I submit this as my declaration of candidacy for the office of President-Elect. My candidacy is derived from my gratitude to the profession I have been fortunate to enjoy for 30 years. I am enthusiastic about the challenge and eager to serve. I am a proud graduate of Boston College and Villanova Law School. I … Continued
As COVID closed down the country, we received notice that the practice of law was, with some exceptions, not essential. We were told our practices were being shut down. I recall one attorney who told me how he had to hide in his office with the blinds drawn so not to be in violation of … Continued
New York State Bar Association President Richard Lewis issued the following statement about Dennis W.H. Kwok: Recently, the Hong Kong government issued an arrest warrant and a bounty of HK$1,000,000 (about US$127,500) for Dennis W.H. Kwok, a Hong Kong barrister, accusing him of committing an offense under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law for “collusion … Continued
The New York State Bar Association’s Task Force on Advancing Diversity will issue a report in August that will recommend how colleges and universities, corporations and law firms and courts and government entities can preserve diversity in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action at Harvard and the University of … Continued
Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s appointment of Justice Dianne Renwick as presiding justice of the Appellate Division, First Department: “Justice Dianne Renwick has done an exceptional job of leading the Appellate Division for the First Department of New York State Supreme Court … Continued
The New York State Bar Association’s Membership Committee, chaired by Clotelle Drakeford of the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County and Michelle Wildgrube, a partner at Cioffi Slezak Wildgrube, proposed a subscription plan for association membership at the House of Delegates’ summer meeting June 10th. The House of Delegates enthusiastically approved the concept of the … Continued
Brad Karp and Jeh Johnson In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action, the New York State Bar Association is launching a task force to recommend how colleges and businesses can maintain diversity. If the U.S. Supreme Court rules that decades of race-conscious policies violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act … Continued
Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Chief Judge Rowan Wilson’s selection of Joseph Zayas, associate justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, as chief administrative judge: “Judge Joseph Zayas’ appointment to be New York’s next chief administrative judge is historic. He is the first Latino judge … Continued
Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about changes to the bail reform law: “The New York State Bar Association in principle opposes rollbacks of the 2019 bail reform law, which was intended to improve fairness in the criminal justice system – particularly for low-level, nonviolent offenders. … Continued
Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the state Senate’s confirmation of Caitlin Halligan as associate judge of the state Court of Appeals: “Caitlin Halligan is a gifted attorney with a tremendous breadth and depth of high-level litigation experience. Her ability to analyze issues and come … Continued