PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical issues there is a brief delay in the starting the webcast. We expect to have this issue resolved momentarily.

On Wednesday, January 23, from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., New York State Bar Association President Seymour W. James, Jr. is convening a special plenary Presidential Summit. The Summit will take place at the Hilton New York City and via a live webcast. To view the webcast visit www.nysba.org/Summit2013 and select the Presidential Summit from the left side navigation bar.

The two-part summit will consist of the following topics:

I. Access and Integrity: Enhancing Democracy Through Voter Participation

The panel will address recent developments that are unfolding nationwide, including voter identification laws in Pennsylvania, Texas, South Carolina and elsewhere, as well as voter roll purges and other issues related to disenfranchisement. The panel will also discuss barriers to voting and policy changes that could improve voter participation in New York State, while protecting the integrity of the electoral process, including same-day registration, automatic registration and change of address, early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, improved ballot design and enhanced policies to prevent deceptive election practices.

II. Attorneys Honoring Veterans Through Service

A panel of attorneys and other experts on veterans’ matters will discuss the variety of issues faced by veterans when they return to civilian life – including combat-related physical and psychological disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, unemployment, consumer debt problems, stress in family relationships, substance abuse and homelessness – and the impact those issues can have on veterans’ legal needs and their interactions with the justice system. Panelists will discuss the need for access to free and affordable civil legal services, as well as the importance of accounting for military culture and the consequences of combat in providing legal counsel. The panel will also address the role of veterans’ courts in rehabilitating veterans who have been accused of crimes.

All NYSBA members also are invited to attend the President’s Reception immediately following the Presidential Summit from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. hosted by President Seymour W. James, Jr.