Business Law Section

Business Law Section

The Business Law Section, with a membership of approximately 3,500, is one of the largest Sections of the New York State Bar Association. Its members consist of attorneys whose practice involves some aspect of commerce or finance. Thus, the practice of the members is quite diverse – ranging from securities to banking, bankruptcy to consumer finance, franchising to insurance, among many others. To accommodate this breadth of practice, the Business Law Section has a range of committees that offer the practitioner with business clients information in similarly diverse areas: Bankruptcy; Banking; Business Organizations; Franchise, Distribution and Licensing, Derivatives and Structured Products; Securities Regulation; and the constantly evolving area of Technology and Venture Law. These Committees meet regularly to review current developments in their areas. Members enjoy the benefit of participating in discussions of developments in the business and financial services world and the opportunity to expand their professional network. Attendance at committee meetings and other scheduled Section meetings often can fulfill MCLE requirements.

The Section publishes the NY Business Law Journal, which provides practice-oriented insight and guidance relevant to the business law practitioner, with special emphasis on lawyers who practice in New York State.

The Business Law Section has been in the forefront of introducing, monitoring and evaluating legal developments in the areas of business and finance on both federal and New York State levels.

Members gain access to an extensive network of business law practitioners through our online Community.

Contact the Business Law Section Liaison

To learn more about this Section, please contact Tara Lana
[email protected]
(518) 487-5596

Please do not contact the Section liaison with a request for legal advice or an attorney referral. You can instead visit our ‘Public Resources’ or ‘Lawyer Referral Service’ page for this type of request.

Join Now

Michael A. de Freitas

William C. Moran & Associates, P.C. Williamsville, New York

MICHAEL A. de FREITAS is a member of the law firm of William C. Moran & Associates, P.C. in Williamsville, New York. He represents business and not-for-profit organizations in corporate, real estate, tax exemption, regulatory compliance, and transactional matters. His not-for-profit clients are in many different fields, including arts, education, health care, and religion. He is Vice Chair of the Business Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and regularly speaks on continuing-education panels in the legal community. He has been listed in the Charities/Nonprofit Law category of “Best Lawyers In America” for multiple consecutive years. He graduated from College of the Holy Cross (B.A., English, cum laude) and Cornell Law School.

Online Community

Access Here

Business Law Journal 2024 Vol 28 No. 1_cover_200

Section Publications

NY Business Law Journal – Vol. 28 No. 1

View Latest Issue

NY Business Law Journal Archive

NY Business Law Journal

The NY Business Law Journal features peer-written substantive articles relating to the practice of business law. It is designed to provide practice-oriented insight and guidance relevant to the business law practitioner, with special emphasis on lawyers who practice in the State of New York. Edited by David L. Glass (Editor-in-Chief) and Prof. Edward DeBarbieri (Managing Editor), the NY Business Law Journal is published twice per year by the Business Law Section and distributed to Section Members free of charge.

The Journal is published as a benefit for members of the Business Law Section and is copyrighted by the New York State Bar Association.

The NY Business Law Journal encourages article submissions on topics of interest to members of the Section. Writing an article for a NYSBA Section publication is a great way to get your name out in the legal community and advertise your knowledge. Our authors are respected state-wide for their legal expertise in all aspects of business law, including banking, bankruptcy, business organizations, employment law, franchise law, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, securities and technology. Recent issues have focused on such timely concerns as cybersecurity, internet law, and the evolving law surrounding marijuana businesses.

Submit an article for future publication

Author Guidelines

NYSBA has created comprehensive author guidelines, with information regarding our reprint policy, style guidelines, and obtaining MCLE Author Credits.

View the author guidelines

Business Law Memos

BLS Memo- S.995-B/A.3484-A
AN ACT to amend limited liability company law and the executive law, in relation to the disclosure of beneficial owners of limited liability companies.

BLS Memo 4 – S7508A/A9508A, Part LL
AN ACT to amend the Banking Law, in relation to consumer debt collectors

BLS Memo 5-GOV – S8214
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the regulation of chemicals in upholstered furniture, mattresses and electronic enclosures

Business Law Section Committee

Awards

Business Law Section Fellowship Program

Annual Student Writing Competition

David S. Caplan Award for Meritorious Service

In recognition of the conclusion of Hispanic Heritage Month 2020, the Business Law Section and the Dominican Bar Association presented a Fireside Chat with Anthony Q. Fletcher, Chair of the Business Law Section, and Cid Wilson, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility.

Business Law Section Mentoring Program

The NYSBA Business Law Section through its Diversity Committee launched this Mentoring Program in 2020 to develop young talent in the section and encourage networking. The program’s goal is to provide mentees with the opportunity to gain insight into the business law profession from experienced attorneys. Mentors will offer mentees real-world advice and guidance on various topics and ensure that newly-admitted attorneys receive the mentoring they need to maximize their potential.

Deadline for submissions: March 18, 2023

Learn more about the mentoring program

Business Law Links of Interest

General Legal Resources

Cornell’s Legal Information Institute
The Library of Congress’ Thomas locater service
For beginners and experts – a primer on Internet research
New York Law Journal List of Internet Legal resources (The New York Law Journal has already gone through the trouble of making a collection of sites potentially of interest to the New York practitioner. It i s geared toward New York attorneys).
Find Law Internet Legal Resources (This site is a collection of links to a great variety of federal and state legal resources on the Net, from statutes to cases to regulations to other sites, etc. It is a good st arting point for Internet legal research generally, and to start your own bookmarked collection of legal Web pages of interest you your particular practice).
LawGuru

General Resources in Business Law

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Title 15, Chapters 2A, 2B, 2B-1 of the U.S. Code contain most of the federal securities statutes and may be accessed at the Cornell Law School Web site (easy to use – search by citation, browse sections, and enter search terms) or at the U.S. Government Printing Office site (users may search the entire U.S. Code more readily)
Federal regulations adopted under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are contained in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Federal Forms Library

Banking Law

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
The FDIC’s banking law resources
New York State Banking Department
LII Banking Law Materials. Includes a very useful menu of source material and links, including relevant state and federal statutes and case law, and a search engine for C.F.R. Title 12.

Bankruptcy Law

The LII’s bankruptcy law materials. Includes searchable full text of U.S. Code, Title 11.
The American Bankruptcy Institute
The Internet Bankruptcy Library

Securities Regulation

The LII’s corporations law materials. Includes materials on securities regulation and full text of federal securities legislation.
SECLAW.COM, an online guide to securities law
Securities and Exchange Commission
SEC Proposed Rules, Final Rules, Concept Releases, Interpretive Releases, and Policy Statements
SEC Staff Accounting Bulletins and Stall Legal Bulletins
SEC Litigation Releases – Federal Court Actions, Administrative Proceedings – Notices & Settlements, ALJ Decisions & Orders, Reports of Investigations, Commission Opinions, Trading Suspensions, SEC Rules of Practice, Investors Claims Funds and Briefs

Commodities and Futures Law

Commodityworld.com – market news, prices, charts, and educational resources.
Gold Eagle – has weekly features and forums; prices, charts, and analysis; and a directory of links for gold, silver, and precious metal investors.