
Ethics Opinion 1282: Disclosing Confidential Information to Non-Legal Staff
Opinion 1282 (07/07/2025) Topic: Disclosing Confidential Information to Non-Legal Staff Digest: A New York lawyer working in another state for a non-profit organization that operates both an immigration legal clinic and a shelter for non-citizens may not share information gained…
Read More

Without Cause, But Within Reason: The Intersection of Contract Law and CPLR Article 78
When private vendors bid for government work, their contracts usually include a standard clause for termination “without cause” or “for convenience” by the agency. This clause is not negotiated, but rather compelled and usually set forth in standard appendices. The…
Read More

Judicial Section Chair Wants To Reestablish Decorum and Support Law School Students
Justice Brian Burns, the new chair of the Judicial Section, wants to see more decorum in the profession and hopes to expose more law school students to careers in the judiciary. He has an internship for law school students in…
Read More

Impact of The HALT Act on Solitary Confinement in New York State
On Feb. 17, New York State corrections officers went on an unauthorized strike and demanded safer working conditions. One of their complaints was that the rules around solitary confinement, which went into effect in 2022, created dangerous conditions and prevented…
Read More

NYSBA President Calls on Members To Help Save the Legal Services Corporation
New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet this week launched a campaign to stave off cuts to the Legal Services Corporation by mobilizing the association’s members. At the end of May, the White House proposed to eliminate the Legal…
Read More

NYSBA Program Focuses on How To Keep People and Pets Together in a Housing Crisis
Keeping people and pets together during a housing crisis is essential for preserving family bonds and reducing trauma. Yet less than 25% of domestic violence shelters accept pets, and homeless shelters follow the same rule. On July 10, the New…
Read More

New York State Bar Association To Host Seminar for Lawyers Contemplating Retirement
The New York State Bar Association is hosting a program for attorneys preparing for the challenges of retirement. “Retirement is a significant change. The goal is to provide practical advice to ease that transition,” said Kathleen Sweet, president of the…
Read More

NYSBA Opposes Senate Legislation Linking Broadband Funding to Prohibition of Artificial Intelligence Regulations
New York State Bar Association President Kathleen Sweet sent a letter June 26 to New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, expressing “our opposition to the proposed provision in the Senate’s reconciliation legislation that would condition state access to…
Read More

Tackling Aging and Cognitive Decline in the Legal Profession
What should be done when a lawyer starts to forget important information? What happens when that interferes with representing clients or running a firm? Does that mean it is time to stop practicing law? The New York State Bar Association…
Read More

Judicial Scrutiny of Eyewitness Evidence: Lessons From the 2024 Court of Appeals Decisions
As a matter of course, court decisions on major issues evolve over time, in piecemeal fashion. The reasons are obvious: cases begin at a lower court and are filed at different times under different circumstances, while decisions are limited to…
Read More