§ 475-A — Notice of lien

§ 475-a. Notice of lien. If prior to the commencement of an action,\narbitration, mediation or a form of alternative dispute resolution, or a\nspecial or other proceeding, an attorney serves a notice of lien upon\nthe person or persons against whom his or her client has or may have a\nclaim or cause of action, the attorney has a lien upon the claim or\ncause of action from the time such notice is given, which attaches to a\nverdict, report, determination, decision, award, settlement or final\norder in his or her client's favor of any court, arbitral tribunal or of\nany state, municipal or federal department, except a department of\nlabor, and to any money or property which may be recovered on account of\nsuch claim or cause of action in whatever hands they may come; and the\nlien cannot be affected by any settlement between the parties after such\nnotice of lien is given. The notice shall, (1) be served by either\npersonal service or registered mail; (2) be in writing; (3) state that\nthe relationship of attorney and client has been established, the nature\nof the claim or cause of action, and that the attorney claims a lien on\nsuch claim or cause of action; (4) be signed by the client, or by a\nperson on his or her behalf whose relationship is shown, and which\nsignature shall also be witnessed by a disinterested person whose\naddress shall also be given; and (5) be signed by the attorney. A lien\nobtained under this section shall otherwise have the same effect and be\nenforced in the same manner as a lien obtained under section four\nhundred seventy-five of this article.\n