Month: December 2014

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2015 Joint Minority Bar Judicial Internship Program Application Available: Due Jan. 12

The Joint Minority Bar Judicial Internship Program is proud to announce that the Summer 2015 application is now available at www.jmbjip.org.  Deadline is January 12, 2015.

The Joint Minority Bar Judicial Internship Program was founded in 2010 to offer law students with a strong commitment to diversity an opportunity to enhance and complement their legal education as summer judicial interns in New York metropolitan area courthouses.  Judicial internships are exceptional learning opportunities that offer tremendous insight into the process of judicial decision-making, as well as an opportunity to strengthen analytic and legal writing skills.  Each year, JMB JIP partners with various bar associations to offer the program, which has historically included a stipend for a judicial internships – a traditionally unpaid position.

AABANY is proud to be a part of the great work that JMB JIP does providing law students of color with important opportunities.

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2015 Summer NLF Public Interest Internship Awarded to Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

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The NAPABA Law Foundation (NLF) is pleased to announce the 2015 Summer NLF Public Interest Internship grant has been awarded to Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA).  The NLF Public Interest Intern will work to identify emerging issues in healthcare and workers’ rights in the San Gabriel Valley’s APA community. This project will be a subset of NLSLA’s currently ongoing Legal Needs Study to determine specific legal needs in its service areas. The NLF Public Interest Internship will provide $6,000 in total to NLSLA to fund the NLF Public Interest Internship.

Specifically, the NLF Public Interest Intern will: 

  • Provide direct legal assistance to APA individuals through the Health Consumer Center and Workers’ Rights Clinic
  • Conduct outreach with APA-serving organizations, businesses, and ethnic media outlets to increase visibility of the Health Consumer Center hotline and Workers’ Rights Clinic
  • Survey existing APA services in the San Gabriel Valley and the private bar relating to healthcare access and workers’ rights; in doing so, identify at least three partners in priority cities and interview these partners for referral potential
  • Develop a pitch for NLSLA’s projects to share with elected officials and stakeholders in the San Gabriel Valley with an interest in helping expand legal services
  • Research demographic data of San Gabriel Valley populations from U.S. Census and other population surveys
  • Create two consumer education pieces on a health and workers’ right issue

This project furthers the mission of the NAPABA Law Foundation by placing a law student in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley to educate and serve the APA community. By immersing the legal intern in direct legal services, impact advocacy projects, and interactions with community leaders, attorneys will mentor the intern in the nuts and bolts of community lawyering and foster the intern’s interest in pursuing public interest work.

We thank all of the applicants for their excellent proposals and we encourage organisations to apply for the NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship – a two-year fully funded fellowship (applications due on December 31, 2014).

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AABANY Applauds Nomination of Kathy Hirata Chin for New York Court of Appeals Vacancy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2014

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(718) 228-7206

NEW YORK – December 18, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that the Commission on Judicial Nominations has named Kathy Hirata Chin (Partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham, & Taft LLP) as one of seven well-qualified nominees for the judgeship vacancy on the New York State Court of Appeals created by the retirement of Judge Robert Smith. The Commission on Judicial Nomination, charged with evaluating and recommending to the Governor candidates to fill vacancies on the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, received 53 applications and interviewed 22 candidates for the Smith opening.

“AABANY applauds the Commission on Judicial Nomination for its recommendation of Kathy Hirata Chin to join the highest court of New York and strongly encourages Governor Cuomo to make history by appointing the first-ever Asian Pacific American (APA) judge to this esteemed institution,” said AABANY President Clara Ohr.  “Kathy’s qualifications would make her a valuable addition to this court and her appointment would be an important step toward making the judiciary in New York a more accurate reflection of the population it serves.” APAs remain significantly underrepresented in the New York Judiciary. With approximately 1300 judges in the New York State court system, only 22 of them are APAs in spite of the fact that APAs make up approximately 8% of the population of New York State.  

“We congratulate Kathy on her selection as a nominee to the State’s highest court,” said Linda Lin, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee. “Her outstanding credentials, balanced temperament, and sterling achievements undoubtedly make her an excellent candidate for the bench and we strongly urge Governor Cuomo to appoint Kathy Chin to the New York Court of Appeals bench.”

Kathy Hirata Chin is an accomplished litigator who has handled dozens of appellate cases, concentrating her practice in healthcare and real estate. After graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University and graduating Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Editor-in-Chief of The Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, Ms. Chin joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, becoming one of the first minority and women Partners in 1990. Nominated by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Ms. Chin served on the New York City Planning Commission from 1995-2001. Nominated by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Ms. Chin has served on the New York City Commission to Combat Police Corruption since August 2003. She has also served on Governor Mario M. Cuomo’s Judicial Screening Committee for the First Judicial Department from1992-1994; the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the Eastern District of New York from 1992-1999; the Gender Bias Committee of the Second Circuit Task Force on Gender, Race, and Ethnic Fairness; the New York County Lawyers’ Association’s Task Force to Increase Diversity in the Legal Profession; and Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye’s Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections from 2003-2006; and the New York County Lawyers’ Association Board of Directors. She currently serves as a member of The Attorney Emeritus Advisory Council and The Commercial Division Advisory Council, and as member of the Board of Directors of the Medicare Rights Center. Ms. Chin has been a longstanding and active member of AABANY.

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For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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Volunteer with Empire Mock Trial: January 24-26

Earn 3 free CLE credits while educating top collegiate mock trial competitors! 
 
The nonprofit Empire Mock Trial, in conjunction with NYU Mock trial, is pleased to invite you to our ninth annual Downtown Invitational mock trial tournament on January 24-26 at the EDNY (225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn. Each year the Downtown brings together sixteen of the top collegiate trial advocacy teams. This year’s field includes Harvard, Columbia, NYU, UVA, 2014 national runner-up Princeton, and the 2014 defending national champion, UCLA. 

