N.Y. JUD Law § 491

§ 491. Sharing of compensation by attorneys prohibited. 1. It shall be\nunlawful for any person, partnership, corporation, or association to\ndivide with or receive from, or to agree to divide with or receive from,\nany attorney-at-law or group of attorneys-at-law, whether practicing in\nthis state or elsewhere, either before or after action brought, any\nportion of any fee or compensation, charged or received by such\nattorney-at-law or any valuable consideration or reward, as an\ninducement for placing, or in consideration of having placed, in the\nhands of such attorney-at-law, or in the hands of another person, a\nclaim or demand of any kind for the purpose of collecting such claim, or\nbringing an action thereon, or of representing claimant in the pursuit\nof any civil remedy for the recovery thereof. But this section does not\napply to an agreement between attorneys and counsellors-at-law to divide\nbetween themselves the compensation to be received.\n 2. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section is\nguilty of a misdemeanor.\n