Voluntary or Mandatory? An Oxymoron Reconsidered Should mediation remain entirely voluntary, or should legal systems require parties to try it before stepping into court? This debate lies at the center of modern dispute resolution policy all over the world. Those defending voluntariness tend to emphasize the value of party autonomy, arguing that people who freely … Continued
Attorneys looking to retire and sell their practices have a lot to consider. The New York State Bar Association recently hosted a webinar to discuss the many factors that go into the successful sale of a law firm, including the personal and financial aspects. Darren Wurz, a financial strategist, managing partner at Wurz Financial Services, … Continued
This week’s Miranda Warnings podcast features U.S. Supreme Court rulings ranging from the reach of executive power to the influence parents hold in determining school curriculum. The podcast brings together Albany Law School professor Vin Bonventre and political strategist Liz Benjamin. NYSBA past president and general counsel David Miranda moderates it. The U.S. Supreme Court … Continued
The gig economy has not merely disrupted the labor market; it has redefined its architecture. Platforms such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash now mediate vast swaths of economic activity, reconfiguring the relationship between labor and capital through algorithmic control, dynamic pricing, and the offloading of risk. During the COVID-19 pandemic, gig workers were cast as … Continued
What made you become involved and stay with NYSBA? Back in December of 1978 I attended my first Broome County Bar Association holiday party. I was not yet admitted* and was accompanied by Security Mutual Life Insurance Co. of NY General Counsel Bob Byron, who encouraged me to participate in local bar activities. One of … Continued
Artificial intelligence tools can help during interactions with clients, but attorneys must make sure the programs used are private and secure. The New York State Bar Association recently hosted a webinar delving into the promise and pitfalls of using AI tools for client meetings. More than 430 people attended. The speakers were: Alexander Paykin, principal … Continued
The restoration of funding for the Legal Services Corporation, one of the New York State Bar Association’s top legislative priorities, is gaining support among New York’s Congressional delegation. Rep. Grace Meng of Queens spoke out against planned funding cuts to the Legal Services Corporation during a subcommittee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026 federal budget. … Continued
The New York State Bar Association was honored this week with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Interest programming by the Association of Continuing Legal Education. Members of the NYSBA public interest and marketing departments accepted the award at the continuing legal education conference in Montreal. The award recognizes NYSBA’s 2024 Partnership Conference, which … Continued
Pre-mortem probate is the statutory process of validating a will while the testator is alive. One significant advantage to pre-mortem probate is the certainty it provides regarding the testator’s intent. Who better to tell us what he or she wanted than the testator? In other words, the Spice Girls were onto something, as pre-mortem probate … Continued
Kathy Suchocki, associate executive director of the New York State Bar Association, was installed as president of the Association for Continuing Legal Education at ACLEA’s annual meeting this past weekend in Montreal. Suchocki, ACLEA’s president-elect for the past year, ascended to the presidency following a successful year implementing the New York State Bar Association’s new … Continued