Posts

Posted on

NAPABA Law Foundation Names Three 2026 SAIL Scholars

Washington, DC (August 7, 2026) — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Law Foundation (NLF) announced today that Malakai Espinosa, Cynthia Phan and Yuwen Wang, second-year law students at UCLA School of Law, Boston University School of Law and the University of Chicago School of Law, respectively, have been awarded prestigious SAIL Scholarships for their outstanding professional promise and leadership potential.

“Cynthia, Malakai, and Yuwen embody academic excellence, leadership, and the bright future of the legal field,” said NLF President Bonnie Wolf. “NLF and SAIL are honored to support their journeys and to invest in leaders who will use their talents to serve others, expand opportunity, and create meaningful change in their communities.”

Malakai Espinosa is pursuing a joint J.D./M.P.H. at the UCLA School of Law and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Among other honors and activities, he is a member of the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy and received a Philippine American Bar Association Scholarship, a UCLA Law Faculty Scholarship and a Legal Education Access Pipeline Public Interest Summer Grant. He also serves as co-chair of the law school’s Asian/Pacific Islander Law Students Association, co-chair of the El Centro Education Rights Project and chief managing editor of the Pacific Basin Law Journal. Malakai earned his B.S. summa cum laude in Human Biology and Society from UCLA, where he was on the Dean’s Honor List for four years, president of Samahang Pilipino and played tuba for the UCLA marching band. He is a member of the board of the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association, and this summer, Malakai was a judicial extern for a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Cynthia Phan is a second-year law student at Boston University School of Law, where she is a Dean’s Scholarship recipient, a Legal Writing Fellow and co-president of the Public Interest Law Society. She received her B.A. summa cum laude in International Relations from Boston University, where she received a Thomas M. Menino Scholarship and engaged in academic research and volunteer work in Nairobi, Kenya; Boston, MA; Geneva, Switzerland; Tel-Aviv, Israel; and the West Bank. Between her undergraduate studies and law school, Cynthia worked for two years as a juvenile diversion coordinator with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston. She is the author of Stories from the Street: Nurturing Empathy among Boston Residents and spent this summer as a legal intern with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York City.

Yuwen Wang is a 2028 J.D. candidate at the University of Chicago Law School, where she is a member of the University of Chicago Law Review and the law school’s Public Interest Leadership Program; treasurer of First Generation Professionals; and programming director of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. She received her B.A. in Sociology and Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received general honors as well as departmental honors in Sociology. Between college and law school, Yuwen worked as a senior legal assistant at a national public interest law firm, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP. She was previously an undergraduate intern with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. This summer, she worked as a legal intern for the Hon. Jeannette Vargas of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and for the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

“We are excited to welcome Malakai, Cynthia and Yuwen into the seventh cohort of SAIL Scholars,” said Ivan Fong, who with his wife Sharon endowed the NLF SAIL Scholarship program. “All three of them show great promise as leaders who give generously of their time and effort to the broader community. We could not be more delighted to help them as they complete their academic work and become part of the next generation of leaders in our profession.”

Two unique aspects of the SAIL Scholarship program are that, in addition to monetary support, SAIL Scholars will also receive mentoring and leadership development from each other and from a network of legal and community leaders. “A second feature of this scholarship program,” said Sharon Fong, “is that the recipients commit to ‘paying it forward’ — by supporting each other, future SAIL Scholars and the communities in which they will live and work.”

In addition to Sharon and Ivan Fong, the 2026 NLF SAIL Scholarship selection committee was comprised of Suzan Chau, Supervising Attorney for the Elder Justice & Civil Resource Center for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania; the Honorable Theodore Chuang, U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland; Esther Lim, Partner and Chief Community Officer at Finnegan; and Caroline Tsai, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer at FIS.

NLF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that carries out its work primarily by awarding scholarships and fellowships that promote the interests of the Asian Pacific American community. Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships, fellowships and internships.

For more information about NLF and the SAIL Scholarship program and application process, please visit www.napabalawfoundation.org/scholarships.

