No person holding the office of clerk, deputy clerk, special deputy clerk, assistant special deputy clerk, or assistant in the clerk's office, of a court of record within the first, second, tenth and eleventh judicial districts or territory comprising the same, shall hereafter be appointed by any court or judge, a referee, receiver or commissioner; except that a person holding such office who is an attorney in good standing admitted to practice in the state may be appointed as a referee to serve without fee where authorized by any provision of the civil practice law and rules or any other law.
N.Y. Jud. Law § 251