The health and safety of our members, staff and visitors is our top priority. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other authorities, the City Bar’s building is open on a limited, appointment-only basis. At this time, all visitors must request an appointment by clicking here.
This page is intended to serve as a hub to inform City Bar members and the public about access to the building, as well as City Bar activities and other helpful resources during the pandemic.
We are not offering any in-person events or programs at this time and most City Bar staff continue to work remotely. The City Bar’s 150 committees are busier than ever, holding committee meetings electronically, researching and writing reports and statements (click Reports tab on the left), and organizing online programs and CLEs (click Events tab on the left).
Scroll down to read about our current visitor and library policies, pro bono work, legal referral service, small law firm center, highlights of COVID-19 related court directives and executive orders, and more.
VISITOR POLICY
Appointments are currently available on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You will receive an email confirming your appointment or notifying you if we cannot accommodate your needs at this time. The email will also contain a link to a legally-required health screening form which each visitor must complete on the day of their visit.
All visitors to the City Bar, whether in the House of the Association or the Bar Building, except for delivery personnel, must (a) complete a health screening questionnaire on the day of your visit and before you enter the building, (b) pass a contactless temperature scan upon arrival, (c) wear a face covering during the visit, and (d) follow social distancing and healthy hygiene practices as directed by signs posted around the City Bar offices. If you do not have a face covering, the City Bar will provide a disposable mask for use during your visit.
Any visitor who violates this policy, or who displays any flu-like symptoms, will be directed to leave the building immediately.
LIBRARY POLICY
- Members may request an appointment to perform electronic research that cannot be done remotely.
- Occupancy will be limited to ensure proper distancing.
- No browsing of hard copy materials is permitted until further notice. Members can request hardcopy materials by emailing library@nycbar.org or calling Library Administration at (212) 382-6617 and then picking them up at a time specified by Library staff.
- Books may not be checked in and available for the next member right away, as we will quarantine them for up to 72 hours once they are returned.
- Many online research resources remain available for members, some of which were previously available only in person.
- Virtual Law Firm members may continue to pick up their mail at a prearranged time.
City Bar Justice Center Resources
We are updating our roster of On-Demand CLE programs, creating new, timely CLE programming to be delivered via live webinars, and moving some of the upcoming spring programming to the live webinar platform.
The City Bar’s Lawyer Assistance Program is a free, confidential service for attorneys, judges, law students and their family members in New York City who are struggling with alcohol or drug use, depression, anxiety and stress, as well as other addictions and mental health issues, remains available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 212-302-5787.
The Legal Referral Service is fully operational with all attorney referral counselors and participating lawyers working remotely. The call is free and, if referred, the initial virtual or phone consultation will be free and will last for up to 30 minutes. Call 212-626-7373 (212-626-7374 en español) or submit a lawyer referral request online.
LRS Legal Resources:
The City Bar spotlights administrative and executive orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic that may impact legal practice. You can find each week’s collected in our Monday eNews. To keep up to date, please check the Office of Court Administration’s COVID-19 webpage, individual court websites, and sign up for alerts from OCA here. The Governor’s Executive Orders are here.
To serve the legal community, the library’s member online services will continue to be available, as will Casemaker, the online legal research platform that is free for its members.
The Small Law Firm Center continues to produce specialized programming on effective client relations, business development, marketing and more. It has launched remote weekly chats where solo and small-firm practitioners can share best practices and help one another during this period. If you are a solo or small-firm practitioner and would like to be included, please contact Eve Guillergan, Small Law Firm Center Manager.
More information about Small Law Firm Center resources is available in its monthly eNews.
Customer Relations can be reached by email at customerrelations@nycbar.org or by calling 212-382-6663.
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