On Monday, November 4, AABANY’s Intellectual Property Committee hosted a Virtual Reality Gaming event at Tidal Force VR, a small tech startup located in the Flatiron District of Manhattan.
While some attendees had prior experience with VR, others did not. Participants played in two games: the first was a space-themed game, where they had to defend against a siege of alien invaders. The second game was a three-versus-three team event, in which the attendees split up and faced off against one another.
Overall, the event was a lively and enjoyable experience for everyone, and attendees were able to learn about and experience VR firsthand while also connecting with one another. The IP Committee is always looking for new and exciting ways for members to develop relationships. Look out for more fun IP Committee events in the new year!
Thanks to the IP Committee for hosting this event, as well as everyone who was in attendance. To learn more about the IP Committee, please click here.
WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) on her election as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) for the 119th Session of Congress and Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) as she assumes the role of Chair Emerita.
“NAPABA extends its heartfelt congratulations to CAPAC Chair-Elect Grace Meng,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “Chair-Elect Meng has paved a path to public service for so many as the first Asian American elected to Congress from New York. We look forward to her tenure and continuing our close partnership with CAPAC under her leadership.”
“Chair Judy Chu’s leadership, both within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and for our Nation, is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “From fighting against anti-Asian hate and racial profiling in all their forms to standing up for immigrant communities and families, our community has immensely benefited from Chair Chu’s zealous and unrelentless advocacy.”
“Chair Chu’s contributions to our community and our country extends well beyond her steadfast leadership of CAPAC for the past 14 years,” continued Executive Director Purandare. “We are incredibly humbled to call Chair Chu a friend of NAPABA. We honor her service and extend our deepest gratitude.”
NAPABA congratulates the newly elected leadership of CAPAC: First Vice Chair-Elect Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Second Vice Chair-Elect Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Whip-Elect Rep. Ami Bera (CA-06), and Freshman Representative Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10).
Finally, NAPABA congratulates all newly elected and reelected AANHPI members of the 119th Congress, who are a part of the record number of AANHPI candidates from both parties who ran for state and federal offices throughout the United States and its territories. They are: Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI), Sen. Andy Kim (NJ), Rep.-elect Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Ami Bera (CA-06), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), Rep. Young Kim (CA-40), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthy (IL-08), Delegate-Elect Kimberlyn King-Hinds (Northern Mariana Islands), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-07), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep.-elect Dave Min (CA-47), Congressman James Moylan (Guam), Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen (American Samoa), Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep.-elect Derek Tran (CA-45), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02).
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the United States Senate confirmed Judge Anne Hwang to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
“NAPABA applauds the confirmation of Judge Anne Hwang,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “An active member of the community, Judge Hwang is a 2019 APABA Los Angeles Trailblazer in the Law awardee. She will serve in a District with nearly one million AANHPI residents.”
In 2018, former governor Jerry Brown appointed Judge Hwang to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Prior to her appointment, Judge Hwang served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California from 2006 to 2018, becoming Chief Deputy Federal Public Defender in 2018. Before entering public service, Hwang was an associate at Irell and Manella LLP from 2002 to 2006. Hwang received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California School of Law.
“Today, 41 AANHPI Article III judges have been confirmed during the Biden Administration, and 71 AANHPI active Article III judges are serving,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Anne Hwang and Senator Padilla and Senator Butler for supporting her nomination.”
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 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.
Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle takes great pleasure in announcing that on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, oral arguments at the Appellate Division, Second Department will be heard for the first time by a panel of Justices including two Asian-American jurists. Associate Justices Lillian Wan and Phillip Hom will join Justices Mark C. Dillon and Robert J. Miller for this historic session.
Justice Wan was designated as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, from her seat as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Kings County, by Governor Kathy Hochul on May 25, 2022. Justice Hom was designated as an Associate Justice of the Court from his seat as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Queens County, by Governor Hochul on August 14, 2024.
For those who wish to remotely view the proceedings before the Court on December 10, 2024, they will be live-streamed and may be accessed by clicking on the “Oral Argument Live” link on the Court’s homepage, or by clicking here: https://cmi.nycourts.gov/ad2/ad2.php.
