New York state and New York City have the privilege of serving as the hosts of the United Nations. In 2009, the International Section adopted as one of its key missions monitoring the development of international law at the United Nations. The International Section sees this, in fact, not just as a mission for the section but for the entire New York State Bar Association because the New York bar is not just a local or state bar but an international bar, with over 18,000 lawyers admitted to the practice of law in New York who live and practice law outside the borders of the United States.
Due to the globalization of commerce, banking and many aspects of individual as well as corporate life, the traditional legal framework based on national and local laws is too fragmented to deal with the complexity of legal issues among private actors as well as state actors across international borders. Harmonization of legal norms under the auspices of the United Nations and other international bodies that work with the United Nations is a prominent feature of the legal landscape as we move further into the 21st century. With members located in many countries around the globe and chapters and representatives in over 60 countries, the International Section is in a unique position to help NYSBA and the New York bar make positive contributions towards this end.
