On January 14, 2025, the General Practice Section met for its Annual Meeting. The meeting was conducted jointly with the 50+ Section and the Committee on Professional Discipline. It was jam-packed with valuable and topical content from a panoply of illustrious speakers. The first substantive presentation was “View From the Bench: Guidance From a Former … Continued
Your withdrawal from ongoing litigation can be a tricky path to navigate: you must comply with ethical guidelines and avoid compromising your client’s case, while trying to ensure receiving compensation for the value you provided to the client. As with any litigation, a successful outcome starts with proper planning. Good client screening and a well-drafted … Continued
The legal profession is at a technological inflection point where artificial intelligence tools rapidly transform practice realities. While there has been significant discussion of AI ethics in New York, primarily through the NYSBA Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Formal Opinion 2024-5, a critical gap exists between understanding ethical obligations and having the technical literacy … Continued
A home improvement contractor sued a homeowner for breach of contract. The plaintiff-contractor alleged that it agreed to perform renovation and construction services for the defendant-homeowner, performed the labor and furnished all materials, and was not paid for the job. A jury trial was held where the jury determined that the defendant breached the contract … Continued
As we enter a new year, we reflect on the way the practice of law is evolving, both for us as individuals and as an overall profession. Artificial intelligence has become more sophisticated and more prevalent, but is still not universally understood. Substantive areas of law continue to develop. We enter new phases of our … Continued
The Power of Connection: Why Solo Attorneys Need a Strong Professional Network Recently I received a telephone call from a longstanding client who had an issue concerning nonpayment of sales tax. I had no experience with this issue and did not feel comfortable representing my client. Thankfully, I have a network of friends, one of … Continued
Professional Judgment for Lawyers by Randall Kiser Book Review by Laura A. Kaster For over fifteen years, Randall Kiser has been challenging lawyer decision-making and risk assessment. His seminal work studying settlement rejections demonstrated an unexpectedly high rate of “decision error” which resulted far too often in either plaintiffs’ recoveries at trial lower than the settlement … Continued
Technology, the pandemic, and shifting social norms have transformed the business world. Studies indicate that even years after the pandemic shutdowns, as many as one in five workers is working either hybrid or fully remote.1 The practice of law is no exception to this trend. New York law and policymakers have supported initiatives to align … Continued
(http://ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/comments/index.shtml) Note: The comment periods for the following proposed rules have expired, except as noted. Comments must be submitted to rulecomments@nycourts.gov. April 17, 2024: Request for Public Comment on a proposal to add a preamble before Commercial Division Rules 25-33 request-for-public-comment-commercial-division-preamble-041724.pdf (nycourts.gov) April 12, 2024: Request for Public Comment on proposed amendments to Section 202.67 … Continued
Demonstrating value to prospective clients is vital to a business lawyer’s success. Your ability to articulate your skills and efficiency will help you convert not only prospects into clients, but also one-time clients to regular clients. You can accomplish this by effectively pitching the benefits of serving as Outside General Counsel (OGC): higher quality of … Continued