2007 Issue 1 - New York City Bar Association

R E C E N T C O M M I T T E E R E P O R T S
York State Court of Appeals, urges that the court issue a clear and precise
order to ensure that the legislature and executive promptly remedy the
constitutional deficiencies in funding for New York City’s public schools.
The court, the brief argues, should specify the dollar range of the operational
funding needed to provide New York City schoolchildren with a
sound basic education. The doctrine of separation of powers is not a
bar, the brief argues, when, as in this case, the political branches ignore
the court’s directives to remedy constitutional violations and the
vindication of fundamental constitutional rights is unreasonably delayed.
The brief examined school funding cases in other states, and
shows that decisive court action is necessary to achieve the remedy the
courts prescribe.
Civil Rights/Legal Issues Affecting People with Disabilities
Report: “Ensuring Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the Wake of
Katrina and of Other Natural and Man-Made Disasters,” offers a discussion
of the laws, regulations, and other resources that will be useful in
advancing the understanding of, and compliance with, legal requirements
for access to the built environment for people with disabilities as reconstruction
takes place after natural and man-made disasters.
Condemnation and Tax Certiorari
Letter to the New York City Department of Finance expressing opposition
to the proposed Amendments to Section 11-208.1 of the Administrative
Code. The proposed changes, the letter notes, would require the electronic
filing of the mandatory real property income and expense statement (RPIE)
by most owners of income producing property located in the City of New
York which would place an undue burden on many owners of real property
in the City.
Corporate Governance, Task Force on the Lawyer’s Role in
The report of the Task Force on the Lawyer’s Role in Corporate Governance
examines the role of counsel, both in-house and outside, with respect
to counseling about corporate conduct and urges strengthening the
role of corporate lawyers representing public companies. The report suggests
a series of “best practice” recommendations for lawyers counseling
public companies including that the general counsel i) have an express
mandate from the board to promote a corporate culture of integrity, ii)
have ready access to the board whenever needed, iii) have regular meetings
with independent directors in the absence of management, and iv)
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