SDNY BOARD OF JUDGES ADOPTS LOCAL RULE 83.10, A PLAN FOR CERTAIN § 1983 CASES AGAINST THE CITY OF NEW YORK

The Board of Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has adopted Local Civil Rule 83.10, which governs how certain 1983 cases against the City of New York are managed.

Initially a pilot program implemented in 2011, the goal of the Local Rule is to improve the administration of justice by standardizing discovery and the dates of production, resulting in more material being produced earlier in the process so as to aid in the required early mediation or settlement conference. The 1983 Plan is responsible for the settlement of 70% of Plan-eligible cases in the first six months after the filing of a complaint.

The Board of Judges extended the pilot program in 2013, and it adopted the plan into the courts Local Rules after soliciting public feedback on the program. The rule will become effective upon approval by the Second Circuit Judicial Council. Prior to the revised rule taking effect, the public is invited to comment. Comments are to be submitted in writing on or at the close of business on Friday, July 20, 2014 to:

Edward A. Friedland
District Court Executive
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
500 Pearl Street, Room 820
New York, NY 10007-1312

A complete version of the Plan and the codified Local Rule follows this notice and can be found at the court’s website at http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov.

This Land is Your Land, Too: Working Together for Immigrant New Yorkers

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The inaugural conference of the New York Immigrant Assistance Consortium

June 9th, 2014
8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. 
 
Hosted by New York Law School
New York, New York
 
Sponsored by NYIC, ONA, DYCD, AILA-NY

Don’t miss our special plenary, moderated by NY1’s Pat Kiernan

Lunch Plenary: Where are we today? City, State, and Federal Perspectives.       

Panelists:

New York Secretary Of State Cesar Perales
NYC Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs Nisha Agarwal
US Executive Office for Immigration Review Director Juan Osuna
             USCIS NY District Director Phyllis Coven     
         

                              Click here to register.                        

Other panels include:

Anti-Immigration Fraud Efforts & Capacity
Moderated by: JoJo Annobil of the Legal Aid Society

Outreach and Organizing with Community Partners
Moderated by:Marika Dias of Make the Road New York
 
Ethical Challenges of Direct Services and Representation
Moderated by: C. Mario Russell of Catholic Charities of New York
 
Innovations in Outreach and Service Delivery through Technology
Moderated by: Mark O’Brien of ProBono Net
 
Communications, Media, Branding
Moderated by: Laz Benitez of the New York State Office for New Americans
 
Coordination of Pro Bono and Volunteer Efforts
Moderated by: Miriam Buhl of Weil, Gotshal and Manges LLP
 
National Perspectives on Legalization Planning and Implementation
Moderated by: Matthew Burnett of the Immigration Advocates Network
 
Private and Public Funding Partnerships
Moderated by: Christopher O’Malley of the IOLA Fund
 
Strategic Partnerships with Traditional and Non-Traditional Partners
Moderated by: Betsy Plum of the New York Immigration Coalition

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The purpose of this one-day conference is to advance the capacity of immigrant assistance provider organizations in New York that serve clients in an efficient, effective and coordinated manner. The conference will bring members of the Immigration community together to share their best practices and learn from current and prior experiences in immigration assistance efforts like DACA, as well as other mass assistance efforts like those following Hurricane Sandy and 9/11.

The registration fee of $55 covers admission to the conference. Admission includes a light breakfast, lunch, and an invitation to a cocktail reception following the final panel.

Please note that CLE credits will be provided.

 

NYLJ: Panel Clarifies Scope of Automatic Contract Renewals

NYLJ: Panel Clarifies Scope of Automatic Contract Renewals

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SEEKING CANDIDATES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT MENTORING PROGRAM

NOTICE TO THE BAR

CONTACT: Peter Quijano, 212-686-0666; or Anthony L. Ricco, 212-791-3919

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SEEKING CANDIDATES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT MENTORING PROGRAM

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is seeking candidates for its Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Mentoring Program. Ideal candidates are attorneys with five or more years of experience litigating in state court, with fifteen felony trials to verdict as lead counsel or comparable in-court experience under their belt. Under the supervision of a member of the CJA Panel, CJA Mentees would represent defendants in federal court who qualify for appointed representation under the Criminal Justice Act.

The purpose of the CJA Mentoring Program is to diversify the composition of the CJA Panel—a roster of private attorneys who are authorized to serve as appointed defense counsel pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3006A—and to expose experienced state court practitioners to federal practice. While the mentee’s initial 15 hours of service will be done pro bono, mentees may earn a reduced rate of $65 per hour for their services after the pro bono requirement has been fulfilled.

