The legal field can be fast-paced. One strategy that works one quarter may not be as effective the next. That’s why it is critical to keep up with new developments and strategies as they come up. One of those is law new, a term that describes ways that legal firms are expanding the services they offer to clients. It typically refers to the creation of legal help that is outside traditional practices, such as working with underserved communities, creating legal services for businesses that are not traditionally clients of law firms or developing strategies that make it possible to work with nontraditional clientele.
The Law in Focus team has been keeping track of new laws passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, as well as some laws vetoed by the Governor and others that did not pass during a legislative session. Some of these new laws take effect immediately, while others are being phased in over time. Here’s a look at a selection of the most significant new laws that took effect Jan. 1:
A law that prevents retailers from selling a product with a different price tag than a comparable version based on its gender (otherwise known as the “pink tax”). This bill is designed to bring about more equality for women in buying products such as shampoo and makeup, as well as in other industries where products are priced differently by gender.
Putting pay data in the spotlight (again). This legislation will require companies with more than 15 employees to disclose salary ranges in job postings, if requested by applicants. This should help address some of the uncertainty surrounding what workers earn and help people know whether a position is worth applying for.
This bill would authorize the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to prepare and make available to all City agencies a notice regarding federal and New York State student loan forgiveness programs, which those agencies would then provide to their employees and applicants for employment.