Posted on

Thank You to the Volunteers at the August Queens Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining our Queens Pro Bono Clinic on August 5, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 19 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, family and matrimonial law, immigration, real property, trusts and estates, torts and other civil litigation.  

Here are some of the clients’ feedback:

“May Wong is very professional and answered all my questions. She also gave me helpful advice and referrals. Thank you!”

“Thank you, Shirley, for listening to our concerns. She is very knowledgeable about different routes going forward.“

“Very grateful this service is available for the Asian community as it always seem there is always a lack of community service for us.”

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Queens Pro Bono Clinic and for their dedicated services:

Attorneys:  

Wendy Cheng 

Marcus Cheung 

Kevin Hsi 

Richard In 

Shirley Luong 

Sinbay Tan 

Johnny Thach 

Anthony Wong 

May Wong 

Gary Yeung 

Evelyn Yu

Interpreters/shadowers:

Nathan Cao

Michelle Chen

Kaitlyn Cheng

Helen Ding

Nandar Win Kerr

Momo Sano

Jingjing Wang

Suzie (Sue) Yu

Wendy Zeng

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

– October 7 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

Posted on

NAPABA Statement in Response to Second Executive Order Restricting Birthright Citizenship

For Immediate Release:Contact:
August 7, 2026press@napaba.org

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) strongly opposes the Administration’s renewed effort to undermine the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship.  In an executive order issued yesterday, and just over a month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a previous executive order limiting birthright citizenship, the Administration purports to create additional categories of children born on American soil who would be denied birthright citizenship based solely on the status of their parents.

The law is clear. Under Trump v. Barbara, 609 U.S. ____ (2026), children born in the United States—even to parents unlawfully or temporarily present—are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and are citizens at birth.  The Supreme Court recognized longstanding yet narrow exceptions to this rule, which include those born to foreign diplomats or invading armies. In reaffirming birthright citizenship, the Court upheld United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898), which rejected consideration of the status of the parents outside of the narrow exceptions.

Yesterday’s executive order attempts to unilaterally expand the categories of children ineligible for birthright citizenship.  It would, among other things, deny citizenship to children born to parents employed by a foreign government or designated as an “alien enemy,” a term that invokes the spectrum of historical injustices during World War II when the federal government removed and incarcerated approximately 120,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry.

Since last year, NAPABA and a large coalition of its affiliated bar associations from across the country defended birthright citizenship in the lower federal courts and the Supreme Court. In several amicus briefs, we highlighted how the past generations of Asian Americans faced discrimination, exclusion, and loyalty-based suspicion, yet their American-born children—including, as another amicus curiae argued, children of parents designated as “enemy aliens”—were nonetheless recognized as citizens at birth.

NAPABA will remain vigilant and stands ready to ensure that the Fourteenth Amendment’s promise of citizenship to all persons born in the United States, regardless of the stature or circumstances of their parents, is kept.

Posted on

In The News: “Building Our Legacy: The Murder of Vincent Chin,” A Trial Reenactment Covered by 星島日報 (Sing Tao Daily)

On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the Asian Employee Resource Group of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with AABANY and the Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham Law School, hosted the trial reenactment, Building Our Legacy: The Murder of Vincent Chin, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York at 500 Pearl Street in Manhattan. The 1982 homicide of Vincent Chin, a young Chinese American, is considered a pivotal moment in the Asian American civil rights movement. This reenactment was covered by 星島日報 (Sing Tao Daily).

The article, published on July 30, 2026, covers the specifics of this case, including how racial tensions played an instrumental role in it. According to Sing Tao Daily, at the time of Vincent Chin’s murder, anti-Japanese sentiment was high due to intense economic anxiety from inflation and nationwide unemployment in industrial fields. This sentiment was especially acute in Detroit because of the city’s heavy reliance on the auto industry. The court testimony revealed that two white auto workers, Ronald Ebens and his stepson Michael Nitz, continuously verbally abused Chin, saying, “We lost our jobs because of you motherfuckers.” This verbal abuse ultimately ended in the chase and murder of Vincent Chin with a baseball bat. 

