N.Y. JUD Law § 499-E

§ 499-e. 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 nine of section four hundred ninety-nine-f of this article\nor subdivision two of this section.\n 2. The commission may designate a member of the bar who is not a\nprosecutor or a member of the commission or its staff as a referee to\nhear and report to the commission in accordance with the provisions of\nsection four hundred ninety-nine-f of this article. Such referee shall\nbe empowered to conduct hearings, administer oaths or affirmations,\nsubpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, examine them under oath or\naffirmation and require the production of any books, records, documents\nor other evidence that the referee may deem relevant or material to the\nsubject of the hearing.\n