Candidate interviews will be conducted in early June. To apply for the program, please e-mail your resume by June 4 to:

Peter Enrique Quijano
Quijano & Ennis, P.C.
peter@qandelaw.com

“The CJA Mentoring Program offers attorneys a unique opportunity to expand their practice and learn from some of the top criminal defense attorneys in the nation,” said Chief Judge Loretta A. Preska. “The Court is fortunate to benefit from such an excellent program and grateful for the time and attention contributed by the mentor lawyers.”

The mentorship program is open to anyone who qualifies, and women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. Participation in the mentorship program does not guarantee appointment to the CJA Panel.

SDNY ANNOUNCES A SPECIAL SESSION TO COMMEMORATE THE COURT’S 225TH ANNIVERSARY

MEDIA ADVISORY/NOTICE TO THE BAR CONTACT: Edward Friedland, 212-805-0513

Chief Judge Loretta A. Preska has announced that the United States District Court for the Southern District Court (SDNY) will hold a special session on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 to commemorate the first session of the Court held 225 years ago. President George Washington appointed James Duane, who had been a member of the Continental Congress and first mayor of New York City following the evacuation of British forces, as the Court’s first judge. Judge Duane held the first session on the first Tuesday of November, 1789, making it the first Court to convene under the new United States Constitution. For this reason, it is frequently referred to as the “Mother Court.”

The anniversary celebration will continue through 2015 with re-enactments of historic trials, lectures on some of the Court’s most notable jurists, and exhibits featuring art and historic artifacts such as the Silver Oar of the British Vice Admiralty Court for the Province of New York, the symbol of an admiralty court’s authority. A full calendar of events, under the co-chairmanship of District Judges Deborah A. Batts and P. Kevin Castel, will be published later this year.

Chief Judge Loretta A. Preska said of the anniversary commemoration:

“The history of this Court reflects the history of the nation. The Court has been the venue for civil war prize cases, litigation over the sinking of the Titanic and Lusitania, and the attack on the World Trade Center. It has seen criminal prosecutions from the Tea Pot Dome scandal to Watergate. Today its docket includes white collar and terrorism prosecutions. We are honored and delighted to mark this Court’s 225th year of continued service.”

Currently there are 28 active and 22 senior District Judges on the Southern District bench, in addition to 15 Magistrate Judges and 9 bankruptcy judges.

SDNY ECF SYSTEM UPGRADE: SERVICE INTERRUPTION NOTICE FOR APRIL 25-27, 2014

COURT NOTICE TO THE BAR                                                April 14, 2013

CONTACT: ECF Help Desk, 212-805-0800

SDNY ECF SYSTEM UPGRADE: SERVICE INTERRUPTION NOTICE FOR APRIL 25-27, 2014

For the purposes of upgrading the Southern District of New York’s Electronic Case Filing (ECF) system, ECF will be unavailable beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25, 2014. Service will be restored by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, 2014.

During this time, users will be unable to file documents on the court’s ECF system or view documents through the PACER electronic public access service. Filers are directed to section 23.7 of the court’s ECF Rules & Instructions for information regarding technical issues that prevent timely filing.

This time will be used to upgrade the court’s ECF system to version 5.1.1. Notable changes include:

Changes to Nature of Suit Codes: To more accurately record the filing of civil actions, thirteen codes have been eliminated and seven new codes added. As a result, a revised civil cover sheet (form JS44C/SDNY) will be required beginning Monday, April 28, 2014. The new form will be made available beginning on April 27, 2014.

ECF Password Strength Requirement: Users accessing the ECF system after April 27, 2014 will be prompted to adopt a new, more secure password.

Details on the Nature of Suit code changes, password changes and the Release Notes detailing additional features available to the public and the bar in ECF version 5.1.1 may be found at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/ecf.php.

Congratulations to Margaret Ling!

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Margaret Ling, who has actively served AABANY as Co-Chair of the Real Estate Committee and as a Director on the Board, has been newly appointed as Co-Chair of the Asia Practice Committee of the New York County Lawyers’ Association. We look forward to the bond that Margaret will help foster between the two organizations. Thank you to Vincent Chang for his invitation to bring Margaret to NYCLA, a New York legal community with over 9,000 members. 

Please join AABANY in congratulating Margaret for her well-deserved appointment.