New York Laws
Article 15 - Attorneys and Counsellors
475-A - Notice of Lien.

§ 475-a. Notice of lien. If prior to the commencement of an action,
arbitration, mediation or a form of alternative dispute resolution, or a
special or other proceeding, an attorney serves a notice of lien upon
the person or persons against whom his or her client has or may have a
claim or cause of action, the attorney has a lien upon the claim or
cause of action from the time such notice is given, which attaches to a
verdict, report, determination, decision, award, settlement or final
order in his or her client's favor of any court, arbitral tribunal or of
any state, municipal or federal department, except a department of
labor, and to any money or property which may be recovered on account of
such claim or cause of action in whatever hands they may come; and the
lien cannot be affected by any settlement between the parties after such
notice of lien is given. The notice shall, (1) be served by either
personal service or registered mail; (2) be in writing; (3) state that
the relationship of attorney and client has been established, the nature
of the claim or cause of action, and that the attorney claims a lien on
such claim or cause of action; (4) be signed by the client, or by a
person on his or her behalf whose relationship is shown, and which
signature shall also be witnessed by a disinterested person whose
address shall also be given; and (5) be signed by the attorney. A lien
obtained under this section shall otherwise have the same effect and be
enforced in the same manner as a lien obtained under section four
hundred seventy-five of this article.

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