The legal profession is a dynamic field that constantly changes with the times. Often, what worked one quarter can’t work the next and that means new strategies and tactics are required to meet client needs.
One of these strategies is called law new and it is a growing trend in the industry today. It can be a way to increase revenue and improve client satisfaction without disrupting other areas of the legal practice that are more traditional in nature.
1. Open Meetings of Public Bodies
This law requires all city councils, town boards, village boards of trustees, school districts including committees and subcommittees to hold meetings in public or have a designated person attend. This law also applies to other entities whose function is a government function, such as the state, agencies of the state and public corporations.
2. Safe Time for Family Offense Matters, Sexual Offenses and Stalking/Human Trafficking Survivors
This law provides for paid safe time to victims of domestic violence, sexual offenses, stalking or human trafficking as well as their family members who require protection. It also prohibits any person from charging consumers for services intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
3. Data Breach Notification for City Agencies
This bill would require City agencies that have suffered a data breach to notify the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Cyber Command, and the NYPD. The notification must include information on the number of records affected, as well as the names and social security numbers of any individuals impacted.
4. Licensing of third-party food delivery services
This bill would repeal subchapter 22 of chapter 5 of the administrative code and create a licensing scheme for third-party food delivery services in the City that better regulates the activities of such businesses. It would also expand the penalties for violations of this subchapter by providing that the Department could deny, refuse to renew or revoke a license for any third-party food delivery service that commits two or more violations of the provisions of this subchapter within any one year period.
5. Licensing of Laundries in the City
This bill updates the laundry licensing law to better regulate the activities of industrial laundries and industrial laundry delivery services. It also adds requirements to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of these establishments.
6. Penalties for Keeping or Selling Force-Fed Products and Selling Biometric Identification Technology
This rule would require a business that keeps or sells force-fed products, including milk, cheese, butter, chocolate, sugar, salt, and spices, to provide notice of such items to the customer before sale and prohibit the sale of these items. The law would also prohibit the sale of biometric identifier information to third parties.
7. Providing Severance Pay for Hotel Service Workers
This law allows employees of hotels that are displaced as a result of a change in ownership or bankruptcy to be entitled to severance pay. It also permits laid off employees of fast food establishments to schedule pay premiums if they have worked for the employer for at least one year, and provides for arbitration of disagreements between a fast food employer and an employee.
