On Wednesday, January 15, 2024, two dozen people braved the chilling morning winds of Times Square to join a prayer walk commemorating the anniversary of the death of Michelle Alyssa Go.
Three years before, on an early Saturday morning, as Michelle stood near the edge of the downtown R subway platform, Martial Simon charged toward her and pushed her to her death onto the front of an oncoming train. Simon, a 61-year-old homeless man with a history of schizophrenia and prior arrests was charged with second-degree murder for Michelle Go’s death.
Simon was found mentally unfit to stand trial and has been incarcerated at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center, a maximum-security state psychiatric institution. Doctors have been treating Simon and in April 2024, he passed a mental health evaluation. However, he refused to take medications after being moved to Rikers Island. When brought into court on April 30, 2024, Simon began yelling uncontrollably and was removed from the courtroom. Simon has since been incarcerated at Kirby.
Participants in the walk included Justin Go, the father of Michelle, and Michelle’s brother, Jefferey Go, who both live in California and had flown to New York City the weekend before. A number of the walkers were AABANY members, including Jennifer Wu and Larry Wee, Board Directors of AABANY, who have devoted much time assisting victims and the families of victims of anti-Asian violence in New York City; Marilyn Go (no relation to Michelle), retired U.S. Magistrate Judge and former AABANY Board member, helped organize the prayer walk for this year’s commemoration, as well as walks on the first and second anniversaries of Michelle’s death. Also participating in the walk were community organizer Liz Ouyang and members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The walk began shortly after 10 a.m. with Reverend Cristobal Tong, a Pastor at 3Stone/NYCAC welcoming the group and saying a prayer in remembrance of Michelle. Rev. Tong then led the group to the R subway station, walking down Broadway and entering the station at the 42nd Street entrance. After going down the escalator and praying, the group walked down the stairs to pray on the platform where Michelle was standing when pushed by Simon.
Michelle Go, only 40 at the time of her death, was beautiful, bright, and kind. She earned an M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business. She worked first at Barclays Capital and then joined Deloitte, where she concentrated on mergers and acquisitions. A member of the Junior League, she volunteered for over ten years to help the poor and homeless before her senseless death.
The killing of Michelle Go has impacted many residents of New York City in many ways, including raising fears that they could be the next victim of random violence. For Asian Americans, such fears are heightened given the dramatic rise in anti-Asian violence and hate since 2020, as documented in two reports issued by AABANY and the Asian American Law Fund of New York, A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions, and Endless Tide: The ContinuingStruggle to Overcome Anti-Asian Hate in New York. Although the NY Police Department officer did not check the box that this killing was a hate crime in his crime scene report, Simon admitted when he voluntarily surrendered to the police that he was aware of Michelle’s race.
Moreover, the status of the trial of Simon for Michelle’s murder raises the troubling question why was he released from a psychiatric institution in the first place? Referring to Michelle’s case, Governor Hochul in her State of the Union address on January 14 announced that she is trying to expand mental health treatment and strengthen security as part of efforts to allay fears of crime.
As seen in this ABC News report featuring the prayer walk, the prosecution is determined to bring Simon to trial. The rest of us, including those of us on the walk, can only pray that justice will be achieved.
AABANY congratulates Muhammad Faridi, current AABANY member, President of the New York City Bar Association (NYCBA), and Partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, for receiving NAPABA’s 2024 Pro Bono Service Award. The award is well-deserved, recognizing Muhammad’s commitment to pro bono work within the legal profession as well as his dedication to the advancement and protection of civil rights. Though Muhammad had not originally expected to be able to accept the award in-person due to an ongoing jury trial, as luck would have it, his closing statements took place the day before the awards presentation. Thus, he was able to appear in-person at the 2024 NAPABA Convention in Seattle, Washington to be presented with the award during Saturday night’s Gala on November 9, even though right before he got the award, a video was played showing him apologizing for not being able to be there in person due to an ongoing trial. None of the honorees were permitted to speak after getting their awards, which made for a puzzling moment. Thanks to Muhammad for clearing up the confusion, and congratulations again!
When asked why pro bono work is so important to him, Muhammad emphasized that it allows him to support and uplift his community, saying: “It is becoming increasingly difficult in our country for people from my type of background to enter the profession. I think there are a lot of barriers … that have made it difficult for people from marginalized backgrounds to have the level of success that I have had. There are significant structural problems that exist in our system that prevents many people from realizing their potential … a lack of resources in our public schools … health related challenges in communities where marginalized people live … and more.” For Muhammad, pro bono service is a way to give back and show support to the people around him.
Raised by immigrant parents from Pakistan, from a young age Muhammad’s family played a deeply influential role on him. For one, they imparted upon him a deep appreciation and respect for the Islamic faith. He explained, “One thing that people don’t appreciate is the commonalities of the Islamic faith – decency, humanity, and justice. These are concepts that all of us share. In some ways, my faith is one way for me to try to live by those three principles. It’s my spiritual way of trying to embody and connect with them.” Muhammad remarked that he has tried to carry these ideals with him throughout his career and into all the work he does.
Muhammad’s family also instilled in him the ideal that “education is something that is transformational in nature.” Muhammad attended John Jay School of Criminal Justice, from which he graduated summa cum laude. He then attended CUNY School of Law, where, as a 1L, he served as a research assistant for the Death Penalty Committee of the NYCBA – an introduction to what would later become one of his core professional interests – and, as a 2L, he earned a diversity fellowship from the NYCBA’s Committee on Recruitment and Retention of Lawyers – which he continues to work on and improve to this day.