On November 9, 2024, the final session of AABANY’s self-defense series took place at the New York Wu Tang Chinese Martial Arts Institute in Flushing. These classes, held on October 26, November 2, and November 9, brought families and community members together to learn essential self-defense skills, completely free of charge for all attendees. The three sessions covered striking, kicking, escapes from holds and grabs, general awareness, and the legal ramifications of using force for self-defense or defense of others. The workshops were open to everyone, with the flexibility to attend any or all classes on a drop-in basis. The classes, led by David Chiang, a master of martial arts with over 30 years of experience, was a powerful reminder of the importance of awareness, preparation, and the ability to act decisively. David is not just a Kung Fu master, but also a veteran prosecutor with 23 years of experience, a unique combination that shaped his approach to self-defense as both a physical and a legal discipline.
For many Asian Americans, especially after the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, safety in public spaces has become a real concern. This workshop, like the two that preceded it, did more than just teach physical techniques like striking, kicking, and escaping from holds; it also challenged participants to rethink how we approach safety in our daily lives.
David emphasized that the easiest and safest way to protect ourselves is to avoid dangerous situations entirely. “To avoid,” he said, “you must be AWARE.” Avoidance isn’t passive, it’s proactive. It starts with paying attention to your surroundings:
Look in all directions
Observe people’s faces for signs of aggression or hate
Don’t get lost in your phone or look down on the ground
Danger is rarely a surprise. Often, the signs are there: individuals talking to themselves, yelling, or behaving erratically. Groups of rowdy people or someone holding a hidden object can signal potential threats. Recognizing these early signs gives the time needed to act. Whether it’s crossing the street, entering a public space for safety, or calling for help, taking steps early can mean the difference between safety and harm.
Photo courtesy of David Chiang
David guided participants through role-playing hypotheticals to simulate potential threats. From subway confrontations to avoiding aggressive groups, these drills helped participants gain confidence in handling worst-case scenarios. He demonstrated what to do if someone pulls a knife, attempts to push someone onto train tracks, or grabs a person from behind. The exercises were about creating distance and making decisive moves to protect oneself and others.
David addressed the misunderstandings that can arise from cultural differences. In Mandarin, the word “nei-ge” (那个)—a common filler word similar to “um” in English can sound like a racial slur to those unfamiliar with the language. This example shows the importance of cultural education and mutual respect.
Photo courtesy of David Chiang
The stereotype captured by the hashtag, #AsiansDontHitBack, gained traction during the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it originally suggested that Asians are passive or non-confrontational, it has since become a call to fight back. Participants were encouraged to reject this stereotype by focusing on being prepared, confident, and ready to act to protect themselves and their communities.
The AABANY self-defense series presented a holistic approach to safety. Participants left with a stronger sense of self-awareness and practical tools to avoid danger. With the rise of hate crimes targeting vulnerable populations, workshops like this are essential. They remind us all that safety is not just a personal responsibility but a collective one. Another set of self-defense classes will be held in the spring. Stay tuned for updates and be sure to join this empowering series!
AABANY extends its deepest gratitude to David Chiang for his dedication to teaching self-defense and empowering the community. His unique expertise as both a martial artist and attorney provided participants with invaluable insights into safety and preparedness. AABANY acknowledges The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) for their generous grant, which made workshops like the three-part Self-Defense Series possible, enabling us to offer them free of charge to the community.
For more information about AABANY and AALFNY’s collaborative efforts to combat anti-Asian hate, including initiatives like the self-defense workshop series, readers are encouraged to review the Turning the Tide brochure, available on the AABANY homepage. Through awareness, education, and collective action, our efforts aim to create safer and stronger communities.
AABANY congratulates Manisha M. Sheth, past Board Director and AABANY member and Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, for receiving NAPABA’s 2024 Women’s Leadership Award. The award is well-deserved, recognizing Manisha’s exceptional accomplishments as a lawyer and her leadership and advancement of women’s issues within the legal profession. Manisha’s work aligns with the values and mission of AABANY, making her an inspiring leader in the larger legal community. The award was presented at the 2024 NAPABA Convention in Seattle, Washington during Saturday night’s Gala on November 9.
When asked about how she maintains an environment of fairness and equality within the workplace, Manisha highlighted three fundamental tenets. First, the need for merit-based advancement: though some aspects of the legal profession are subjective, others are not, like number of hours worked and win percentage. She emphasized a “culture of openness and transparency … because if people know how they are being evaluated and how they compare against their peers, that transparency creates a culture of performance-based advancement.” Second, the importance of treating others with respect and kindness – a simple, yet deeply important practice. And third, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to stand out, particularly by hiring and retaining diverse individuals and by ensuring that cases are fairly distributed.
