A committee of legal experts has been given the responsibility of implementing recommendations that will improve the administration of justice in New York State’s courts in the wake of the pandemic, Acting Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro and Acting Chief Administrative Judge Tamiko Amaker announced today. Leaders from the courts, the bar, and the community have … Continued
Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the separation of powers: “The New York State Bar Association is a staunch advocate for access to justice for all, adherence to the rule of law, and fairness of process. We also recognize that none of these worthy goals … Continued
New York prides itself on being a sophisticated jurisdiction. Its transactional lawyers structure deals that are cutting edge. Its litigators craft novel arguments that are considered by learned courts. New York law governs contracts throughout the world. Now through the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), New York offers its legal community a cutting-edge path … Continued
A man kept seven illegal sharks in his above-ground swimming pool. He intended to sell them but didn’t have a license to do so. A search of his property revealed three other sharks — all dead. The man pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and sentenced to one year of probation. … Continued
Retired Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts said that small businesses cannot be expected to be experts on a bank’s financial stability during a New York State Bar Association webinar on the banking crisis. Frank spoke for most of the final 20 minutes of the panel, which also featured Sara Kelsey, former general counsel to … Continued
Members of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee to Review Judicial Nominations are prepared to begin interviewing the nominees for chief judge that the Commission on Judicial Nomination submitted to Gov. Kathy Hochul today. The committee will schedule interviews of each candidate and give ratings of “well qualified, qualified, or not qualified.” President Sherry … Continued
I recently wrote about structured legal fees for lawyers (see “Contingent Fee Tax Planning, Anyone?” NYSBA Journal, vol. 94, no. 5, Sept./Oct. 2022, p. 37). For nearly 30 years, plaintiff lawyers have been structuring contingent legal fees based on the seminal tax cases of Childs v. Commissioner.[1] Payments over time can flatten the peaks and … Continued
For decades, New York courts have led innovation in the way domestic violence cases are addressed in the United States legal system.[1] Specifically, New York has been at the forefront of instituting specialized courts to handle domestic violence cases, giving courts one focus in handling the endemic of domestic violence.[2] In 1996, the first felony … Continued
Technology has moved us forward, but it’s important not to get left behind. The rise of technology in the legal field provides both opportunities and challenges as systems become both more sophisticated and widespread. That was the topic of the New York State Bar Association’s Continuing Legal Education course on March 21. The CLE … Continued
Technology can both help and hurt in the cause of justice. In a fascinating conversation, Vivian Wesson shares with host David Miranda how artificial intelligence and facial recognition are being used in both criminal and civil law. Wesson says the technology can unearth biases when it cannot distinguish between races of people and lead to … Continued