You can help teach talented, motivated college students about the law by volunteering just a few hours of your time. In exchange, we’ll provide you with free non-transitional CLE credits in the category of skills. 

 
  • Features four preliminary rounds of competition, and you can judge as many or as few as you like—no litigation experience is required
  • Please free to invite a friend or colleague to co-judge with you at the tournament.  We’ll pair you together!
  • 16top trial advocacy teams will compete including Harvard, Columbia, NYU, UVA, and defending national champion UCLA
  • We’ll serve complimentary food and beverages as a token of our appreciation
  • Registering takes less than a minute – just visit our site
We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Feel free to call (917-426-EMTA) or e-mail [email protected].
 
We look forward to seeing you in January. 
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AALDEF 2015 Summer Undergraduate Internships: Applications Due Feb. 9

Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups.  The summer program is ten (10) weeks, beginning approximately June 1st through August 7th, 2015. The position is unpaid.  However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding and work-study funds may also be available.  Academic credit can be arranged.

Community Health Care Initiative Intern:  community education and outreach in the areas of immigration, government benefits, language rights, and health care access;

Educational Equity Intern: Responsibilities include community outreach and presentations with Asian American youth groups, public education policy research, assistance with client intakes and general support for projects on educational equity, juvenile justice, affirmative action, student free-speech and police surveillance, and anti-Asian harassment.

Housing & Environmental Justice Project Intern: Responsibilities include community outreach and research on land use, community planning, and anti-displacement issues. 

Office Assistant: Responsibilities include data entry, organizing press clippings, answering phones, doing mailings, assisting with fundraising and other events, and performing general clerical duties.  Other responsibilities include providing support for community education and outreach projects and acting as an interpreter/translator.  Computer experience with databases, graphics and web programs is helpful.   

Voting Rights Intern: research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballots, produce reports and organize public forums; assist in organizing legal trainings; conduct voter registration drives.

Requirements: Candidates must be detail-oriented and possess strong writing skills.  Spoken and written knowledge of Korean, Bangla, Chinese, or another Asian language is a plus. Qualified applicants should indicate which internship they are applying for and send a resume and cover letter by Monday, February 9, 2015 to:

Summer Undergraduate Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York, New York 10013
fax: 212.966.4303 or email: [email protected]  

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or [email protected].

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AALDEF 2015 Summer Legal Internship Program: Applications Due Jan. 30

Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Internships for the summer of 2015 are available in the following program areas:

  • Anti-Trafficking Initiative – legal research and writing on the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as outreach, community education, and advocacy on the rights of exploited and abused workers.
  • Community Health Care Initiative – legal research, community education and outreach in the areas of immigration, government benefits, language rights, and health care access;
  • Economic Justice for Workers – legal research, advocacy and direct representation on behalf of Asian immigrant workers experiencing wage-and-hour, retaliation, and workplace safety violations in the restaurant, nail salon, domestic worker, and other low-wage industries.  
  • Educational Equity and Youth Rights: legal services, policy work, community education, research and litigation concerning educational equity, juvenile justice, language access, student free-speech and police surveillance, and anti-Asian harassment.
  • Housing & Environmental Justice Project: community outreach/education, research, and litigation on gentrification and other land use issues affecting low-income and Asian immigrant communities.
  • Immigrant Access to Justice: litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach with communities impacted by post 9/11 immigration and law enforcement policies. An additional emphasis on Asian communities’ access to representation and education about immigration policies and practices that may impact them, including deferred action policies and administrative relief for undocumented youth and other immigrants, unconstitutional DHS stops, and collaboration between state/local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement, e.g., “Secure Communities” program. **Law students ONLY**
  • Voting Rights – legal research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballot, produce reports and organize public forums, and assist in organizing legal trainings.

Description of Summer Internship Program: The summer program is ten weeks, from approximately June 1 through August 7, 2015. Interns work full-time and are supervised by attorneys in specific program areas.  Depending on the program area, interns will work on litigation, legal and policy advocacy, community outreach and education, or client intakes; each program area differs in emphasis.  Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups.  The position is unpaid.  However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding.  Academic credit can be arranged.

To Apply:

  • Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to be received by AALDEF on or before Friday, January 30, 2015 at the address below.  Please indicate in your cover letter the top three preferred program areas.  Only law students qualify for AALDEF’s legal internships.  Applications may be faxed or emailed.
  • Any bilingual ability should be stated in the application.  Bilingual ability is helpful but not required.  Gujarati, Hindi, Khmer, Korean, Indonesian and Urdu-speaking applicants are especially urged to apply.
  • Applications will be reviewed upon receipt until the January 30, 2015 deadline.  Interviewing will take place on a rolling basis.  Only applicants who have been granted interviews will be notified of their advancement in the application process. 

Summer Internship Search (Legal)
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, New York 10013-2815
Fax: 212-966-4303  Email: [email protected]

For more information, contact: Ken Kimerling at 212-966-5932 x203 or [email protected]
* * *Please do NOT email applications to [email protected]* * *

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Japanese American Bar Association Scholarships: Applications Due Jan. 18

The Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation is currently accepting applications for the five law student scholarships offered this year through the Foundation and its wonderful sponsors. The deadline to apply is Sunday, January 18, 2015.

For this cycle, JABA Educational Foundation will award five scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each, including the inaugural M. Dick Osumi Civil Rights and Public Interest Scholarship to a law student who is interested in pursuing a career in public interest law, civil rights law, and/or public policy.

For application materials and instructions or for more information, please visit http://www.jabaonline.org/scholarships/. For questions about the scholarships or the scholarship process, please email: [email protected].