04.05.2026 Uber and Trial Lawyers Spar Over New Yorkers’ Auto Insurance Premiums
For at least a half-century, one of the most powerful and enduring outside forces in New York State politics has been the Trial Lawyers Association.
The organization — which argues for expanding the right to sue and opposes most efforts that may curtail the legal fees of its members — has plowed millions of dollars into the campaigns of state lawmakers, and spent millions more on lobbyists close to leaders of both the Senate and Assembly.
Its latest fight is against a proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul to lower the cost of auto insurance for New York drivers, who pay some of the highest rates in the country. The proposal would also limit payouts in cases where motorists were mostly at fault or impaired.