N.Y. JUD Law § 43

§ 43. Panels; referees. 1. The commission may delegate any of its\nfunctions, powers and duties to a panel of three of its members, one of\nwhom shall be a member of the bar, except that no panel shall confer\nimmunity in accordance with section 50.20 of the criminal procedure law.\nNo panel shall be authorized to take any action pursuant to subdivisions\nfour through eight of section forty-four of this article or subdivision\ntwo of this section.\n 2. The commission may designate a member of the bar who is not a judge\nor a member of the commission or its staff as a referee to hear and\nreport to the commission in accordance with the provisions of section\nforty-four of this article. Such referee shall be empowered to conduct\nhearings, administer oaths or affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel\ntheir attendance, examine them under oath or affirmation and require the\nproduction of any books, records, documents or other evidence that the\nreferee may deem relevant or material to the subject of the hearing.\n