Farewell to Dear Colleagues

At the height of summer and with the city in a flurry of excitement, we recently celebrated two of our lovely colleagues who are departing our firm for new beginnings at law school. In honor of their much-appreciated contributions and to commemorate this next step in their journeys, we gathered at Tonchin, our favorite ramen establishment in the city. Over warm bowls of handmade noodles, tangy salad, and fresh steaming buns, we recounted memories and exchanged advice for the rigorous halls of legal education that lie ahead. For dessert, we indulged in heaping cold kakigōri, a Japanese shaved ice confection that comes in espresso, matcha, and other vibrant flavors, an absolute delight for the hot days of summer. As we said goodbye over good food and laughter, we cherished our time together at the firm. We look forward to seeing our DLG team continue to grow and develop, but we will certainly feel their absence. We toast to their futures in law and beyond!

“ARCHETYPES” by Derek Fordjour on the High Line

After a long winter, we have been enjoying all the greenspace that the city has to offer in the July heat, so we of course had to stop by the High Line and take a look at the park’s ever evolving art collection. Strolling down the path of this iconic once-abandoned train track, we were lucky enough to stumble across Derek Fordjour’s newest public artwork, “ARCHETYPES.” The installation features stunning bronze sculptures of a burlesque dancer, a waiter, and a boxer. Through this collection of “archetypes,” Fordjour examines the ways in which labor, entertainment, and service are interlinked in Black communities across the country. The installation boldly asks viewers to question their own previous notions about these overlapping economies, illustrating how our associations with each archetype are more similar than we would assume.

Whimsy in Motion on Park Avenue

In celebration of summer, we have been soaking up the sunshine and enjoying some of the city’s newest outdoor artwork.  We recently walked over to Murray Hill, where a selection of sculptures by Dorit Levinstein have been installed along Park Avenue. In partnership with the Eden Gallery, the exhibition feature nine sculptures by the acclaimed artist. Dorit Levinstein’s signature twirling figures are equally graceful and fun, eliciting delight from her viewers. With intricate patterns, vibrant colors, and innovative shapes, this installation adds a sense of whimsy to the tree-lined Park Avenue, inviting passersby to stop and enjoy the urban surroundings.

“Live Free or Die” by Danh Võ

In a busy time for world flags in New York City, we managed to catch a glimpse of one more, the Vietnamese and Danish artist Danh Võ’s take on the American stars and stripes, titled “Live Free or Die.” The piece is on display at the Vilcek Foundation gallery in the Upper East Side, where it sits among a wider collection of Võ’s works. Established in 2000, the Vilcek Foundation celebrates and explores immigrant contributions to the United States, particularly in the arts and sciences. In this piece, commissioned by the foundation, Võ reimagines the American flag as a piling of ash logs in different wood tones, studded with steel cutouts of thirteen stars, representing the original American colonies. Jagged wooden edges heap together, leaving fragmented gaps between the logs, but ultimately the materials amass into a familiar image of American patriotism. The title references a decisive, almost hostile call for independence aligned with revolutionary ideals of American freedom, though best known as the infamous state motto of New Hampshire. The larger exhibit, “Danh Võ: Rebuilding Liberty,” also includes sculptures from Võ’s “We the People,” a collection of seemingly nondescript ridged and textured copper structures which are, in fact, pieces from an unassembled full-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty. The full series lays in metallic tatters at museums and parks around the world. At the Vilcek Foundation gallery, the single left eye and brow of Lady Liberty’s face gaze at the ceiling, in front of Võ’s choppy, earthen depiction of the star-spangled banner. As the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, these transformative versions of iconic national symbols contextualize the rich, fragmented, and often somber arc of American history, and the prescient place of immigration and art within it.

Photos by Anna Hochman

World Cup Fever

As people around the globe get swept up in the joy of the Beautiful Game, we thought we’d join in on the fun. We stopped by the first 2026 World Cup match hosted at the New York New Jersey Stadium (renamed for the occasion) to witness Brazil take on Morocco in a thrilling contest for football glory.

With the teams’ respective supporters showing out in full force with coordinating colors to mirror their nations’ flag, and splendid chants echoing throughout the stadium, this event has been a bright celebration of both national unity and international diversity. Beyond the stadium, decorations on local businesses and residences continue to bring a celebratory atmosphere to the city, and everyone is buzzing in anticipation.

Although the match ended in a draw, we are soaking in the festive energy brought by our friends from all over the world and can’t wait to see the coming matches and meet more international fans!

Juneteenth at “To Be A Place”

In celebration of Juneteenth, we headed uptown to visit the Studio Museum in Harlem, which exhibits work reflecting the African diaspora. The Museum, founded in 1968, is rich with history and showcases a stunning collection of art, from icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley to up-and-coming names supported by their Artists-in-Residence program. On display right now as part of the “To Be A Place” exhibit, is “African-American Flag” by David Hammons, an artist known for his use of political symbolism throughout multimedia practice. Another flag made by Hammons, this one untitled, is proudly hoisted in front of the museum. Together, the works stand as symbols of joy, resilience, and history, reflecting the rich cultural legacy of Harlem’s Black community and inspiring audiences far beyond the neighborhood.