The article described the post-reenactment discussion, which featured Hon. Denny Chin, United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, and Kathy Hirata Chin, who both spoke about AABANY’s trial reenactments project. AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen spoke about the work of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force.

A relative of Vincent Chin, Annie Tan, also participated in the post-reenactment discussion. She was quoted by Sing Tao Daily, stating, “We cannot remain silent; instead, we must continue to tell Vincent Chin’s story and speak out bravely,” expressing the hope that—just as Lily Chin wished during her lifetime—no other mother would ever have to endure such suffering.

Click here to read the full article. 

Posted on

AABANY Immigration Law Committee Gathers for its Second Virtual Monthly Meeting

On July 31, 2026, the Immigration Law Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) held its second meeting of the fiscal year on Zoom. Nicole Fink, Chair of the Immigration Law Committee, took the opportunity to generate interest in future events, including the Committee’s upcoming educational programming, and opened the floor to new ideas from participants. 

Welcoming old and new participants alike, the meeting opened with self-introductions and an overview of the Immigration Law Committee’s objectives. Next, the group turned to forthcoming programs. Nicole emphasized the webinar on August 27 in Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which will discuss how new laws will affect immigration processes and legal practice.

Another exciting event mentioned was the Committee’s program at the 2026 Fall Conference on Saturday, September 26, titled “Beyond Forms & Filings: How Tomorrow’s Immigration Attorneys Build Power Through Tech, Data, and Storytelling.” Nicole highlighted the program’s themes of AI in storytelling, data, and program management. She also introduced the panelists: Emily Ryo, a Duke Law School faculty member who uses data analysis in immigration courts; Joseph Lin, a staff member at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF); and Rick Liu, a Director at Epiq Global for AI Solution Architecture. The program will offer 1.5 CLE credits in skills (pending approval).

Next, the attendees talked about a potential in-person CLE event in the fall. The group hopes to partner with local law schools and law student associations. The event will likely occur in September or October, including a panel and time for lively mingling and networking.

The meeting moved on to cover the Committee’s possible future wellness-themed event, including ideas for chair or spa massages for immigration attorneys. The Committee is currently seeking partnerships with individuals or organizations interested in sponsoring the event or who have connections to massage therapists. “It would be a good way to end the year,” said Lizabeth Chow, a meeting participant and business immigration practitioner at Ogletree Deakins. 

Nicole concluded the meeting by opening the floor to receiving requests from the attendees for future projects. Committee members expressed their interest in more high-level informational discussions, including topics on I-751 Conditional Residency, in collaboration with family law or trusts & estates professionals; and also creating a forum for case strategy discussions. Nicole proposed sending a survey to gauge interest in this initiative. Nicole expressed openness to hearing these ideas and was gratified by everyone’s enthusiasm.

To learn more about the Committee and get involved, please visit the Immigration Law Committee page.

Posted on

APALA-NJ, SABA-NJ, and NAPABA Applaud the Enactment of the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey

For Immediate Release:
August 6, 2026		Contact:
press@napaba.org

WASHINGTON – As we commemorate the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA-NJ), the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey (SABA-NJ), and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applaud the recent enactment of the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey. As one of the most comprehensive state-level voting rights laws in the country, the Act strengthens and enhances language access rights for all New Jersey voters, which includes a large and growing Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population.

As we collectively noted in our written testimony to the New Jersey Legislature, New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the country, which is due in large part to the AANHPI communities in the state.  AANHPIs—the fastest growing demographic group in the country—make up more than 11% of the state’s residents.  New Jersey is home to the nation’s fourth largest Asian American population, accounting for an 83% share of the state’s overall growth over the past two decades.

Barriers to voting, however, persist for the Asian American population.  Approximately one third of all Asian Americans in this country are limited English proficient, with over 100 distinct languages and dialects spoken amongst over 50 AANHPI ethnic groups.  

The Act, which builds on the language access provisions of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, strengthens and enhances language rights for Asian American communities in New Jersey.  It represents one of the strongest language access protections for voters in the country.  At a time when the federal government has removed certain language access guarantees in the delivery of critical federal services, New Jersey’s choice to improve meaningful access to the ballot box for limited English proficient voters is a welcome action for the AANHPI communities that we serve.

