Day: August 19, 2019

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AABANY’s Annual Summer Picnic on August 17

On August 17th, AABANY members and their family, friends, and pets gathered at the Heckscher Picnic Area in Central Park for the AABANY Annual Picnic. The weather was fantastic the entire day, and everyone enjoyed mingling and connecting with old and new friends.

Attendees sampled an assortment of delicious dumplings and sandwiches from Vanessa’s Dumpling House, as well as fruit, baos, cupcakes, and pizza brought by the attendees. Various drinks and snacks were also provided for all attendees.

We occupied the picnic area from roughly 11 am until 4 pm, with most people coming between noon and 3 pm. We had to take two group photos because after we took the first photo, around 1:30 pm, more people showed up who were not part of the first photo.

Special thanks to the Young Lawyers Committee, and the co-chairs, Cynthia Lam, Darley Maw, and Ada Wang, for planning and organizing this fun event! Thanks also to the Litigation Committee for co-organizing the event. Thanks to everyone for coming and spending part of your Saturday with us at the Annual Picnic. To learn more about the Young Lawyers Committee, click here. To learn more about the Litigation Committee, click here.

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Volunteer for the NYLAG Consumer Credit Volunteer Lawyer for the Day (VLFD) Program

The Consumer Credit Volunteer Lawyer for the Day (VLFD) program is an innovative court program, which provides limited-scope, day-only representation to unrepresented litigants in consumer debt cases. 

This is an ideal opportunity for a law student, recent law graduate or admitted attorney to gain litigation skills with the close guidance of an on-site supervising attorney. Volunteers have the unparalleled opportunity to represent clients in court, negotiate with opposing counsel, and argue motions before a judge. 

Currently, there are thousands of debt collection cases in New York City every year.  About 98% of defendants in these cases appear unrepresented. This often leads to intimidation through the legal system and abuses in the collections process. Volunteers provide critical assistance to individuals who otherwise may be unable to defend themselves.

The Consumer Credit Volunteer Lawyer for a Day program (VLFD) seeks several volunteers to represent clients on-site in the Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island Civil Courts. 

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will: 

  • Be a current law student, a recent law graduate (who took the first available bar exam post law school), or an admitted New York attorney 
  • Be able to communicate effectively 
  • Have strong attention to detail
  • Have a positive attitude 
  • Have strong desire to be involved in litigation and client advocacy
  • Have a professional demeanor, even under pressure
  • Be punctual
  • Be able to handle a fast-paced environment
  • Be able to take direction and feedback constructively
  • Be able to adapt to a changing court environment and handle unexpected situations

More about NYLAG: The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) provides free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers.  NYLAG clients include immigrants, seniors, the homebound, families facing foreclosure, renters facing eviction, low-income consumers, those in need of government assistance, children in need of special education, domestic violence survivors, persons with disabilities, patients with chronic illness or disease, low-wage workers, low-income members of the LGBT community, Holocaust survivors, and others in need.

To Apply: E-mail resume and cover letter indicating your interest in consumer credit issues, social justice, and/or civil litigation to [email protected] with “Consumer VLFD” in the subject line.

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AABANY Goes to Yankee Stadium

On Friday, August 16, the Membership Committee together with the Prosecutors’ Committee hosted an outing to Yankee Stadium to watch the first-place Yankees take on the Cleveland Indians. Thanks to our sponsor, Esquire Deposition Solutions, 40 AABANY members and their guests were able to buy tickets at just $5 per person. Early arrivers got a free Yankees beach towel. Half of the tickets were standing room and the other half were seated. Membership Director Beatrice Leong designated the Toyota Terrace on the field level as the meeting point for people to gather and enjoy watching the game from center field or on the numerous screens by the bar at Toyota Terrace. AABANY members and their friends congregated at Toyota Terrace throughout the evening to watch the Yanks hold on to their early lead over the Indians. During the 7th inning, the Yanks loaded the bases and threatened to increase their lead significantly, but the Indians changed pitchers and managed to stave off a rout by the Yanks.

Friday night proved to be a great summer evening to enjoy America’s favorite pastime, in good company, complete with a free drink and hot dog for those who got the standing room tickets.

Thanks to everyone who came, and thanks again to Esquire Deposition Solutions for sponsoring. See you at the next AABANY outing!

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Thank you to our August Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

August’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic, held on Wednesday, August 14 at 33 Bowery Street in Confucius Plaza, brought out 35 volunteers who volunteered their time to help 27 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 August Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

Lawyers: 
Yvetta Scott
Kelly Diep
Mayumi Cindy Iijima
Beatrice Leong
Kevin Hsi
Kevin Yim
Samantha Sumilang
Bart Wu
Satoshi Kurita
Shengyang (John) Wu
Mirin E. Park
Francis Chin
Chris M. Kwok

Interpreters: 
Vivian Chen
Teresa Wai Yee Yeung
Alicia Chan
Ya Peng
Jessica Wang
Tianlin Liu
Laura Tsang
Weixi He
Candice Tian Gan
Xiaoxiao Pan
Ruth Poon
Xin Zhou
Meng Zhang

Special thanks to Coordinator Johnny Thach, Coordinator Jenny Lam, Technology Coordinator Roger Chen, Vice Chair Kwok Kei Ng, and Vice Chair Zhixian Liu for coordinating the clinic, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Pauline Yeung-Ha, Karen Kithan Yau, Asako Aiba, and Ming Chu Lee for their leadership. AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic occurs every second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The next clinic will take place on September 11, 2019. If you are interested in volunteering at future Pro Bono Clinics, please contact Asako Aiba at [email protected].

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Anuraag “Raag” Singhal to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

For Immediate Release
August 15, 2019
For More Information, Contact:
Navdeep Singh, Policy Director
202-775-9555; [email protected]

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the nomination of Judge Anuraag “Raag” Singhal to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida by President Trump. If confirmed, Judge Singhal will be the first Asian Pacific American and Indian American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Eleventh Circuit (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida).

Judge Singhal is a Circuit Court Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, Florida. Prior to his appointment, he practiced criminal defense law and was a prosecutor in the Office of the State Attorney. He is a graduate of Rice University and Wake Forest University School of Law.

He has demonstrated a commitment to service and diversity through his involvement in the legal community. Judge Singhal has supported numerous bar associations in South Florida, including the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida, the South Asian Bar Association of South Florida, the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association, the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association, and the Broward County Bar Association. He is the recipient of the 2018 Stephen R. Booher Award, presented by the Broward County Bar Association, which recognizes jurists who display humanity, integrity, and dedication to the Bench, Bar, and Community.

“Judge Raag Singhal is an experienced jurist and will be a strong addition to the bench in the Southern District of Florida,” said NAPABA President Daniel Sakaguchi. “An active supporter of our local affiliate bar association, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida, Judge Singhal has deep connections to the community. NAPABA applauds his historic nomination and urges the Senate to quickly confirm him to the court.”

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Judge Singhal. NAPABA extends its gratitude to Senators Rubio and Scott for recommending Judge Singhal to the White House.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) 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 engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.

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

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