Month: October 2017

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NAPABA Announces Nassiri & Jung LLP as its 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named Nassiri & Jung LLP as its 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year. NAPABA created the Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award to recognize Asian Pacific American-owned law firms that have achieved prominence and distinction while maintaining the highest ethical and legal standards in the profession, and have demonstrated a strong commitment to the Asian Pacific American community. The Award also celebrates growing Asian Pacific American ownership and entrepreneurship in the legal marketplace.

The presentation of the 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award will take place at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Nassiri & Jung was founded in June 2006 by two friends — Kassra Nassiri and Charles Jung — focusing on sophisticated litigation as a small firm for both plaintiffs and defendants. On the plaintiff’s side, Nassiri & Jung has represented attorneys, executives, and classes of workers and consumers, earning several tens of millions of dollars at trial and through settlements. On the defense side, they have represented global companies such as eBay, Hitron Technologies, and Flextronics in multimillion dollar lawsuits.

Nassiri & Jung’s foundation has made it a priority to support pro bono direct legal services to their local and Asian Pacific American communities. Since 2013, they have supported public interest attorney scholarships to NAPABA and provide an annual scholarship to a public interest attorney through the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California. They also began a partnership with the Asian American Bar Association – Bay Area’s Law Foundation in 2015 and have awarded a total of $80,000 in grants to direct legal services providers. This year, the Jung Foundation donated $30,000 to the NAPABA Law Foundation to support an annual public interest scholarship.

With the spike of hate crimes and incidents in the days after the 2016 presidential election, some in their San Francisco-based community suspected that incidents against Asian Pacific American were underreported. After discussions with community members, Nassiri & Jung launched a website,www.standagainsthatred.org, to collect and report hate crimes and incidents against Asian Pacific Americans. The website gained attention after stories ran in the Huffington Post and NPR, and has since been donated to Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Advancing Justice who use it to track hate crimes nationally.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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2018 CUP Fellows Program Details | CUPUSA | Council of Urban Professionals

2018 CUP Fellows Program Details | CUPUSA | Council of Urban Professionals

The  CUP Fellows Program is a transformative, one-year leadership development experience for early-to-mid career professionals of color across sectors who are deeply committed to supporting their communities through impactful contributions to the nonprofit and public sectors. 

The CUP Fellows Program workshops and speakers provide participants with insight into the challenges and opportunities in the civic sector, and encourages participants to harness their power and relationships to create meaningful change, through board service, political engagement, volunteerism, public-private partnerships, etc.

The target participant profile includes self-motivated professionals of color from all sectors (public, private and nonprofit) with 5-10 years of professional work experience, a demonstrated commitment to public service, and a desire to acquire new skills and information to maximize their civic impact.

AABANY Board Member Brian Song is a former CUP Fellow, and if you are interested in learning more about the program from him, feel free to contact him at [email protected].

Click on the link in the title for further details about the CUP Fellows Program and how to apply.

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PLEASE JOIN TOGETHER AS U.S. BAR LEADERS FOR PUERTO RICO!

Dear Bar Association family,

Many of you have contacted me and the PUERTO RICAN BAR ASSOCIATION to ask how best you can help Puerto Rico.  Thank you for your offer of help and support.  We need to unite now more than ever to help Puerto Rico.  The PRBA today has launched U.S. BAR LEADERS FOR PUERTO RICO.  

We are in the process of identifying the best not for profit organizations that would help the people most devastated by the Hurricane, those in the poorer towns on the Island that are very difficult to reach.

We are assisting in organizing the volunteers lawyers here and throughout the U.S. who are willing to volunteer and obtain a training to assist the victims with their basic FEMA and insurance applications, benefits and other legal issues that may arise.  We have a tentative date set for the HURRICANE VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY TRAINING ON OCTOBER 24, 2017 AT THE CITY BAR.  More Details to follow.

