Can the building attorney send out a change to the bylaws without a vote by the unit owners - condo

It is possible that your bylaws can be changed by a simple vote of the Directors at a Board Meeting that has been duly noticed and called. Your By-laws themselves should provide the method by which they can be amended. Generally speaking though, there is no manner by which the lawyer alone can amend them without some kind of vote by the owners or the Board.

To be certain of how this was accomplished I would recommend making a request to inspect the minutes of the Board and unit owner meetings over the past year. It is important that you follow the procedural guidelines required by NY Law for such a request. You should contact a NY licensed attorney that practices in this field if you have any doubts.