negotiation … Continued
Dear Colleagues: Our much anticipated 150th anniversary celebration has finally arrived. It is gratifying to renew acquaintances, reflect on our history, partake in our awards ceremonies, and learn from our esteemed panelists and CLE faculty. Add to the celebration that for the first time in over a decade our members in January 2026 exceed what … Continued