New York recently made changes to its biennial reporting requirements. The notice linked here from the NYS Unified Court System explains those changes, which go into effect on Dec. 1, 2024. Here's a summary of what New York lawyers need to know. Read more.
November 21, 2024
On November 13, 2020, Frankfurt Kurnit held its Third Annual Litigation Ethics Summit, consisting of three hour-long panels, earning the attendees three ethics CLE credits in New York and California. Read more.
November 19, 2020
This past week, New York has taken a number of steps to restrict movement in and around the State in an effort to contain the COVID-19 crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued executive orders and the chief judges of the state and federal courts have issued administrative orders that have had a sweeping impact on the legal industry as well as the business community at large. Read more.
March 22, 2020
There’s important news for law firm leaders who have recently revised partnership and shareholder agreements to restrict partner departures. In ABA Formal Opinion 489, the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility spells out new limits on notice periods, on rules governing communications with clients, and on so-called “ownership” of clients. Here’s what firm managers need to know to stay on the right side of the ethics rules. Read more.
February 6, 2020
To cap off the Second Annual Litigation Ethics Summit our panel challenged some brave audience members to participate in a contest of ethical wits. Read more.
October 30, 2019
On Thursday, October 24th Frankfurt Kurnit hosted its Second Annual Litigation Ethics Summit. The second panel of the day focused on the ethical and legal limits of aggressive bargaining in the settlement context, with a special focus on settlements of harassment and discrimination cases in the "Me Too"-era. Read more.
October 30, 2019
On Thursday, October 24th Frankfurt Kurnit hosted its Second Annual Litigation Ethics Summit. The first panel of the day focused on how fee disputes arise and how those disputes affect malpractice claims under New York law. Read more.
October 30, 2019
Last week, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP v. J-M Manufacturing Co., Inc., a decision which lawyers and law firms anxiously awaited for months. Read more.
September 4, 2018
Recently the New York State Bar Ethics Committee issued a pair of opinions about the limitations on a lawyer's ability to take advantage of certain on-line legal marketing services. Read more.
August 31, 2017
At the request of a non-party, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently disqualified the law firm BakerHostetler LLP ("Baker") from representing its client Prevezon Holdings Ltd. ("Prevezon"). Read more.
October 24, 2016
A New York appeals court gave attorneys a reason to celebrate just before the July 4th holiday weekend. Read more.
July 11, 2016
Anyone who has ever had to litigate a dispute knows how important the attorney-client privilege is. Read more.
June 16, 2016
On Friday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit struck a blow to nonresident lawyers looking to practice in New York State. Read more.
April 26, 2016
Law firms often struggle to determine when the rules of professional conduct permit representation of clients who compete in the marketplace. When is it OK, for example, to represent clients with competing patents, trademarks, or copyrights? A recent Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case provides important guidance for IP lawyers -- particularly those representing clients with patents. Read more.
December 28, 2015
In a thrilling and important development, New York has promulgated a new Court Rule, 22 NYCRR § 523 ("Section 523"), that allows lawyers admitted in other jurisdictions, but not admitted in New York, to practice here under certain circumstances. Read more.
December 16, 2015
As hurricane Joaquin barrels towards the Northeast, New York lawyers may be reminded of the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy as well as other recent disasters. Read more.
October 2, 2015
For a variety of reasons, some New York lawyers choose to practice "virtually" - that is, they conduct their business primarily over the Internet, rather than through a physical law office. Read more.
April 9, 2015
In a decision with far reaching implications for law firms and their clients, the New York Court of Appeals firmly rejected the application of the "unfinished business" doctrine - an important principle of partnership law - to lawyers and law firms. Read more.
July 2, 2014
In the current legal and economic climate, some lawyers are using - or considering using - so-called "virtual law offices". Read more.
June 16, 2014
In-house counsel face many of the same ethical quandaries private law firm lawyers face. Read more.
June 12, 2014
Just three weeks ago, the New York Court of Appeals, in Albunio v. City of New York, issued a ruling on a question that has long bedeviled civil rights and employment lawyers - and their clients. Read more.
April 25, 2014
In a decision last week Melcher v. Greenberg Traurig LLP, New York's highest court, gave a big boost to plaintiffs wanting to sue lawyers for committing intentional fraud and deceit in the course of a court proceeding. Read more.
April 9, 2014
In the current legal and economic climate, some lawyers are considering business arrangements with non-legal entities. A new ethics opinion by the Committee on Professional Ethics of the New York City Bar Association discusses important ethical issues raised by such business ventures. Read more.
January 30, 2014
Our work as professional responsibility attorneys over the past year has given us a front row seat to the most bedeviling ethical conundrums faced by lawyers. In our final Ethics Alert of 2013, we re-cap six important developments for New York-area lawyers, along with tips for staying on the right side of the line. Read more.
December 26, 2013
The purchaser in a corporate merger owns the seller's pre-merger communications with its lawyer, according to a recent Delaware decision. In Great Hill Equity Partners Iv, LP v. SIG Growth Equity Fund I, LLP, the buyer sued former shareholders of the seller alleging they fraudulently induced the buyer to enter into the transaction. Read more.
December 10, 2013
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