Category: News Releases

Capital District Lawyers Helping Lawyers Group Honors Attorney With Ray of Hope Award

David Keehn, an attorney with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, received the Ray of Hope Award in recognition of the significant contributions he has made to lawyer well-being. Keehn is a past co-chair of Capital District Lawyers Helping Lawyers, one of 13 New York State Bar Association peer-led support groups that offer confidential assistance … Continued

New York State Bar Association President Decries Rise in Antisemitic Incidents, Thanks Governor for Combating Hate Crimes

Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fight against antisemitism: “We applaud Gov. Hochul’s powerful and eloquent words yesterday at the American Jewish Committee’s Board of Governors meeting. Pointing to a 217 percent increase in antisemitic incidents — including messages threatening violence at Cornell … Continued

NYSBA Recommends Expanding Broadband, Providing Digital Literacy Training, and Increasing Access to Electronic Devices

The New York State Bar Association is recommending increased broadband service, digital literacy training and wider access to electronic devices to ensure that all New Yorkers can take part in virtual court proceedings. The recommendations were included in a report by the Task Force on the Post-Pandemic Future of the Profession, which the association’s governing … Continued

New York State Bar Association President Calls Removal of Notary Requirement in Civil Cases a Big Step Forward for Access to Justice

A new law allowing litigants in a civil case to file affidavits and other sworn documents without getting them notarized will eliminate unnecessary delays and needless costs in civil lawsuits. “This law is a big step forward for access to justice,” said Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association. “The notarization requirement … Continued

Nineteen Chief Legal Officers To Share Expertise at New York State Bar Association’s Corporate Counsel Institute

The chief legal officers of 19 prominent companies — including Citigroup, Nasdaq, NBCUniversal, Ford Foundation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mastercard, The Bank of New York Mellon, KPMG, New York Life Insurance and The New York Times Company — will discuss the ethics of new technologies, the essentials of data privacy and the key to minimizing risk at … Continued

Daughter of Civil Rights Activists Who Helped Organize March on Washington To Explore its Legacy for 60th Anniversary

Renowned artist, educator and social justice advocate Hasna Muhammad will examine the legacy of the March on Washington and the continued fight for equity at a commemoration marking the march’s 60th anniversary. Her parents, actors and activists Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, helped organize the first march in 1963. At that first march, 200,000 demonstrators … Continued

Two Longstanding Juvenile Justice Advocates To Be Presented With The New York State Bar Association’s Howard A. Levine Award

Two outstanding advocates for children and their families will be presented with the New York State Bar Association’s Howard A. Levine Award for Excellence in Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare. Martin Guggenheim, who has taught for 50 years at the New York University School of Law, and Michele Brown, the former chief attorney at the … Continued

Rochester Attorney Honored by the New York State Bar Association for Promoting Diversity in the Legal Profession

The New York State Bar Association honored David M. Tang, an attorney committed to diversity in the legal profession, with the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Vanguard Award in a virtual celebration on Oct. 3. Tang, a partner at Underberg & Kessler in Rochester, represents and advises clients in business, health care, restructuring and commercial litigation matters. … Continued

Esteemed Panelists From Around the World to Gather For Symposium on Emerging Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence

The emergence of decentralized digital technologies such as the metaverse, blockchain and cryptocurrency, along with artificial intelligence, is reshaping the practice of law, and the New York State Bar Association is examining the global implications of this phenomenon. More than 40 legal and technology industry experts from around the globe will offer their analysis of … Continued