The New York State Bar Association has been selected as the winner of a 2015 American Bar Association Partnership Award for promoting diversity in the legal profession. The State Bar’s Youth Law Day program, sponsored by the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, was recognized on Friday, July 31 in Chicago during a joint luncheon of … Continued

The New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Professional Ethics has agreed to reconsider one of its advisory opinions at the request of criminal defense attorneys. Opinion 1048 concludes that there is no per se prohibition against a defense lawyer advising a criminal defendant about a proposed plea agreement that includes a client waiving his or … Continued

New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda has created a committee to examine the state Constitution. Voters in New York in 2017 will decide whether to have a constitutional convention to review the state’s governing documents. “Although a referendum is more than two years away, the State Bar Association wants to be prepared … Continued

Social media networks, increasingly indispensable tools for attorneys, also pose thorny ethical questions, such as: Can an attorney accept “endorsements” on LinkedIn? Can an attorney access private Facebook pages of potential jurors? Does an attorney create an attorney-client relationship with a stranger by answering legal questions on the Internet? To guide attorneys in dealing with … Continued

ALBANY, NY–New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda today applauded the U.S. Supreme Court for striking down state laws that prohibit same-sex couples from marrying. In a 5-4 ruling, the court held that states cannot ban same-sex marriages and they must recognize same–sex marriages performed in other states. “We are pleased the court … Continued

ALBANY—Jeffrey A. Moerdler, an attorney based in New York City, was honored with the New York State Bar Association’s Root/Stimson Award, presented by State Bar President David P. Miranda on June 20 at the Association’s House of Delegates meeting in Cooperstown. The award, given by the Committee on Annual Award, honors an attorney for exemplary … Continued

New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda, who was formally inaugurated on Saturday during a meeting of the Association’s House of Delegates in Cooperstown, called on the state government and the legal community to do more to close “the justice gap.” Moments after former New York State Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye administered … Continued

New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda today applauded the state Senate for passing an historic wrongful conviction bill, and urged the Assembly to do the same before leaving Albany this week. “Wrongful convictions take a tremendous toll on our society,” Miranda said. “Innocent people lose their liberty. Our communities are less safe … Continued

For their dedication in helping low-income New Yorkers gain access to quality legal services, an assistant public defender, an attorney and two organizations have been honored with awards  by the New York State Bar Association’s Committee to Ensure Mandated Representation. “Each of the award recipients has made a positive impact on the lives of the … Continued

David P. Miranda, President, and Glenn Lau-Kee, Immediate Past President of the New York State Bar Association, Frank A. Sedita III, Erie County District Attorney and President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York, and Barry Scheck, Co-Founder of the Innocence Project today issued the following statement in announcing that their … Continued