Practice Area: Criminal Law

Fighting Hate: Addressing a Wave of Antisemitism, Anti-Asian Hate

Vincent Chang and Brian Cohen, co-chairs of the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Asian Hate After former President Donald Trump called COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” in a tweet on March 16, 2020, tweets with anti-Asian hashtags rose dramatically in the week that followed. In 2022, the Anti-Defamation League reported the highest number of antisemitic … Continued

Tools To Help Clients Dealing With Domestic Violence

Statistics on gun violence bear the grim reality that cases of domestic violence turn deadly more often if there are firearms in the home. “Having a gun in the home increases the risk of homicide 20 times when there is a history of domestic violence,” says Ronell McGlothan, a domestic violence advocate coordinator at the … Continued

Survey: LGBTQ+ People Do Not Trust Criminal Legal System

LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV do not trust the criminal legal system, according to a survey conducted by Lambda Legal in partnership with Black and Pink National and Strength in Numbers Consulting Group. Richard Saenz, senior attorney at Lambda Legal and project manager for the survey, discussed the results at a continuing legal … 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

New York State Bar Association Calls for Eliminating Non-Lawyer Judges, Creating District Courts and Revolutionizing Sentencing

The New York State Bar Association is recommending that the state’s town and village courts be consolidated into district courts and that non-lawyers no longer be allowed to serve as judges. “It is necessary for our legal system to be constantly re-evaluated,” said Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association. “We need … 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