Month: January 2019

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Thank you to our January Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

January’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic, held on Wednesday, January 9 at 3 Bowery Street in Confucius Plaza, brought out 16 lawyers and 6 interpreters who volunteered their time to help 34 clients.

We are asking every member to actively support AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic by making donations that are vital to its continuing operation. In a few short years, with the tireless and generous assistance of our volunteers, we have helped hundreds of low-income clients with free legal advice and referrals to high-quality, culturally sensitive, and linguistically competent legal services. Together we have helped expand access to justice for underserved Asian American New Yorkers.

If you know family members, friends, or businesses, such as your firm, who would like to support the Clinic, please help us connect with them by contacting Karen Yau at [email protected].

Or please urge them to make a donation directly. They can visit the website of Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s 501(c)(3) affiliate: https://www.asianamericanlawfund.org/donate/ AALFNY is accepting charitable donations on the Clinic’s behalf and can issue any donor a tax receipt. Any contribution, large or small, would help. Please be sure to indicate in the memo field that the donation is intended for the Pro Bono Clinic.

Thank you to all of the January Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

Lawyers:

  • Gaye L. Chun
  • Jennie Kim
  • Eun Hye (Grace) Lee
  • Kwok Kei Ng
  • Thomas Hou
  • Francis Chin
  • Alexandra Lee
  • Poonam Gupta
  • Amanda Bernardo
  • Susan Thorn
  • Zhixian Liu
  • Suehyan Cho-O’Leary
  • David Lu
  • Pauline Yeung-Ha
  • Karen Kithan Yau
  • Judy (Ming Chu) Lee

Interpreters:

  • Alva Lin
  • Weiling Huang
  • Derek Ting-Che Tai
  • Teresa Wai Yee Yeung
  • Satoshi Kurita
  • Wenxin Natalie Lu

Special thanks to Johnny Thach for coordinating the clinic, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Karen Kithan Yau, Ming Chu Lee, and Asako Aiba for their leadership.

If you are interested in volunteering at next month’s Pro Bono Clinic on February 13, please contact Asako Aiba at [email protected]. AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic occurs every second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

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Young Lawyers Committee Volunteers at Xavier Soup Kitchen

On January 6, 2019, members of the Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) spent the afternoon volunteering at Xavier Mission. Over 1450 hot meals were served to less fortunate New Yorkers. Following the event, a few of the volunteers reflected on their experience over tacos and chips at Tortaria.

The YLC thanks all of the volunteers for their hard work and looks forward to planning another rewarding community service event soon!

To learn more about the YLC go to https://www.aabany.org/page/123

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Registrations Now Open for the Brooklyn Legal Pipeline Initiative

The Brooklyn Legal Pipeline Initiative (BLPI) was started in 2017 and is designed to provide students from diverse backgrounds, who live or attend college in Brooklyn, direct instruction on how to successfully apply to and fund a law school education. Participants  attend a  mock networking event and mock interviews. They are additionally offered mentorship opportunities.

Students who attend all sessions will be offered an opportunity to obtain a summer internship. Stipends may be available to defray certain transportation and ancillary costs associated with the internships. This program is co-sponsored by the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA), The Defense Association of New York (DANY) and the Brooklyn Bar Association (BBA).

Selected students will attend five (5) two-hour classroom sessions, starting in January 2019 that will be moderated by volunteer judges, attorneys and law school administrators. Classes will be held at the Brooklyn Bar Association’s landmark building located at 123 Remsen Street in downtown Brooklyn. These classes will be held from 5:30- 7:30 PM on dates to be announced and will address the following topics:

January 15, 2019 – The Legal Profession – What is a lawyer? What do they do? – Panel discussion with judges and attorneys describing the areas in which they practice.

February 19, 2019 – Applying to Law School – Course selection- Time  management – Writing skills – IRAC – The LSAT’s – Paying for law school – Guided questions and answer session with a career counselor and a law school admissions officer.

March 19, 2019- Networking and Mentoring – Each participant will be paired with an Attorney Mentor – Developing a resume and cover letter.

April 16, 2019 – Internships –Interview Skills – Professionalism.

May 21, 2019 – Mock Interviews – Each participant will participate in simulated interviews and will receive immediate constructive feedback.

July -August 2019 – Summer Internship Program

The 2017 and 2018  Brooklyn Pipeline Programs were  resounding successes. We have now  had over 40 students complete our direct instruction  program  and have  been able to place each of the students who requested internship opportunities in stipend supported summer positions. The feedback from our summer internship providers was highly positive.

We are presently working with an LSAT prep course to offer this year’s students a greatly discounted rate  to prepare for the  July 2019 LSAT test.  

The Application deadline is January 11. Click here for the brochure containing additional information.

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Chinese Exclusion Act Repeal Commemoration on Dec. 16

On December 16, 2018, a commemoration of the 75th anniversary repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was held at the First Chinese Baptist Church in NYC Chinatown.   It was sponsored by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater NY and AABANY. The entire text of the Chinese Exclusion Act was read, followed by a reading of the writings of Wong Chin Foo, a 19th-century activist who has been called “the first Chinese American,” protesting the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Thanks to the following organizers and speakers: Corky Lee, Ben Chan, Barbara Chin, Shirley L. Ng, Shirley Kwan, Henry Chang, Chris M. Kwok, and Bayer Lee.
https://www.facebook.com/180459698665758/posts/2297777466933960/

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Chinese American Veterans of World War II Honored with Congressional Gold Medal

On December 20, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Chinese-American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act into law. The Act finally recognizes the achievements and contributions of Chinese Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Second World War.

The bill passed due to the efforts of everyone involved in the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project. The mission of the project was to recognize, honor and celebrate the military service of approximately 20,000 Chinese Americans who fought in the Second World War.

Chris Kwok, AABANY Board Director, Issues Committee Chair and Asia Practice Committee Co-Chair, participated in the effort to get the legislation passed. Chris served on the Steering Committee of the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project and acted as Legal Counsel to the Committee.

Brian Song, AABANY President-Elect, and Chris Kwok, as AABANY Issues Committee Chair, also advocated for passage of the bill at NAPABA Lobby Day in Washington, DC, during APA Heritage Month in 2018.

AABANY commends Chris Kwok and Brian Song for their efforts and advocacy in support of getting this very important legislation passed.

To learn more, see: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/chinese-american-wwii-vets-receive-congressional-gold-medal-n950986

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Congratulations to William Ng

AABANY congratulates William Ng on being elevated to Shareholder at Littler Mendelson. Will served on the AABANY Board in multiple capacities, most recently as Vice President of Finance and Development. He was one of the founding co-chairs of the Labor & Employment Law Committee. For the official press release from Littler see:

https://www.littler.com/publication-press/press/littler-elevates-28-attorneys

Littler was featured as the Sponsor Spotlight in the Winter Issue of The Advocate. To read more about the firm click here.

Please join us in congratulating Will on his achievement and in wishing him continued success in his future endeavors.