The new rules are designed to create a uniform disciplinary system for lawyers in New York, fixing what a state commission described last year as a 'uniquely decentralised system for handling attorney grievances.'Judge Lippmann said that the new rules were a step towards eliminating regional variations, leading to a more effective disciplinary system overall and making a contribution 'to the fair administration of justice and the integrity of the legal profession throughout our state.' The move was backed by New York Bar Association president David Miranda: 'The more consistency you can have in disciplinary proceedings, the clearer the lines are about what you can do, and the better the process is going to be for both the attorney and the public.'
Mandatory retirement
Judge Lippmann stepped down from his post at the close of 2015, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. His retirement is bittersweet – two years ago he lost a political campaign to pass a referendum that would have allowed him, and other judges, to serve until they were 80 years of age. He saw his role as extending beyond adjudicating cases into policy making and legal governance, working to expand legal services for the poor and disadvantaged and championing the ideal of lawyering as a public service. Despite coming into office during a budget crisis, he allocated more resources to civil legal services than any chief judge before him, setting aside $85m in his most recent budget of $2bn. Sources: The New York Times; The New York Times (2)
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