One of Manisha’s particularly formative experiences in her early career came during her tenure as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2008. Manisha prosecuted defendants facing both misdemeanor and felony crimes, remarking that she felt “most proud of” the cases in which the defendant was a person with an education and the means to succeed, yet instead chose to pursue criminal activities. Many of her cases involved victims and witnesses who were reluctant to testify so Manisha quickly had to learn to “read and understand the emotional side of people … [because] sometimes people are nervous to talk to you … [and] there is a reluctance to tell you what happened.” Manisha reflected that this skill of making people feel comfortable continues to help her to this day, and has become one of her most important abilities as an advocate for her clients.
Wanting to shift her focus to the “world of complex civil litigation,” Manisha decided to switch from the public to private sector, moving to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in New York City in 2008. At the firm, one of her most important cases was representing the Federal Housing and Finance Agency, in a historic public private partnership. She described the case as “the case of a lifetime,” working to obtain recovery against 16 of the world’s largest financial institutions due to their misrepresentations in the offering documents for Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) by over 400 RMBS trusts. Manisha served as lead or co-lead counsel on nine of those cases, formulating and developing the FHFA’s arguments and trial strategies. This was one of the most significant court actions taken by any federal regulator since the advent of the mortgage crisis, and the single largest set of actions ever filed by a governmental entity. All but one of the cases settled, and Manisha and her team won over $22 billion for the American tax payer. Manisha noted that the case was especially valuable because she had the opportunity to represent the federal government in private practice.
Manisha then returned to public service as Executive Deputy Attorney General for the Division of Economic Justice at the Office of the New York Attorney General (OAG). She was responsible for managing nearly 250 attorneys and staff in six affirmative litigation bureaus – Antitrust, Investor Protection, Internet & Technology, Taxpayer Protection, Consumer Frauds & Protection, and Real Estate Finance. Manisha explained that one of her primary and most rewarding responsibilities was to “identify and set the enforcement priorities” for the Division. She was also responsible for deciding whether to open an investigation, developing and implementing case strategies, and resolving cases by trial or settlement. She particularly enjoyed the position because she was able “to address problems facing New York residents,” and, under her leadership, in the year 2018 alone, the Division brought in nearly $1.4 billion in recoveries.
When Manisha decided to return to Quinn Emanuel in 2019, the Firm’s founder, John Quinn, asked her to create and lead the firm’s Sexual Harassment and Employment Discrimination practice, thereby becoming the first AmLaw 100 firm to have a plaintiff-side practice. She was also asked to lead the Firm’s Government & Regulatory Litigation Practice.
One significant case that Manisha worked on as a leader of the Sexual Harassment and Employment Discrimination practice took place in 2020, where she represented two shareholders of L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret. After Manisha and her team read an expose in the New York Times, which revealed a culture of misogyny and toxicity at Victoria’s Secret, they served a books-and-records demand on L Brands, asking it to produce any documents relevant to the issue. When the company failed to adequately comply, Manisha, on behalf of her clients, filed a books-and-records action in the Delaware Chancery Court. L Brands quickly expressed interest in resolving the matter. She later reflected that “one of the most rewarding parts of the settlement was that the company agreed to extensive corporate reform.” This included revamping their sexual harassment reporting procedure, as well as an annual audit process for all employees and models. Manisha’s actions in this case had other unintended, yet positive results; she explained that though “the allegations were more about sexual harassment … [we revealed that] in the industry, models were homogenous … [consequently] there was a call for more diversity in the public image.” L Brands committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and using data metrics to ensure that those goals were met, creating a DEI Council and hiring an external DEI consultant.
Within Quinn Emanuel, Manisha has worked to retain and support diverse individuals by ensuring that they are staffed on her matters and by serving as a mentor to summer associates each year. She has found Quinn Emanuel to be a very welcoming environment, particularly because of the Firm’s supportive leaders, saying, “The culture at Quinn is very casual and very collegial … people are always willing to help each other out … we have fun practicing together.”
Throughout her career, Manisha has also committed to strengthening and supporting the Asian American community. She served on the Board of AABANY from 2016-2019, and has attended various events as an active AABANY member. Manisha is also an active member of SABANY, previously serving on their Board of Directors from 2013 to 2015.
Please join AABANY in congratulating Manisha on receiving the NAPABA Women’s Leadership Award. To learn more about the award, please click here.
