Court of Appeals Associate Judge Michael Garcia will receive the Honorable George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award from the New York State Bar Association in recognition of his commitment to justice and public service. “For his work as U.S. Attorney investigating and prosecuting high-profile terrorism cases and his distinguished service on the bench, we are proud … Continued
As the next president, Kathleen Sweet knows the most important resource of the New York State Bar Association is its members. “Unless we maintain and grow membership, the rest of it doesn’t matter,” Sweet said. “We can’t defend the rule of law, we can’t support access to justice, we can’t defend the impartiality of the … Continued
For Helene Hechtkopf, the incoming chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, programming comes first. “It’s very easy to attend things from your office, but you miss out on all the interpersonal connections,” she said. “You still get the education. But you don’t get all the interpersonal stuff that … Continued
A little-known international court can give LGBTQ+ people a chance at justice outside of their local legal systems. A recent New York State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education course explained the Inter-American Human Rights System, its court system, and its impact on LGBTQ+ rights in the Americas. Leading the discussion was Gustavo Miranda Coutinho, a … Continued
Mark Ustin, the incoming chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Health Law Section, is ready to support practitioners in a diverse and ever-changing field. “One of the things that’s interesting about health law is that it encompasses so many different disciplines,” Ustin said. “One of the challenges I think we have as a … Continued
The New York State Bar Association kicked off a free course on the calming technique known as emotional freedom in conjunction with Well-Being Week in Law and Mental Health Awareness month. Well-Being Week in Law was launched in 2020 to raise awareness about the special mental health needs of those in the legal profession. “Attorney … Continued
New York State Bar Association President-Elect Kathleen Sweet and Mary Beth Morrissey, NYSBA member and chair of the Health Law Section and the Task Force on Medical Aid in Dying, met with key staff in the New York State Senate to advocate for the Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID), A.136(Paulin)/S.138(Hoylman-Sigal) Thursday at the New … Continued
In a close final, Syracuse’s Nottingham High School beat New York City’s Hunter College High School to win the New York State Bar Association Mock Trial Competition. Teams faced off in the fictional civil case, Leyton Manns vs. Sandy Townes, in which school Superintendent Leyton Manns accused student Sandy Townes of creating AI-generated content to … Continued
As LGBTQ+ people face legal difficulties in the United States and around the world, the New York State Bar Association is hosting a seminar to explore how a mechanism to strengthen human rights in North and South America can protect LGBTQ+ rights. “The challenges to LGBTQ+ rights have only increased in the past few years,” … Continued
Artificial intelligence can perform several tasks to aid lawyers and save time. But lawyers must be cautious when using this new technology, lest they break confidentiality or violate ethical standards. The New York State Bar Association hosted a hybrid program discussing AI’s potential and its pitfalls for the legal profession. More than 300 people watched … Continued