The PRBA President Carmen A. Pacheco, Esq. and Betty Lugo, Esq. (PRBA Judiciary Chair and Immediate Past President) are working with the Chief Judge Janet DiFiore New York Emergency Legal Task Force to Assist Hurricane Victims working with NYC Bar President John Kiernan and Sharon Katz, Esq. Co-Chairs, as well as with the American Bar Association and the Louisiana Civil Justice Center. Today we had a conference call and spoke with Colegio’s leadership Mark Anthony Bimbela, Past President and Pilar Perez, Vice President who asked for our help in many respects but especially to HELP THE LAWYERS and the Judicial System so that the lawyers can be equipped to help the victims of the devastating hurricane and the administration of justice can do its work. We are waiting to hear back on whether a limited access Order can be obtained from the Chief Judge   of Puerto Rico to permit non Puerto Rico attorneys to come in and help the victims. We also learned that the Courts are closed, the Colegio is closed and many lawyers offices are closed and are unable to do their legal work since they are unable to get to their offices due to the flooded roads, little to no gas, no transportation, no electricity, no power, and little to no internet access.  The Three Law Schools have also been flooded and have sustained structural damage.

The PRBA is working to help El Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico (PUERTO RICO BAR ASSOCIATION IN PUERTO RICO).  We have learned from the President and Board of Colegio that the Colegio bar building is in need of a diesel generator (Cost approximately $80K plus transportation costs).  With this generator the Colegio’s bar building can be operated so that Colegio staff, Pro Bono Counsel, and many lawyers can perform their legal work and provide legal services to the many victims that need their help. The lawyers will be able to work and meet with their clients at the bar building.  Many small and solo practitioners have been severely affected with no light, no electricity, no computers or access to client files.

Please spread the word.  If we can get each bar association to donate at least $1,000.00 or more each, we can help raise the funds needed by the Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico.  As Bar Leaders we need to step up and help Puerto Rico lawyers and the Puerto Rico Judicial System.

The PRBA has also coordinated with the UPR Law School and Deans of Touro, Albany, Florida State, Barry University and others to assist the law students to transfer to law schools here so they can complete their studies.  So far 33 students from UPR law school are being assisted.  We thank the Law Schools who have stepped up especially Dean Harry Ballan (Touro) and Dean Alicia Ouellette (Albany).  These students will need our support as they weather this very difficult time in their careers.

PLEASE JOIN TOGETHER AS U.S. BAR LEADERS FOR PUERTO RICO!

#puertoricostrong  – PUERTO RICO SE LEVANTA!

Puerto Rican Bar Association
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NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of BJay Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Byung J. “BJay” Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Pak is the first Asian Pacific American to hold this position.

“We congratulate BJay Pak on his confirmation to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “A respected community leader and attorney, Mr. Pak’s confirmation is an inspiration for young Asian Pacific American attorneys across the country.”

A longtime member of the Asian Pacific American legal community, Pak has served on the board of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a NAPABA affiliate, and was a former chair of the NAPABA Government Enforcement and Compliance Committee. He has also spoken on legal education courses sponsored by NAPABA and is a recipient of the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award.

An experienced litigator and former prosecutor, Pak is currently a partner at Chambers Pak Burch & Adams LLC, where he focuses on complex litigation. Previously, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia for six years, a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP and Schiff Harding LLP, and an associate at Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Pak also served in the Georgia House or Representatives.

Pak clerked for Judge Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. He received his B.B.A. from Stetson University in 1995 and his J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Illinois College of Law in 1998.

NAPABA is proud to have supported Pak during his nomination and thanks President Trump for nominating him to the position.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of James C. Ho to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated James C. Ho to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. If confirmed, Ho would be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and would be the sixth active Asian Pacific American federal appellate judge in the nation.

“Jim is one of the foremost appellate litigators in the nation and we strongly support and applaud his nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Jim has been a leader in NAPABA for close to a decade. He is widely respected throughout the NAPABA membership and he is consulted by both sides of the aisle.”

NAPABA recommended Ho to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit earlier this year.

