N.Y. BNK Law § 2001
This is the official text of N.Y. BNK Law § 2001, part of New York’s BNK Law — part of the compiled statutory law of New York, published by the state as "BNK Law." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
General corporate powers
Official statutory text
§ 2001. General corporate powers. 1. Every corporation shall have, in\naddition to all other powers granted by this chapter or any other\nstatute of this state, the following powers:\n (a) To sue and be sued in all courts and to participate in actions and\nproceedings, whether judicial, administrative, arbitrative or otherwise,\nin like cases as natural persons.\n (b) To have a corporate seal, and to alter such seal at pleasure, and\nto use it by causing it or a facsimile to be affixed or impressed or\nreproduced in any other manner.\n (c) To adopt, amend or repeal by-laws, including emergency by-laws\nmade pursuant to subdivision sixteen of section twelve of the state\nemergency defense act, relating to the business of the corporation, the\nconduct of its affairs, its rights or powers or the rights or powers of\nits stockholders, directors or officers.\n (d) To make donations, irrespective of corporate benefit, for the\npublic welfare or for community fund, hospital, charitable, educational,\nscientific, civic or similar purposes, and in time of war or other\nnational emergency in aid thereof.\n (e) To pay pensions, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing,\nsavings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans,\ntrusts and provisions for any or all of its directors, officers and\nemployees.\n (f) To have perpetual existence.\n 2. Every corporation, subject to any limitations or other specific\nprovisions contained in this chapter or any other statute of this state\nor its organization certificate, shall have such of the following powers\nas shall be appropriate in conducting the business of the corporation:\n (a) To purchase, receive, take by grant, gift, devise, bequest or\notherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use\nand otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any\ninterest therein, wherever situated.\n (b) To sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose\nof, all or any of its property or any interest therein, wherever\nsituated.\n (c) To make contracts, give guarantees and incur liabilities.\n (d) To do business, carry on its operations, and have offices and\nexercise the powers granted by this chapter in any jurisdiction within\nor without the United States.\n (e) To elect or appoint officers, employees and other agents of the\ncorporation, define their duties, fix their compensation and the\ncompensation of directors, and to indemnify corporate personnel.\n (f) To be a promoter, partner, member, associate or manager of other\nbusiness enterprises or ventures, or to the extent permitted in any\nother jurisdiction to be an incorporator of other corporations of any\ntype or kind; provided, however, that nothing contained in this\nparagraph shall authorize a banking organization to engage in any\nactivity not otherwise authorized by the laws of New York or by\nregulations of the superintendent.\n (g) To have and exercise all other powers necessary or appropriate in\nconducting the business of the corporation.\n
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in New York?
Find a New York lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.