The New Museum Gets a Sci-Fi Makeover

After a hiatus, the doors of the New Museum on the Lower East Side of Manhattan have reopened to the public to showcase a brand-new and expansive exhibit called New Humans: Memories of the Future.  We recently visited the museum during its beloved Thursday late night hours, where we found the multistoried space chock-full of other guests taking in the eclectic creations on display. Leading with the quote, “Nothing is stranger to humans than their own image,” from Czech writer Karel Čapek, the exhibit presents artistic work at the intersection of humanity and technology. Visitors can glimpse mind-bending paintings layered with collage, mechanically driven devices, floating drones overhead, and dangling humanoid figures, all of which range from endearing and engaging to grotesque and uncanny. As we perused narrow hallways, wide galleries, and secret staircases, we could hear the clicking of an automated typewriter, the rattling of an unexplained jar of crystal shards, and the lilting music of a short film. The exhibit is a love letter to science fiction and the strange, while explicating the real and sometimes harrowing cultural roots of each artist, movement, and reference featured. One imposing construction by artist Tau Lewis, a colossal human frame built from an assortment of textiles, found objects, and fragments of shell, bone, and pearl, bears the unsettling proverb “When the axe came into the forest, the trees said, ‘the handle is one of us.” As a jellyfish-like robot whirs overhead, piloted by unseen engineers behind a gallery wall, the figure opens its arms in an embrace, a fusion of organic materials and steel with a human form. Perhaps it asks us, how much are we made of nature? How much are we made of technology? And how much does it matter? 

Knicks Fever

Our neighbors at Madison Square Garden are having quite the exciting season! For the first time since 1999, the New York Knicks are playing in the NBA Finals, and, along with the rest of New York, we could not be more delighted. Game one was a thrilling win that has us hoping for a sweep. In celebration of their historic run, we stopped by the specially designed Knicks Subway station stairway at Madison Square Garden, planned by the MTA. With basketball-shaped light posts and the team’s signature orange and blue colors painted across the gates, the stairway has certainly brightened our commute. Our office, just a few blocks south of the team’s home arena, is betting on Brunson and gearing up for what is sure to be a fantastic second game tonight. Let’s Go Knicks!

Outdoor Exploration

In celebration of New York Art Week, we explored the latest art installations in the Hudson Yards and Flatiron neighborhoods.

Our first stop was Roberto Lugo’s exhibition “Alfarero del Barrio” or “village potter,” which consists of a larger-than-life orange fire hydrant and a twenty-foot-tall urn, both carved from milled foam. Together, these works celebrate the artist’s Puerto Rican heritage and invite viewers to engage directly with a culture that has a vibrant and enduring presence in New York City.

We then stopped by Hudson Yards to see Brendan Murphy’s newest installation “Love Matters Everywhere,” which features a 12-foot reflective teddy bear, named “Loretta,” and sitting on a nearby bench, a masked astronaut. Murphy explores the complexity and beauty of the human experience, asking onlookers to look directly at themselves as they admire his sculptural work.

Just across the street, we cooled off by the fountains and took in Giangaetano Patane’s “The Last Five Fish in the Sea,” an installation of five terracotta fish, swimming at the base of the fountain’s pool. An intimate and simple portrayal of the sea, Patane’s work offers a calming respite in the middle of Manhattan.

With great art all around, we hope you get a chance to check out some of the ongoing exhibitions and installations!

“The Light That Shines Through the Universe” by Tuan Andrew Nguyen

While on our daily constitutional to take our minds off the ever-changing nuances of immigration law, we came across the brand-new installation at the High Line Plinth. Towering over the High Line Spur stands Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s “The Light That Shines Through the Universe,” a twenty-seven-foot-tall figure in the image of the Bamiyan Buddhas, two incredible statues in central Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 in an attempt to erase the history of religious and cultural congruence in the region. Nguyen’s piece references the iconic sculptures both in form and name, taking the name for his creation from the translation of the nickname for the buddhas coined by local Afghani communities, “Salsal.” Despite these remarkable similarities, Nguyen’s intention is not replication but reincarnation. The sculpture’s radiant gold hands, hovering just beyond the body of the sculpture, symbolize healing and empathy, a way to move forward despite loss.

Although we will miss Iván Argote’s pigeon sculpture “Dinosaur” which guarded the walkway and Tenth Avenue below for the past year and a half, Nguyen’s piece is a poignant reminder of the power of art and memory, and of the importance of nurturing forgotten narratives whenever possible.

 Photos by Laura Romig