IMPORTANT NOTICE - New York Courthouse Closures, Extension of Filing Deadlines and Statutes of Limitations, Opportunities to Aide Storm Victims, and Other Post-Hurricane Announcements - NYWBA sends its sympathy to those who lost loved ones and friends as a result of Hurricane Sandy or whose homes or property have been affected. The storm was devastating for many, and even as the City and region work to recover, the impact will be felt for a long time. New York City, New York State and other states and municipalities in the hurricane's path have declared states of emergency and taken steps to address the effects of the storm on persons, property, and the normal functioning of key institutions. Click As a service to our members and the legal community, PLEASE TAKE NOTE of the following:.

• Opportunities to provide legal advice to storm victims - November 15, 2012 Click here for information.
• Courthouse Status - For information about courthouse closures, and the hours and functionality of courthouses that are open, call 1-800-COURTNY (1-800-268-7869) or go to the New York Office of Court Administration website at www.nycourts.gov/court-closings.shtml.
• NYS Executive Order - On October 31, 2012, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an Executive Order extending statutes of limitations, court filing deadlines (including for commencing actions and filing appeals), criminal law deadlines, and other legal deadlines and time frames in light of the impact of Hurricane Sandy. For a copy of this Executive Order (pdf), click here.
• Office Space - A few NYWBA members have indicated that they could make space available in their offices on a short-term basis to members who are unable to access or utilize their normal office due to flooding, power or other reasons. If you need a spot to take a deposition or hold a client meeting, one of our members may be able to accommodate you. Send requests to info@nywba.org. (All requests are first-come, first serve. We cannot guarantee space will be available, but we thank our generous colleagues who have indicated they will try to help fellow members.)
• NYWBA Programs & Events - Numerous NYWBA programs and co-sponsored programs have been postponed due to the hurricane and regional power outages. Check the NYWBA calendar to verify the status of upcoming programs and to get information about rescheduled events.
• NYWBA Newsletter - Due to power outages and other hurricane impact, the NYWBA Newsletter could not be printed or mailed this week, but it is available electronically on our website. Click here to download a copy (pdf). (Member user name & password required for download; as noted above, some events announced in the Newsletter had to be postponed after it was copy-set.)

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant. The NMDP connects patients, doctors, donors and researchers to resources they need to help more people live longer, healthier lives. More than 260 patients receive marrow or blood cell transplants through this network each month, and more than 25,000 patients have been given a second chance at life. Because tissue type is inherited, patients are most likely to match someone of their same race and ethnicity, so there is a special need to recruit more donors who identify themselves as members of ethnic minorities. For more information please go to www.marrow.org.

The Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) of the New York State Bar Association was established in 1990 to assist attorneys, judges and law school students who are affected by alcoholism, drug abuse, debilitating stress, depression. It also provides supportive services to law firms, other legal entities, and families regarding mental health issues in the legal profession. The goal is to prevent health, family and work-related problems that can occur as a result of a mental health issue. For further information, please click here to download the LAP brochure, or contact our liaison to the LAP, Christina Kallas, at 212-569-5779. All calls are STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.