We thank Governor Mikie Sherrill for signing the Act into law.  We also thank the New Jersey Legislature for passing the legislation ahead of this year’s midterm elections along with all of the sponsors and champions of the law.

Posted on

AABANY Book Club’s Reflection on Nora Ephron’s “I Feel Bad About My Neck”

On August 4, 2026, a group of dedicated AABANY Book Club members gathered to share their insightful thoughts on this month’s book club selection.  This month, the group decided to read Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman. This monthly book club meeting was hosted by AABANY Book Club organizers Yen-Yi Anderson and Yan Sin, and was held at the offices of Anderson and Associates Law, P.C.

The members discussed a plethora of topics relating to this book and its author: from how “New York” this book is, aging, career reflections, maintaining success while thriving through changes brought on by womanhood, to the Chinese dishes mentioned in the book. The members could relate to Ephron’s reflections on being a passionate city dweller and mother. They also shared their thoughts about the author’s many other notable and engaging works such as the movies Julie and Julia, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and You’ve Got Mail. As the attendees conversed and deliberated on their reviews, they enjoyed cabbage strudel, a dish mentioned in Ephron’s  book.

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman brings candor, humor, and comfort to the dialogue of aging, reflection, and maintenance as a woman. Through this book, Ephron strips the shame from the inevitable process of aging. She encourages women to find beauty in more than their skin and physical appearance and to take pride in their growth as people. Ephron’s witty advice, thoughtful reflections, and fresh perspectives on getting older brings attention to the fact that women are so much more than their physical appearance. She urges the readers to instead focus on the daily joys and bittersweet moments life has to offer—to be present in life. 

This book evoked a mix of serious, humorous, and insightful conversations from our Book Club members. This gathering reminded us that reading is a way to reflect, grow, and build a stronger community within AABANY. Whether you’re here for the books or for the engaging conversation, we would love to have you join us for our next Book Club meeting!

–Written by Constance Tu, Intern at Anderson & Associates

Posted on

Volunteer Opportunity for Senior Attorneys: NYS Attorney Emeritus Program  

The New York State Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) is an initiative by the New York State Unified Court System, enthusiastically supported by Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson, that is aimed at promoting pro bono civil legal service by senior attorneys.

Despite New York’s significant commitment of resources to support civil legal services, a gap persists between the need for and availability of civil legal services across the state. AEP volunteer attorneys play a crucial role in providing access to justice for New Yorkers with low and moderate incomes who cannot afford counsel. 

Any attorney aged 55 or older, whether retired or active, with at least 10 years of experience, who is in good standing can make a significant difference by enrolling as an Attorney Emeritus and signing up on the AEP website. Volunteers must commit to 60 hours of pro bono service over two years. 

Emeritus volunteers who register as active can earn up to 15 CLE credits and receive special recognition from Chief Judge Wilson and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Edwina G. Richardson.

Please visit the NYS Attorney Emeritus Program website to become an AEP volunteer. If you have any questions about the program, please contact the AEP Coordinators by email at AEPcoordinator@fordham.edu or AEP@nycourts.gov. 

Posted on

Kenneth Chin Named President of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers

Kenneth Chin, Head of Banking and Finance, US, at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSFK) and a longtime active member of AABANY, has been elected President of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers (ACCFL). ACCFL is a distinguished organization dedicated to advancing the practice and ethical standards of commercial finance law. Prior to assuming the presidency, Ken served on the Executive Committee, as a Regent on the Board of Regents, and as Chair of the Nominating Committee. AABANY congratulates Ken on his election as President, effective April 2026.

Ken’s path to the presidency reflects years of thoughtful and sustained engagement with the organization. Service on the Board of Regents, a prerequisite for any officer position, along with his leadership of the Nominating Committee, gave Ken a deep familiarity with the ACCFL’s mission and membership. Though he was invited on multiple occasions to join the Executive Committee, Ken chose to accept only when he was confident he could devote the time and attention necessary to serve effectively in that capacity.

