Day: April 17, 2023

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AABANY Student Outreach Committee Presents: Balancing the Scales: Affirmative Action Panel

The AABANY Student Outreach Committee (SOC) hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion on April 13th, 2023 over Zoom, featuring renowned legal scholars Professor Thomas Healy and Professor Jin Hee Lee. The event was moderated by Jinny (Ji Yoon) Lim, a 2L at Seton Hall University School of Law.

Professor Healy, an acclaimed author and expert in constitutional law, legal history, civil rights, freedom of speech, and federal courts, shared his insights on the history of affirmative action and landmark Supreme Court cases, such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Grutter v. Bollinger, Gratz v. Bollinger, and Fisher v. University of Texas. 

Professor Jin Hee Lee, the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Legal Defense Fund, provided valuable insights into the legal arguments presented by both SFFA and Harvard/UNC. She also addressed the controversies surrounding the two cases and offered her perspective on the personal rating (PR) scores used by Harvard and the potential consequences of outlawing race-conscious admissions policies.

The panel discussion was a captivating and thought-provoking event, shedding light on vital issues regarding civil rights and constitutional law, which are especially relevant and timely today. 

Thanks to the SOC for organizing this topical program and to the speakers for their participation. To learn more about the SOC, click here.

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NAPABA | Written Testimony for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 13, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Last week, NAPABA submitted written testimony for inclusion in the record before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) in response to its briefing and inquiry on the Federal Government’s Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the United States. As a bar association, NAPABA recognizes that serving the immediate legal needs of hate crimes and hate incident victims addresses only one critical aspect of the problem and that our community cannot prosecute or litigate our way out of this latest wave of anti-Asian hate.

NAPABA’s testimony advocates for a multi-modal response, and has called for legislation to: 1) strengthen law enforcement’s ability to identify, document, and respond to hate crimes, including by fully implementing provisions of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act; 2) address the mental health crisis that has accompanied the surge in anti-Asian hate with culturally and linguistically appropriate resources; and 3) increase educational resources to combat harmful stereotypes in order to address root causes of anti-Asian sentiment.

Over three decades ago, in a report entitled, “Civil Rights Issues Facing Asian Americans in the 1990s,” the USCCR identified a range of contributory factors underlying anti-Asian bias, including: 1) the model minority myth that Asian Americans are successful and do not suffer the discrimination or disadvantages associated with other minority groups; 2) perpetual foreigner syndrome where Asian Americans—even those born and raised in the United States are viewed as non-Americans and foreign; 3) stereotyping Asian Americans as meek and lacking in communications skills; and 4) limited English proficiency (LEP) within the Asian American population. More than 30 years later, these factors continue to persist and several have been cited by NAPABA in its groundbreaking Portrait Project reports as leading barriers to advancement by APA attorneys in the legal profession. 

Given how little has changed just in the past 30 years, it is clear that for generations of AAPIs, these barriers are engrained and systemic and only a holistic, multi-pronged approach that includes raising visibility and belonging through education, providing culturally appropriate mental health resources, and increasing language access, in addition to supporting law enforcement, can address anti-Asian sentiment.  

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Rahat N. Babar Appointed as NAPABA’s Deputy Executive Director for Policy 


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 10, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named Rahat N. Babar as its new Deputy Executive Director for Policy. In this role, Rahat will lead strategies and programs that will advance NAPABA’s advocacy, civil rights, and policy priorities.

Rahat brings to the position a long-standing commitment to NAPABA and the Asian American and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander community, and nearly two decades of high-profile public service. Rahat is a former member of NAPABA’s Board of Governors and a former chair of NAPABA’s Civil Rights Committee. He previously served as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and served on the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey. NAPABA recognized Rahat as one of NAPABA’s Best Under 40 in 2018.

Currently, Rahat serves as a Judge on the Superior Court of New Jersey, the first Bangladeshi American to be a member of the court. Immediately prior to his appointment, Rahat was Special Counsel to Governor Philip D. Murphy, overseeing all high-profile litigation impacting the Governor and the Administration. Previously, he was the Director of Community Engagement at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, where as part of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal’s Executive Leadership Team, he led the Attorney General’s efforts to strengthen the office’s relationships with community leaders, faith leaders, and the public. Rahat held several other leadership roles within the Attorney General’s Office, practiced in a boutique corporate law firm, and taught law and public policy at Temple University Beasley School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. 

 “We are so fortunate to have such a legal luminary and NAPABA stalwart lead our policy efforts,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “Rahat is a proven bar leader and policy expert who is uniquely situated to help ensure that our national advocacy vision and civil rights priorities can be carried out across the country by harnessing the passion and collaboration of our members and affiliate bar organizations.” 

Rahat will begin his new role with NAPABA in May 2023. 

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Register for NAPABA’s APAHM Congressional Reception

You are cordially invited to NAPABA’s APAHM Congressional Reception

May 22 | 6 – 8 pm ET

In conjunction with NAPABA’s 12th annual Lobby Day and in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), you are invited to join us on May 22 in Washington, DC for our Congressional Reception. 

The reception will bring together NAPABA members, Lobby Day participants, members of Congress and their staff, and leaders in the AAPI community from across the country. 

What: NAPABA Asian Pacific American Heritage Congressional Reception
Where: Kennedy Caucus Room (SR-325), Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC
When: Monday, May 22, 6-8pm ET

This is a widely attended event and open to the public. An RSVP is required. The last day to send your RSVP is Friday, May 12!

RSVP to this event here.

Learn more about Lobby Day and bookmark the page for the latest information.

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