Legal Alerts

Cannabis Law and Business attorney Alexis M. Florczak was recently quoted in the February 11, 2022 Buffalo Business First article, "Would-be cannabis businesses, be warned: New York state sends clear message on 'gifting' weed." The article delves into the issue of business owners "gifting" cannabis to customers and the legality of the exchange, with Alexis offering her expert opinion on the subject.

Insurance Coverage Attorney Dan D. Kohane was quoted in a February 2, 2022 Law360 article, "NY Lawmakers Amending Defendant Insurance Disclosure Bill" by Ben Zigterman. In the article, Dan explains his viewpoint on the amendments proposed in the new bill and why he doesn't find CIDA necessary.

The New York State Legislature recently expanded the “party admission” exception to the rule against hearsay to permit the admission of adverse statements of any employee if the statement was made about a matter within the scope of employment and made during the existence of the employment relationship.  Litigation attorney Nicholas J. Heintzman advises that employers carefully structure their accident response measures to mitigate the impact of this new rule.

Founded in 1977, Hurwitz & Fine continues to grow with more than 40 attorneys in the Buffalo area and more than 50 in total across New York, Florida and Connecticut.

A newly proposed law in the New York State Senate would provide a one-year lookback window for adult survivors of sexual assault passed the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.  CVA attorney Anastasia M. McCarthy advises.

Hurwitz & Fine Insurance Coverage Attorneys Dan Kohane and Ryan Maxwell are closely monitoring the new Comprehensive Insurance Disclosure Act (“CIDA”), which took effect on December 31, 2021. They have assembled a helpful, one-page summary of these disclosure requirements, available for download.

Insurance Coverage Attorney Dan D. Kohane was quoted in a January 4, 2022 Law360 article, "NY To Require Greater Insurance Details From Defendants" by Ben Zigterman.

In the face of another pandemic surge, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed legislation (S1780C) to reinstate remote notarization.

In the face of another pandemic surge, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed legislation (S01780) to reinstate remote notarization. 

Labor & Employment attorney Joseph S. Brown provides an update on the OSHA COVID-19 mandate and what this means for New York private employers with one hundred or more employees. 

Covid-19 has yielded a significant amount of personal injury litigation against health care institutions and individual providers.  In response, the federal government and many state governments have passed statutory immunity from civil and/or criminal liability for health care provided during the pandemic.  

The COVID-19 pandemic instigated a wave of legislation in New York state targeted at nursing homes. Hurwitz Fine explores the implications and practicalities of this legislation rollout for facilities, and the potential impact that these new regulations may have on future litigation.

Employers have been complying with New York State’s Paid Family Leave Act (“PFL”) since 2018.  PFL mandates time off for employees to care for family members with serious health conditions, among other reasons.  Last month, Governor Hochul enacted an amendment to PFL, to expand the definition of covered family members. Labor and Employment attorney Katherine L. Wood expands on this.

With social media being a dominant force in our lives today, that desire for likes and followers can have a drastically negative impact on a plaintiff’s claim.  Our Long Island attorney Jesse Siegel provides some guidance on how to maximize social media discovery in defending your claim.

Every year around the holidays, Hurwitz & Fine’s Safety and Wellness Committee partners with a local organization to conduct our Adopt-a-Family drive. This year, we partnered with Child and Family Services of Western New York to bring some holiday cheer to a local, in-need family.

On November 4, 2021, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued a new Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) “intended to establish minimum vaccination, vaccination verification, face covering, and testing requirements to address the grave danger of COVID-19 in the workplace.” 

Employment and Business litigator Joseph S. Brown provides an overview of the basics of the ETS, an update on legal challenges to the rule, and what employers can do now to prepare.

On October 7, 2021, the New York Court of Appeals addressed the issue of whether a foreign corporation consents to general jurisdiction by registering to do business in the State of New York and designating a local agent for service of process as required by Article 13 of the NY Business Corporation Law in order to be authorized to transact business in the state. Litigation associate Cara M. Pascarella advises.

Insurance Litigator Lee S. Siegel was quoted in a Law360 article, "COVID-19 Coverage Fights Head to State High Courts" by Shawn Rice. He comments on whether the courts will be consistent with their decisions on COVID-19 coverage fights or will take a more state-specific approach.

Hurwitz and Fine Managing Partner, Jody E. Briandi was recently featured in the 2022 publication of U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" for her article, "Navigating the New Normal," in which she discusses how the pandemic has affected law firm culture and work environment