Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed changes to bail reform in her 2023-24 executive budget: “We are deeply concerned by the rollbacks in bail reform that Gov. Kathy Hochul has put in the state budget; it is a significant policy matter … Continued
The New York State Bar Association supports the key investments important to the association’s membership that Gov. Hochul has included in her preliminary budget proposal. In particular, the association favors the expansion and protection of reproductive health care, landmark investment in mental health care, significant criminal justice initiatives and improvements to the housing stock. The … Continued
Reshaping the public perception of crime is a critical element of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to move the city beyond the pandemic and into a more equitable city for everyone, Brendan McGuire, the mayor’s chief counsel, told lawyers gathered for the opening day of the New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting. … Continued
In its waning hours, the 117th Congress passed the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which included the association’s perennial federal legislative priority of increased funding for the Legal Services Corporation. On Dec. 29, President Biden signed the measure, which provides $560 million through Sept. 30. The LSC is an independent non-profit corporation established by Congress in … Continued
At a New York State Bar Association program on the metaverse Friday at the NYU School of Law, the first order of business was establishing exactly what the metaverse is. A lot of people believe it’s a homogenous place next to the real world where avatars interact. The reality is that it’s many places and … Continued
More than 40 million Americans, mostly people under 35 years of age, have student loan debt. COVID-19 has exacerbated the financial challenges these individuals face. While Congress did provide relief, more needs to be done including extending the moratorium on payments, expanding the program to private loans, and providing targeted monetary relief in cases of … Continued
The New York State Bar Association is launching a task force to examine the difficult challenges faced by public sector lawyers who represent government entities ranging from a local village board to a massive state agency.
The New York State Bar Association recommends restoring public faith in elections by removing patronage, instituting ethics rules, and requiring election workers be professionally trained.
The New York State Bar Association commends the president for doing everything within his power to reform federal police agencies, such as the FBI, but sadly, the executive order will have little impact on state and local police departments where reform is desperately needed.