N.Y. Judiciary Law § 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.