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Thank You to the Volunteers at the AABANY-FALA New York Pop-Up Pro Bono Clinic

On October 27, 2026, AABANY and FALA New York collaborated on a pop-up Pro Bono Clinic at Assemblymember Steven Raga’s office in Woodside, Queens. Together, we commemorated Filipino American Heritage Month through service to the community. Many thanks to the following co-sponsors and collaborators:

Special thanks to Kwok Ng, May Wong, Nandar Win Kerr, Suzie Yu, and Yang Chen from AABANY and AALFNY for helping the clinic run smoothly. We especially appreciate May Wong’s solid supervision and Sue Yu’s guidance on the intake process.

At the clinic, volunteer attorneys, law students and interpreters assisted 11 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including labor and employment, immigration, housing, and various civil litigation matters.

We sincerely thank the following volunteers who attended the clinic:

Attorneys:

  • Christopher Arcitio
  • Harley Barrales
  • Raphael Briones
  • Licelle Cobrador
  • Gabriel De la Merced
  • Mark Julius Estur
  • Randy Gonzales
  • Jingjuan (Max) Guo
  • Jackelyn Mariano
  • Cyrus Montesa
  • Jenna Agatep Slater
  • Lord Chester So
  • May Wong 

Interpreters/shadowers:

  • Patrick J. Aguilar
  • Shaun Cary Akot
  • Cheri Chaibut
  • Kaitlyn Cheng
  • Charles Drucker
  • Nandar Win Kerr
  • Noelle O’Buckley
  • Renato Pangan
  • Suzie Yu
  • Therese Entiquez

Thank you to everyone who contributed your time to this clinic. Together, we celebrated Filipino American Heritage Month by helping community members in the Woodside area of Queens navigate legal questions.

We invite you to join us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

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

We look forward to your participation in future Pro Bono Clinics!

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AABANY LGBTQ Committee Explores New York State’s Efforts to Protect Civil Rights

The AABANY LGBTQ Committee hosted a virtual meeting on October 7, 2026 with attorneys from the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Bureau, for a discussion on New York’s efforts to protect access to gender-affirming care and safeguard diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid federal challenges.

The panel provided an overview of the legal tools the Attorney General’s Office uses to protect civil rights, including litigation challenging federal policies affecting transgender youth and healthcare providers, enforcement of state anti-discrimination laws, and legislative protections. Speakers discussed New York’s Shield Law, which helps protect patients and providers from certain out-of-state investigations and legal actions involving legally protected healthcare provided in New York. The discussion highlighted the Office’s efforts to address discriminatory practices in healthcare and defend DEI programs against federal actions that threaten initiatives designed to promote racial equity and inclusion. The AG’s guidance on New York Shield Law can be found here.

Attendees gained a broad understanding of the New York State Human Rights Law and the Attorney General’s amicus practice, through which the Office contributes its perspective and expertise to significant legal proceedings. Together, these topics offered insight into the range of legal strategies available to protect transgender communities, preserve access to healthcare, and advance civil rights amid an evolving legal and policy landscape.

The discussion resonated with attendees, particularly those whose experiences reflect the intersection of multiple identities. As one attendee expressed, “Thank you so much for sharing the great work that you do, and for your efforts in defending our rights, especially those of us at the intersection of racial and gender identity minorities!”

To learn more about AABANY’s LGBTQ Committee and how you can get involved, go here.

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Call for Recommendations: Recognize a Woman Lawyer Who Has Paved the Way

Recommendations for the 2027 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award are due Friday, November 20, 2026, at 5 pm ET.


Submit a recommendation here.

Throughout the legal profession, women have challenged barriers, created opportunities, and paved the way for generations of lawyers to follow. Their achievements are measured not only by their professional success, but also by the lasting impact they have made on others.

Who are the women lawyers whose leadership and contributions have made a lasting difference in our profession?

NAPABA invites you to recommend an exceptional woman lawyer for consideration as our nominee for the American Bar Association’s 2027 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award.

From groundbreaking legal work and distinguished leadership to mentorship and a sustained commitment to advancing women in law, the award celebrates those whose contributions extend beyond their individual accomplishments.

