Category: Latest News

Profiles in Leadership: Dick Lewis, NYSBA President, 2023-2024

The New York State Bar Association Committee on Leadership Development is profiling the association’s leaders in a series of articles that will appear on the website. In each profile, we examine the path they took to become a leader, the mentors that inspired them and the beliefs that made them successful. We hope these interviews … Continued

The Inverted ‘V’ Problem – After the Outrage Over Police Brutality Against Black Victims, Where Are the Reforms?

Rodney King. Amadou Diallo. Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Breonna Taylor. Over the past 30 years, instances of police use of force against Black people have sparked public outrage and triggered discussions about racial discrimination, justice and police reform. Following each incident, an immediacy to act, to change and to redress was featured prominently in the … Continued

How a New York Law Can Help Stop Hate Speech on the Internet

Much of the world now communicates on social media, with nearly a third of the world’s population active on Facebook alone.[1] However, as The New York Times reported, “Antisemitic and Islamophobic hate speech has surged across the internet since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out. The increases have been at far greater levels … Continued

How Asian Americans Fought Back Against Hate – and Won

Congress determined that hate crimes have reverberating effects, not only for the targeted community but also for the nation. The Supreme Court has held that the widespread, systemic effects of hate crimes are significant enough to justify the use of enhanced sentences. . . . Additionally, these enhanced sentences for hate crimes are often seen … Continued

Fighting Antisemitism: The Duty of the Organized Bar

In the wake of Hamas’ horrific Oct. 7 attack against Israel, there has been an unprecedented number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. This alarming spike comes amid already historic levels of anti-Jewish harassment and assault. Antisemitism is rapidly mutating into a societal cancer, especially in New York State – the home to the largest … Continued

Perilous Prejudice: LGBTQ+ Rights in Uganda and Beyond

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer rights have a complex history worldwide. Of the numerous countries that have restricted LGBTQ+ rights (see sidebar), Uganda is arguably the most repressive.[1] Although Uganda’s laws have remained largely unenforced for many years, there has been increasing momentum among anti-LGBTQ+ proponents leading to the recent enactment of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality … Continued

Just Because We Are Jewish: The Disturbing and Historic Rise in Antisemitism and What We Can Do About It

Shortly after my bar mitzvah, I interviewed one of my beloved spiritual leaders, Rabbi Solomon Aidelson, a survivor of Auschwitz, for a class project about the Holocaust. To prepare, I studied a great deal about the topic, beginning with Hitler’s rise to power, which unleashed a surge of antisemitism throughout Nazi Germany, including the boycotting … Continued

Our Condemnation of Hate Must Be Loud and Clear

Hate is taught as Nelson Mandela reminded us. We are not born with animosity toward other human beings any more than we are born with the ability to take care of ourselves. Instead, prejudice is passed on from generation to generation and, if left unchecked, it is deadly. The stories throughout this edition remind us … Continued