Category: News Releases

President Richard Lewis: Past President James C. Moore Guided NYSBA Through Changes and Challenges

Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the death of longtime Rochester attorney James C. Moore, who served as the association’s president from 1998 to 1999. “Jim served this association in many roles, from Executive Committee member to chair to president. He promoted the good work of … Continued

New York State Bar Association Task Force Searches for Ways to Reduce Homelessness While Protecting Civil Liberties

The New York State Bar Association is launching a new task force that will examine the impact of homelessness and explore ways that governments can intervene so that fewer people will be living on the streets. More than 74,000 New Yorkers are homeless, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “Homelessness is a crisis, … Continued

Task Force Chaired by Jeh Johnson, Brad Karp To Review Legal Strategies for Maintaining Diversity if U.S. Supreme Court Throws Out or Weakens Affirmative Action

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

New York State Bar Association Recognizes Legal Professionals for Commitment to Mental Health and Recovery

The New York State Bar Association honored former Kings County Supreme Court Justice Sarah “Sallie” Krauss and William “Bill” Keenan for their commitment to the association’s Lawyer Assistance Program, which supports lawyers and legal staff dealing with mental illness and substance use issues. “Justice Sarah Krauss and William Keenan both embody the principles of the … Continued

NYSBA Recommends Reducing Reliance on Prisons and Courts as the Primary Treatment for People With Mental Illness

The legal system needs to move away from its role as the primary treatment for people with mental illness, the New York State Bar Association recommends in a report approved by its Executive Committee. In the report, the Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Informed Representation detailed the many ways that people in crisis … Continued

NYSBA President Calls the Selection of Justice Joseph Zayas as Chief Administrative Judge the Perfect Choice for New York

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

New York State Bar Association Honors Former Judge With Haywood Burns Memorial Award

From left to right: CUNY School of Law Professor Natalie Gomez-Velez, President Sherry Levin Wallach, Judge Betty E. Staton, Committee on Civil Rights co-chairs Hanna Madbak and Michael Diederich Betty E. Staton, a former Family Court judge and president of Brooklyn Legal Services, received the Haywood Burns Memorial Award. She has dedicated her life to … Continued