In partnership with the U.S. State Department, David Simonia, the director of Legal Aid for the nation of Georgia, is in the United States seeking advice on how to reform the justice system in his fledgling Democracy. That’s why he visited the Bar Center in Albany one day last week and met with New York … Continued
Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson poses at the entrance to the Trustees Room at Columbia University. He is a trustee of the university. Forty-five years ago, I was a summer intern in the Washington office of U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. For a 20-year-old from Wappingers Falls, New York, the summer on Capitol Hill … Continued
There is nothing worse than an unwanted surprise. After settling the bodily injury lawsuit in a trucking or automobile claim, your insurer/client happily closes their file, satisfied with the settlement you’ve negotiated. Until…surprise! They receive a demand letter from another insurance carrier for $50,000 in loss transfer. They call you in a panic saying, “I … Continued
Ask anyone who spends time outdoors hiking, bicycling or fishing and they will tell you that there is something restorative about spending time in nature. Recently, the Lawyer Assistance Program of the New York State Bar Association held an informational event on these benefits. Brooke Mellen of Cultured Forest led the session. A risk assessment … Continued
The crisis of homelessness is felt in nearly every community across New York State – and it’s getting worse. Just a year ago, state and local officials were bracing for an increase in homelessness as the COVID-19 eviction moratoriums and rental assistance programs ended. What they didn’t anticipate were weekly busloads of migrants from the … Continued
For the trial attorney, familiarity with prosecution witnesses’ statements is fundamental to effective trial preparation. A recent federal health care fraud case in Texas underscores just how critical it is for defense counsel to vigorously pursue discovery of witness statements – not just those formalized in memoranda written by government agents, but also those contained … Continued
The Association for Continuing Legal Education presented the New York State Bar Association with one of its highest honors this summer ― the Best Award for Programs ― for the bar association’s Web3 Metaverse Symposium. “Deep Dive into the Metaverse and Web3: The First Global Law Symposium” took place in-person and virtually in April 2023 … Continued
Vincent Chang and Brian Cohen, co-chairs of the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Asian Hate After former President Donald Trump called COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” in a tweet on March 16, 2020, tweets with anti-Asian hashtags rose dramatically in the week that followed. In 2022, the Anti-Defamation League reported the highest number of antisemitic … Continued
Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement today about the appointment of former Court of Appeals Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick as the New York court system’s independent monitor on racial bias in the courts: “The New York State Bar Association applauds the appointment of Judge Ciparick as the … Continued
What has always impressed me about our association is its ability to bring leaders together for a common cause. They selflessly and promptly answer our call, no matter their political views, because they believe in the legal system and are not afraid to confront difficult issues. This is a lost art in many circles, but … Continued