Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson will receive the New York State Bar Association’s Gold Medal Award, its highest honor, at the association’s black-tie Presidential Gala Jan. 18 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. “Jeh has been a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Richard Lewis, president of the … Continued
The New York State Bar Association is participating in an innovative effort to match pro bono lawyers with residents of Israel who need legal assistance as a result of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent ongoing war. The New York State Bar Association collaborated with the Israel Bar Association, led by Adv. … Continued
Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s veto of a bill that would have repealed Judiciary Law Section 470: “We are both dismayed and confused by the governor’s veto of the repeal of a law that requires out-of-state attorneys to have in-state offices. Remote … Continued
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
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
The New York State Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association have released a joint letter calling for Gov. Kathy Hochul to repeal Judiciary Law Section 470, a century-old statute that requires lawyers admitted to practice in New York – but residing in other states – to have a law office in the … Continued
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
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
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
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