As President, one of Ken’s central priorities is strengthening the bonds among ACCFL’s Fellows. Fellowship is by invitation only, extended in recognition of demonstrated expertise in commercial finance law. In an era increasingly defined by digital communication, Ken holds firmly to the belief that in-person connection remains indispensable. To that end, the ACCFL convenes semi-annually alongside the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section and hosts Fellows briefing sessions at which members with specialized expertise share their knowledge with the broader Fellowship. Ken envisions these gatherings as a living resource network, enabling Fellows to draw on one another’s depth of knowledge beyond the boundaries of their own specific practice areas.

Ken speaks from personal experience about the tangible value of the ACCFL network. He recounted an instance in which a Fellow, technically out of the office, returned his call within ten minutes to offer guidance on an out-of-state legal matter, a response Ken attributes directly to the strength of their personal connection. “It is the ability to not only be an expert in the area of law, but also to draw on other experts who may have more in-depth knowledge about particular subjects that you do not have,” Ken explained. This philosophy runs throughout his professional approach: Ken consistently prioritizes cultivating genuine personal relationships over institutional ones, recognizing that a trusted colleague, wherever their career may take them, represents an invaluable and enduring resource.

That same emphasis on human expertise, Ken observes, is being tested by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in the legal field. Ken acknowledges that AI has meaningfully accelerated legal practice, reducing the need for lawyers to conduct manual research or rely on colleagues for preliminary answers. At the same time, he underscores the importance of human oversight, noting that while AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace, it remains susceptible to error. Ken draws a historical parallel to the transformation of the legal workplace that accompanied the widespread adoption of word processing software: just as attorneys began drafting their own documents directly, reducing reliance on secretarial staff, the integration of AI is likely to reshape legal support roles in similarly significant ways. Rather than viewing this shift with apprehension, Ken urges the next generation of lawyers to develop fluency in AI tools while remaining clear-eyed about AI’s fundamental limitations and its inability to fully replicate the judgment and responsibility of an experienced attorney.

Expanding the ACCFL’s membership is another of Ken’s key priorities as President. He was moved by concerns raised by former ACCFL President Sylvia Chin (also a past AABANY President) during her 2017–2018 tenure regarding declining membership and participation. Ken has since worked to bring about a meaningful shift in how the organization identifies and admits new Fellows. Looking beyond the traditional concentration of Fellows in the financial centers of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, Ken has championed geographic diversification to ensure that the network reflects the full breadth of commercial finance practice across the country. Because clients frequently have legal needs spanning multiple jurisdictions, Fellows with local expertise are essential to making the ACCFL’s membership genuinely comprehensive. The results have already been significant: this past year, the ACCFL welcomed 18 new Fellows. This is the largest incoming class in the organization’s history, a milestone attributable in no small part to Ken’s commitment to expanding the ACCFL’s reach. Whether reflecting on the culture he has helped shape or looking ahead to the membership he aims to expand, Ken’s tenure as President embodies a steadfast conviction that the ACCFL’s greatest strength lies in its Fellows.

Please join AABANY in congratulating Kenneth Chin on his election as President of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers.

Posted on

AAPI House Calls: Volunteer Phonebanking

Stop AAPI Hate Action’s AAPI House Calls is a nationwide phonebanking effort that aims to reach AAPI voters in 12 competitive congressional districts where their votes could make a real difference this November. Volunteers set their own schedule, receive training, and use an easy-to-learn calling platform to have meaningful conversations with voters. As of this coming Tuesday, August 4, America is just 13 weeks from Election Day. If you’ve been looking for a concrete way to make a difference, consider joining and volunteering for a shift.

New Yorkers can participate to help reach voters in out-of-state districts where strong AAPI civil engagement does not exists, and where AAPI voters can still be decisive.

Consider joining an upcoming phonebank session. To learn more about AAPI House Calls, click here. To see their upcoming phonebank session calendar, click here.

For informational purposes only.

Proudly powered by WordPress