Help NAPABA honor the women whose leadership continues to shape our profession and inspire future generations of lawyers.

NAPABA will review recommendations and select one candidate to nominate to the American Bar Association.

Questions? Contact Abie Siegel at [email protected], Membership Manager.

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In the News: Law360 Reports on AABANY Fall Wellness Retreat at Blue Cliff Monastery

On Nov. 3, Law360’s New York Law & Community section published AABANY’s submission about its Oct. 3 Fall Wellness Retreat at Blue Cliff Monastery. The full article appears in the screenshot below.

AABANY thanks Wellness Committee Co-Chair Regina Jin for submitting the report. AABANY also thanks its members who travelled far and wide to attend this event as well as Law360 for publishing this report.

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A First on New York’s Highest Court: Hon. Margaret Chan Designated to Preside at the Court of Appeals

On October 20th, 2026, Justice Margaret Anne Pui Yee Chan of the Appellate Division, First Department, made New York State history when Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson designated her to preside over a matter before the Court of Appeals. Her appearance marked the first time an Asian American woman has sat on the bench of New York’s highest court, a milestone celebrated across the Asian American Pacific Islander judiciary and legal community.

Photo (L-R): Court of Appeals Associate Judges Shirley Troutman and Jenny Rivera, Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson, Appellate Division, First Department Associate Justice Margaret Anne Pui Yee Chan, Court of Appeals Associate Judges Anthony Cannataro, Michael Garcia, and Madeline Singas at Court of Appeals Hall on October 20. Justice Chan made history that day, becoming the first Asian American woman to sit on New York’s highest court. 

Her presence on the Court of Appeals reflects a judiciary increasingly committed to representing the diversity of the communities it serves. For many, this moment signifies long-awaited progress in elevating voices and perspectives historically underrepresented at the State’s highest levels of judicial decision making. 

Justice Chan’s path to this achievement began far from Albany. Born in Hong Kong, she immigrated to Canada at age seven and later to Brooklyn at fourteen. Her judicial career started in 2006 with her election to the New York City Civil Court, where she became the first Asian immigrant woman to serve as a New York judge. She went on to serve as an Acting Supreme Court Justice beginning in 2012 and was elected to the Supreme Court in 2021, overseeing matters including mass torts, constitutional litigation, and complex commercial disputes. 

In 2025, she again broke new ground as the first Asian-born woman judge appointed to any New York appellate court when Governor Kathy Hochul named her to the Appellate Division, First Department. Before joining the bench, Justice Chan practiced immigration and appellate law in Manhattan’s Chinatown and built her legal foundation through years of dedicated study and service, including roles as a senior court attorney and managing editor of her law review. 

Justice Chan continues to contribute to the court system through committee service and legal education. Her historic appearance on the Court of Appeals stands as both a personal milestone and a powerful symbol of progress for the AAPI community and the New York judiciary. 

Photo: Justice Chan and her husband, New York County Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits, at Albany’s Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court

Written by Hon. L. Austin D’Souza, Supervising Judge, New York City Civil Court 

Reprinted with permission from InsideUCS – Intranet of the NYS Unified Court System

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AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee Hosts Pumpkin Carving Night

On October 22, 2026, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee hosted its Pumpkin Carving Night to celebrate the Spooky Season. The event brought together attorneys and their children from across New York City to midtown where boutique firm Anderson & Associates hosted an evening of creativity in which each carving stroke brought a new pumpkin to life.

The event was planned by Yen-Yi Anderson of Anderson & Associates Law, P.C., and Tiffany Miao of Miao Law LLC, both of whom are active in AABANY as Co-Chairs of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee. As solo and small firm practitioners themselves, Yen-Yi and Tiffany have organized arts and crafts gatherings to bring together fellow solo and small firm practitioners. Indeed, new relationships were formed while dim sum was shared and advice on starting solo practices and small firms were imparted while the pumpkins received their makeovers. The evening culminated in the creation of seventeen beautiful jack-o-lanterns.

