There’s been a lot of buzz lately about law new, but what does it really mean? At its most basic level, law new refers to the use of technology to streamline legal work and deliver a better client experience. It’s about moving away from traditional billable hours and towards a more value-based or output based model.
The goal of law new is to provide clients with a better service at a lower price. But to truly deliver on this promise, firms must offer more than just a low-cost alternative to their competitors. Changing billing practices and incentivising client outcomes are a start but to really move the needle, they must be accompanied by a robust technology layer that provides real efficiencies.
New York state laws consist of the constitution, laws passed by the legislature and periodically codified into the New York Consolidated Laws, as well as decisions by courts that interpret existing law. In addition, the City of New York has its own charter and ordinances as well as local laws and regulations that are enforceable under state law. These include the zoning code, employment discrimination law, building codes, and more.
Once the City Council has passed a bill, it goes to the Mayor for approval or veto. If the Mayor vetoes, the bill is returned to Council who can override the veto by a majority vote. If the Mayor takes no action or does not veto the bill, it becomes law.
This bill requires the court in most maintenance cases to grant the request of the spouse with less money for payment of counsel fees. The burden of proving why the request should not be granted is on the monied spouse. The bill also makes changes to custody arrangements in divorce cases, provides for a mandatory parenting class and changes rules on child support.
The City of New York’s Open Meetings Law applies to any entity that conducts public business and performs a governmental function for the City, a county, town, village, school district, or other municipality. The law includes city councils, board of supervisors, committees and subcommittees, as well as city, county, town, village, and school boards of trustees, commissions, legislative bodies, and certain other public corporations.
This law prohibits third-party food delivery services from operating in the City without a license. It also repeals a subchapter of chapter 5 of title 20 of the administrative code, regulating third-party food delivery services.
To protect workers and customers, this law requires employers to post a notice in their workplaces informing employees of the availability of federal and State student loan forgiveness programs. The notice must be posted in English and Spanish. It must also be made available to employees and job applicants who visit the City’s websites and customer service centers. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection must also prepare a similar notice for distribution to City agencies. The bill takes effect on March 29, 2024.