He is co-chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. He has presented over 45 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including 16 arguments before the Fifth Circuit. He has argued and won cases before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the entire Fifth Circuit en banc.

Ho has extensive experience in all three branches of government: as former chief counsel for Senator Cornyn, as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, he was the first Asian Pacific American ever appointed to serve as the solicitor general of Texas, the state’s chief appellate and Supreme Court litigator, responsible for defending the state’s most important programs and policies against legal attack.

Born in Taiwan, Ho arrived in the U.S. at the age of 1, and became a U.S. citizen at age 9. He is an active member of the Asian Pacific American community. He is co-chair of the NAPABA Judiciary & Executive Nominations & Appointments Committee, and he has written and spoken on a variety of occasions about the role of Asian Pacific Americans in the law. Ho has been recognized for his leadership and honored by organizations throughout the Asian Pacific American community, both nationally and in Texas, including the President’s Award from NAPABA, the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Asian Pacific American Leadership from the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, the Justice David Wellington Chew Award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Community Leader Award from the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the SMU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Ho has also received numerous other awards and recognitions, including the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service from the Secretary of Defense. He is a three-time recipient of the Supreme Court Best Brief Award from the National Association of Attorneys General. He has also been named as a leading appellate lawyer by Chambers, Benchmark, Law360, The Best Lawyers in America®, The Legal 500, Texas Super Lawyers, and D Magazine.

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Ho to the bench, and thanks Senators Cornyn and Cruz of Texas for recommending him to the White House. NAPABA also urges the Senate to quickly confirm Ho to the bench.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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Volunteer Lawyers Are Needed

From our friends at the Puerto Rican Bar Association:

After this disaster, the Puerto Rican Bar Association in conjunction with the New York State Chief Judge Task Force on New York Emergency Relief Legal, the New York City Bar Association and the American Bar Association will organize lawyer and legal assistant volunteers and will provide training on FEMA and disaster relief for lawyers.  INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.  

Legal assistance provides the calm after the storm. After the storm subsides and the water recedes the exhaustion of survival will be met by the harrowing realization that their journey back to normalcy is only just beginning.  The daunting work of putting their lives back together will require interaction with myriad governmental agencies and private businesses in order to interpret their rights to services and financial assistance. After this disaster, the PRBA in conjunction with the New York State Chief Judge Task Force on Hurricane Relief and American Bar Association will organize lawyer and legal assistant volunteers to help by providing:

· Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors

· Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims

· Help with home repair contracts and contractors

· Replacing wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster

· Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures

· Assisting with mortgage/foreclosure and landlord/tenant problems

You can help make a difference in assisting victims of the flood regain their homes, their financial stability, and their lives. Please donate to the to assist Puerto Ricans in need of these essential services.

Where to Donate to Help Puerto Rico with Disaster Relief and Recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria

Puerto Rican community leaders and elected officials in the diaspora are calling for a renewed effort to assist Puerto Rico with disaster relief and recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Many families have lost their homes and need assistance with basic needs.

You can help by donating to charities in Puerto Rico that are leading the effort to mitigate the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Here are some proven organizations with direct access to the victims of these hurricanes. You can visit their online donations or send a check to the enclosed address.

Caritas Puerto Rico, (Catholic Relief Services)

(DESIGNATE A TOWN IN PUERTO RICO)

201 Calle San Jorge, Esquina Baldorioty de Castro

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902
P.O. Box 8812, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00910-0812
787 300-4953
www.caritas.pr

Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico,

http://www.fondosunidos.org/

Puerto Rican Family Institute (Cordillera, Ciales)

DESIGNATE CORDILLERA, CIALES AS RECIPIENT TO INCLUDE, MOROVIS, COROZAL, UTUADO, JAYUYA, AND OTHER CENTRAL PUEBLOS IN PUERTO RICO

Carr 849 Km 1.5 Calle Juan Baiz Barrio Santo Domingo
San Juan PR 00924

Contact Phone

(787) 701-0200