Day: February 5, 2024

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AABANY Young Lawyers and Student Outreach Committees Present “The Self-Compassionate Lawyer: Reclaiming Power Over the Pursuit of Perfection with Dr. Matt Poon”

The legal profession is notorious for its high-stakes nature, demanding workloads, and a culture that often glorifies perfectionism. In an effort to address the mental health challenges faced by lawyers and law students, AABANY’s Young Lawyers Committee and Student Outreach Committee presented on February 1 “The Self-Compassionate Lawyer: Reclaiming Power Over the Pursuit of Perfection.”  This program was held at the New York office of Wilson Sonsini and brought together legal professionals and students for an insightful and interactive presentation by Dr. Matt Poon. It reflects the theme for this fiscal year, “Embracing Wellness and Well-being: Strengthening the Legal Profession by Investing in Ourselves.”

Dr. Poon delved into the deep-seated contributing factors that drive individuals in the legal field toward the pursuit of perfection. Attendees gained an understanding of the benefits and consequences associated with such pursuits, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and addressing these tendencies to foster a healthier professional life.

This interactive event didn’t shy away from the harsh realities of burnout and imposter syndrome within the legal profession. Participants engaged in a thought-provoking discussion and gained valuable insights into the significance of prioritizing mental well-being. Dr. Poon guided the audience through an exploration of cognitive biases and distortions linked to perfectionism. By understanding these thought patterns, attendees were empowered to challenge and reframe their perspectives, ultimately fostering a more realistic and compassionate approach to their professional and personal lives.

A highlight of the event was the exploration of Dr. Kristin Neff’s groundbreaking work on self-compassion. Dr. Poon provided practical insights into incorporating self-compassion into daily life, equipping participants with a powerful tool to counteract the detrimental effects of perfectionism.  

In line with the event’s goals, participants left with a toolbox of skills and tools to effectively manage self-imposed expectations, pressure, and criticism. Dr. Poon shared actionable strategies that could be readily applied in both personal and professional settings, such as meditation exercises, recognition of cognitive biases and thought patterns, and having a “defense team” in your own inner courtroom of self-criticism.

Beyond the enriching content, the program fostered a sense of community among attendees. We exchanged self-written sticky notes with affirmative words we would like to hear during difficult times, as a reminder to be our own best friends in times of adversity. 

Thank you to AABANY’s Student Outreach and Young Lawyers Committees for organizing this event and to Wilson Sonsini for providing the venue.  Thank you to the Student Outreach Committee Co-Chair, Vivian Lee, Young Lawyers Committee Co-Chairs Kwonsun Jung and Ada Wang, for putting this event together. To find more about Dr. Matt Poon’s work, please check https://www.drmattpoon.com/. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee go here. To learn more about the Young Lawyers Committee go here.

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NAPABA Applauds Eleventh Circuit Ruling Halting Enforcement of Florida’s Discriminatory Alien Land Law

For Immediate Release: 
Date: February 2, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – In the ongoing litigation against Florida’s discriminatory alien land law (“SB 264”), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit granted a preliminary injunction yesterday in favor of two of the plaintiffs and halted enforcement of the law against them. In temporarily blocking SB 264, the court held that the plaintiffs demonstrated a substantial likelihood that the statute is preempted by federal law and that they have shown an imminent risk that the law would cause them irreparable harm. The plaintiffs, lawfully present Chinese immigrants, first brought the suit because they were stymied in their efforts to purchase homes when the law went into effect.

“We are grateful that the court recognized the real harm that discriminatory statutes such as SB 264 are imposing on the Asian American community,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “As litigation continues, NAPABA will continue to oppose alien land laws, whether in the halls of Congress, in statehouses, or in court, until these discriminatory policies return to the dustbin of history, where they belong.”

In a robust concurrence, Judge Nancy Abudu acknowledged that “SB 264 was enacted for the specific purpose of targeting people of Chinese descent.” Judge Abudu concluded that the plaintiffs have shown a substantial likelihood that statute also violated the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. In doing so, Judge Abudu excoriated the District Court’s fraught reliance on the widely discredited century-old Terrace v. Thompson, 263 U.S. 197 (1923), case, determining that it “may have had support in 1923, but it is now 2024” and such laws are now subject to strict scrutiny.

NAPABA, together with its four Florida affiliates, joined an amicus brief before the Eleventh Circuit in the case, continuing our long history for over a decade of leading efforts to overcome the state’s legacy of anti-Asian alien land laws. This includes when Florida became the last state in the United States over five years ago to abolish such discriminatory language from its constitution, only to enact SB 264 last year. Throughout the country, NAPABA and its affiliates continue to fight these discriminatory measures through legislative advocacy and educating lawmakers and the wider public on the painful history and legal implications of wrongfully restricting the property rights of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.