To learn more about AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, visit https://www.aabany.org/page/111. The next SSFP event will be an online Meet & Greet scheduled for December 9, 2026 at 12:00 p.m (register here).

– Written by Yen-Yi Anderson, Co-Chair of the Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee

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Community, Culture, and Pro Bono Service: AALFNY and AABANY at Filipino American History Month Celebration in Little Manila

AABANY and the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) were proud to participate in the inaugural Filipino American History Month celebration at the Little Manila Parade & Block Party on Sunday, October 18, 2026, in Woodside, Queens. Co-hosted by the Office of Assemblymember Steven Raga and community partners, the event brought together community members, organizations, and local leaders to celebrate Filipino American history, culture, and service.

The celebration began with a parade from General Hart Playground and continued with an all-day block party featuring cultural programming, community resources, and recognition of outstanding community members for their service and dedication to the AANHPI community.

At the event, AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee (PBCS) hosted an information and resource-sharing table to connect community members with AABANY’s Pro Bono Legal Clinics. Special thanks to Yang Chen, Executive Director of AABANY; Gary Yeung, Co-Chair of PBCS; Arthur Lin, Vice-Chair of PBCS; and Nandar Win Kerr, AALFNY’s Pro Bono Project Consultant, for engaging with about 100 community members, sharing promotional materials with Pro Bono Clinic information, answering questions about available legal services, and informing community members about upcoming clinic sessions. 

The team also highlighted the AABANY-AALFNY and FALA New York joint pop-up Pro Bono Clinic, which took place on  October 27, 2026, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Assemblymember Steven Raga’s Office , 60-14 Queens Blvd, Woodside, NY 11377. The clinic offered free 30-minute legal consultations with volunteer attorneys. Tagalog interpreters were available, in addition to the regularly provided Mandarin and Cantonese language support. The pop-up clinic was co-sponsored by Assemblymember Steven Raga, the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA New York), Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF), and Mission to End Modern Slavery (MEMS).

Upcoming PBCS clinic information can be found below:

  • November 14 – Brooklyn
    Time: 12:30 PM–3:30 PM
    Location: CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
    Volunteer registration: Register here
  • November 18 – Manhattan
    Time: 6:30 PM–8:30 PM
    Location: AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, New York, NY 10002
    Volunteer registration: Register here
  • December 2 – Queens
    Time: 6:30 PM–8:30 PM
    Location: AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
    Volunteer registration: Register here

Thank you to AABANY Executive DirectorYang Chen; AALFNY President Sylvia Chin, President of AALFNY; and PBCS Co-Chair Kwok Kei Ng for their tremendous support of this collaborative community outreach initiative.

– Written by Nandar Win Kerr, AALFNY’s Pro Bono Project Consultant

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AABANY and SABANY Members Share Some Laughs at the South Asian Comedy Festival

On Saturday, October 17th, 2026, AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee teamed up with the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) to attend the South Asian Comedy Fest. Called “Brown Unhinged. Uncensored.,” the show promised a bold and no-filter night of stand-up comedy from a distinctly South Asian point of view, and it absolutely delivered. On a chilly fall evening, there was no better place to be than in a room full of new friends, colleagues, and people, all sharing many laughs.

Events such as these remind us that one of the best parts of bar associations is bringing people together. The evening provided an opportunity for SABANY and AABANY members to convene, with some longtime friends catching up and others meeting for the first time. Attendees mingled and swapped stories before the show and between sets. 

The lineup brought together comedians from across the country and around the world: 

  • Sandeep Sen (Host) – NY Times, 2x Comedy Fight Club Champion, NYC Club Comic
  • Pallavi Gunalan – Dropout TV, SF Sketchfest, New York Comedy Festival, Kill Tony
  • Sunil Mashari – Dubai-based comedian and one of the UAE comedy circuit’s leading hosts
  • Domitri Wejaysingher – NYC comic tackling race, identity, and social commentary; Harlem Comedy Festival alum 
  • Fizaa Dosani – Netflix Is A Joke Festival, ABC/FX/Netflix credits, NYT-featured touring comedy show 
  • Piyali Syam – NYC actor/writer, Today Show – featured comic, and PIT SoloCom Festival performer 
  • Ali Mehedi – CBC Canada, Halifax Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Laughing Lassi 
  • Shafi Hossain (Headliner) – Comedy Cellar, New York Comedy Festival, Producer of Penthouse Comedy Show

The comedians held nothing back. Their sets covered everything from food and family to cultural quirks, politics, and joking about the everyday antics of life. Each comedian brought a distinct voice and perspective. The jokes landed hard, the crowd was fully engaged, and our tables were laughing from the first set to the last.

AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee thanks SABANY for collaborating on this event; all of the attendees who came out to laugh; and Foley & Lardner LLP for its generous sponsorship. We look forward to more opportunities to bring our communities together. To learn more about AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee, go here.

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AABANY’s Trusts & Estates and Tax Committees Co-Host Annual Joint Dinner

On October 15, 2026, AABANY’s Tax Committee and Trusts and Estates Committee co-hosted their annual dinner at Tang Pavilion in Midtown, Manhattan. The evening brought together members from both Committees, including tax and trusts and estates (T&E) professionals alongside colleagues practicing in other areas, for an evening of great food and lively conversation.

Attendees enjoyed a multi-course Chinese dinner while mingling with both new and familiar faces. The relaxed, convivial setting of Tang Pavilion gave attendees ample opportunity to build new connections and strengthen existing relationships across different practice areas.

The Tax Committee and Trusts and Estates Committee look forward to co-hosting more joint events to bring AABANY members together. Those interested in tax or trusts and estates matters are encouraged to attend future events and to visit the Committees’ subpages on the AABANY website for more information.

Written by Eric Min, Co-Chair, AABANY’s Tax Committee 

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AABANY Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee Brings Practitioners Together to Share Insights

On October 6, 2026, ten attendees joined AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee for a virtual meet-up focused on strategies for success in solo and small firm practice, which included productive discussions on how to get certified in the state and city, ways to secure government work, and how to encourage other small business owners. Committee Co-Chairs Tiffany Miao (solo practitioner at Miao Law LLC, who focuses on business litigation, general counseling ) and Yen-Yi Anderson (owner of Anderson and Associates Law P.C., a small firm focused on business immigration and commercial litigation) led the session. Attendees included criminal and civil practitioners, an IP practitioner, a law student and prospective law students interested in small firms. 

A central focus of the discussion was on Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification, which is available through both the city and the state. Applicants submit tax returns and documentation showing that the owner is a minority or a woman, and holds at least 51% of the business. Certified firms are placed on a list that receives notifications about Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and some RFPs give weight to certification when awarding contracts. One participant noted that New York State has a 30% spending goal for MWBE-certified businesses. City certification does not carry over to the state or the Port Authority however, which each require a separate application.

Participants described several routes to obtaining consistent work. Large RFPs often go to big nonprofits that then subcontract to MWBE firms. One participant has done this, and has also run monthly legal webinars and clinics for the City for about four years. She also encouraged small firms to team up on bids, for example by bringing in another practitioner for an IP or labor component, and said government agencies usually have a need for attorneys in every practice area. City agencies also hold discretionary funds to hire attorneys for smaller matters without a bid. Yen-Yi received two such engagements from city agencies; she also served as escrow agent on a Department of Veterans Affairs property purchase that required federal certification. 

The main takeaway was that certification leads to work when it is paired with diligent outreach. Jenny and Megan’s firm was certified for years before it began pursuing contracts actively. They mentioned a solo practitioner who spoke at a recent state certification event who researched more than 90 state agencies, sent each General Counsel a capability statement describing her firm, and eventually landed a fractional general counsel assignment for one agency. Panelists added that government payment is reliable but can lag three to four months around fiscal year-end, and that rates run lower than private work, so a financial cushion helps.

Closing the session, Tiffany Miao, who started her solo practice three years ago, said it helps to have “your ducks lined up,” but “sometimes it’s good to just get going,” because once the work starts “a lot of things are going to change.” “The beauty of a solo practice is that you get to make it your own,” she said. 

To learn more about the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, click here.  To join future events, please check out AABANY’s calendar.

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