ACTIONS TAKEN BY A NEW YORK ATTORNEY WHO IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE JUDICIARY LAW 470, WHICH REQUIRES AN OFFICE IN NEW YORK, ARE NOT A NULLITY (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Garcia, reversing the Appellate Division, determined that actions taken by an attorney who is admitted to practice in New York but is not in compliance with New York office requirement are not a nullity:

We … hold that a violation of Judiciary Law § 470 [requiring a New York office] does not render the actions taken by the attorney involved a nullity. Instead, the party may cure the section 470 violation with the appearance of compliant counsel or an application for admission pro hac vice by appropriate counsel … . Where further relief is warranted, the trial court has discretion to consider any resulting prejudice and fashion an appropriate remedy  and the individual attorney may face disciplinary action for failure to comply with the statute … . This approach ensures that violations are appropriately addressed without disproportionately punishing an unwitting client for an attorney’s failure to comply with section 470. Arrowhead Capital Fin., Ltd. v Cheyne Specialty Fin. Fund L.P., 2019 NY Slip Op 01124, CtApp 2-14-19