Philip Katz

October 18, 2024 | New York Law Journal

Bad Things Happen in the Dark: Attorneys Must Speak Up When Misleading News Reports Target Our Judiciary

Three family law attorneys speak out against a recent report broadcast by NBC 4 New York that they say undermines the public's trust in the judiciary.

By Philip Katz, Danielle Petitti, and Daniel Lipschutz

10 minute read

September 27, 2024 | New York Law Journal

The Family Court Assigned Counsel Panel: If Not You, Who?

"Our statewide Family Court panels, are in crisis. They are in need of new, experienced practitioners to replace the many who have been retiring in recent years as the numbers of litigants in need of Assigned Counsel services have increased."

By Philip Katz

5 minute read

September 06, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Parlez-Vous 'Due Process'?

No indigent adult in New York State should have their access to counsel limited by an inability to speak English.

By Philip Katz

5 minute read

April 16, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Understanding That Assigned Counsel and AFC Rate Increases Are Not a 'Done Deal' Requires Close Contact With Leadership

Respectfully, Dawne Mitchell and Theresa Moser's "unartfully" worded letter to the governor as well as their most recent letter to the editor both demonstrate a lack of understanding of the present political and legal dynamics as they relate to the current battle to compel the state of New York to meet its sacred constitutional obligation to indigent adults, families and children.

By Philip Katz and Brian Zimmerman

4 minute read

April 10, 2023 | New York Law Journal

The Long-Running Compensation Crisis for New York's Assigned Counsel Is Getting Worse

A lawyer who leads a statewide group representing assigned counsel, or 18-B attorneys, takes issue with a statement contained in a Law Journal story on the state funding long-overdue pay raises for lawyers who provide representation to some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

By Philip Katz

3 minute read

February 27, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Praemonitus Praemunitus: The Importance of the In-Camera Interview in Child Custody Matters

While it is not—and should not—be the sole basis for a jurist's decision on custody, the in-camera interview often has a more profound impact upon the court's decision than anything the parents' attorneys say or do in open court. For this reason, attorneys must understand what occurs during the in-camera interview, plan for it, and advise their clients accordingly.

By Philip Katz

8 minute read

July 08, 2022 | New York Law Journal

With Governor Hochul Having Failed To Protect New York's Children and Families, the Last Hope Is the New York State Judiciary

If there were ever a question as to why separation of powers is vital to our democracy as I tried to explain to my daughter, as to why the system of checks and balances is crucial to protect our citizens, there is no better exemplar than this case.

By Philip Katz

10 minute read

April 19, 2022 | New York Law Journal

With the Constitutional Rights of the Indigent Going Up in Flames, Governor Hochul Just Threw Fuel on the Fire

As advocates, and as New Yorkers, we must take umbrage at the Governor's failure to ensure the inclusion of the Assigned Counsel legislation in the 2022 budget.

By Philip Katz

7 minute read

January 14, 2022 | New York Law Journal

A Catastrophe of Albany's Making: Assigned Counsel Rates and Access to Justice

Even though the state of New York has historically been a champion of equal access to justice for over a century, in recent decades it seems that our State Legislature and the Executive branch have lost their way on this important issue.

By Philip Katz

7 minute read

January 22, 2021 | New York Law Journal

NYS Family Court Assigned Counsel: Why I Joined and Why You Should, Too

You can become an asset to your community as an Assigned Counsel attorney in ways that you could never do so in a typical private practice.

By Philip Katz

6 minute read

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