On Friday, September 19, 2014, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) hosted an exclusive In-House Counsel/Partners dinner at Vermillion to raise funds for the Don H. Liu Scholarship, named after the General Counsel and Secretary of Xerox. The Don H. Liu Scholarship Program focuses on developing a pipeline for Asian Pacific American lawyers, and seeks to identify and cultivate future leaders.
The evening began with a cocktail reception during which attendees had the opportunity to meet and mingle over drinks and appetizers, followed by a delicious dinner. During the ceremony, AABANY Past President Jean Lee welcomed and introduced Don H. Liu. AABANY President Clara Ohr, Vice-President of Programs and Operations Gurinder Singh, and President-Elect William Wang also provided welcome remarks. In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chair Austin So spoke about the progress of the Scholarship Fund since it was first announced at AABANY’s 25th Annual Dinner in February of this year. During his address, Don spoke about his personal journey as an attorney and what this scholarship opportunity means for future Asian Pacific American law students – a unique answer to the troubling question of Asian American advancement in the law.
At the dinner, Founders’ Circle members were recognized. The Founders’ Circle includes donors who give more than $12,999 in one year or give $5000 per year for three years. In addition to Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP; Joseph Centeno; Wilson Chu; Ajay Raju; and James Chou, we would like to acknowledge the following people who became new members of the Founders’ Circle: Mark Fung, Jim Goh and Michael Lewis.
Special thanks to Jean Lee for organizing the event, the generous contributors in the Founders’ Circle, and all those who have donated. We extend our deepest thanks to all who continue to support the program, including those who attended this event.