Following his graduation from law school, Muhammad clerked for the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein, a former judge in the Eastern District of New York, a position which he described as “probably the best legal job I have ever had in my career.” As a clerk, Muhammad had the opportunity to closely interact with Judge Weinstein, growing not just professionally, but also personally. He remarked, “The most profound way [Judge Weinstein] influenced me was to not be deterred by the notion that it is too difficult or impossible to effectuate meaningful change. He encountered so many barriers as a judge. The rules appeared very rigid [but] he was able to navigate through those rules in a very careful way to make sure that he was always able to dispense his notion of justice. That was illuminating.” Muhammad further reflected that Judge Weinstein was always accessible and “fun to be around,” saying that he has tried to emulate these qualities in his own career.
After his clerkship, Muhammad began working for Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP in its litigation department, where he is now a partner. Over the course of his career, he has represented clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, software, and manufacturing. Some of his most recent trial successes include securing a directed verdict on a statute-of-limitations defense, securing a $2 billion jury verdict, and securing a $1.84 billion settlement for his client midway through trial.
One of the most unique aspects of Muhammad’s career has been his ability to balance his professional work with his pro bono work. Ever since law school when he served as a research assistant for the NYCBA’s Death Penalty Committee, Muhammad has positioned himself as a strong opponent to the death penalty, representing a number of clients on death row. He recalled a particularly influential case he took on in 2016, in which his client had been on death row for eight years, saying: “We were dealing with some very challenging facts [but] were nevertheless seeking to spare that person’s life.” Though his client was ultimately executed after all the appeals processes had been exhausted, Muhammad reflected that he could “only hope that the attitude in our country changes to some degree.” Despite the heartbreaking nature of these cases, Muhammad has found immense meaning in them: “Many times you are dealing with people of the saddest backgrounds ever. These are some of the most marginalized people ever. These death penalty cases are in some ways an opportunity to give back to the community. It’s an uphill battle.”
Beyond death penalty cases, Muhammad has involved himself in a variety of other pro bono work. In 2016, for example, he worked on Trump v. Hawaii, representing a union of federal asylum and refugee officers challenging government restrictions on the rights of refugees. He explained, “We had harkened back to some of the problematic episodes in our history …. In that case, we tried to restore the longstanding tradition of America providing a safe haven to those who are being persecuted.” He successfully challenged the laws and barriers preventing these persecuted individuals from realizing the American dream, describing it as a “fascinating case and one of the defining moments of my career.”
Perhaps Muhammad’s most significant endeavor thus far is serving as President of the New York City Bar Association. Having worked with the organization throughout his entire career in various leadership capacities, including as Chair of the Capital Punishment Committee, Chair of the Executive Committee, and Vice President, his election to the presidency seemed only natural. When asked how he plans to shape the organization’s path forward, he responded, “Our number one goal is to prepare for the future. Our profession is going through a fundamental change. Young lawyers are beginning to question the value proposition of many longstanding institutions. The questions that are being asked are profound and need to be asked, like what is the value of the bar association? Is this the most effective way for lawyers to network? The younger lawyers are questioning and exposing these inefficiencies. Thus, my number one priority is to make the newer generation of lawyers understand the importance of bar associations.” Indeed, Muhammad’s vision reflects a clear commitment to supporting the new generation of lawyers and to ensuring that bar associations evolve to meet the needs of the rapidly-changing legal profession.
Outside of the legal world, Muhammad has impacted the larger New York City community as an independent civil representative to the NYPD’s Handschu Committee, an organization that oversees compliance with the Handschu Guidelines, which regulate the NYPD’s policies and practices regarding investigations of political activity. As Muhammad described, the Committee ensures that “while law enforcement is able to fulfill its very important duty, the rights of New Yorkers are not violated in the process.” With his background of representing people from the Muslim community, and as a human rights advocate, Muhammad has found the Committee’s work to be important and rewarding, stating that the current law enforcement process “exists in a very thoughtful process and strikes the right balance” in part due to Handschu.
Furthermore, Muhammad has committed to strengthening and supporting the Asian American community in New York. He has attended various events as an active AABANY member for many years, and also served on the Board of Directors of the Muslim Bar Association of New York from 2009 to 2010.
Please join AABANY in congratulating Muhammad on receiving the NAPABA Pro Bono Service Award. To learn more about the award, please click here.
On January 16, 2025, AABANY’s Commercial Bankruptcy and Restructuring Committee (CBRC) and Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) hosted an ice-skating social at Bryant Park to start off the New Year. The Committees welcomed members of all skating abilities, from first timers to experienced skaters who helped the first timers hone their skating skills as they circled the ice. The event featured some light snow, which enhanced the experience for our attendees.
After skating, attendees networked over après-skating drinks and food at the Vanderbilt Bar & Grill and discussed different areas of law, including bankruptcy and restructuring, intellectual property, commercial real estate and the judiciary.
A big thank you to everyone who attended! The Commercial Bankruptcy and Restructuring Committee as well as the Young Lawyers Committee always welcome new members to join our growing and dynamic community.
WASHINGTON – On his first day in office, President Donald J. Trump issued executive orders that jeopardize the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for all persons born in the United States, the right to seek asylum, the refugee resettlement system, the LGBTQ+ community, and several other critical areas impacting our community as outlined below. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association condemns these actions unequivocally. They run counter to the core values of NAPABA, the interests of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community, and the tenets of this Nation.
Birthright Citizenship for U.S.-Born Individuals
Since the end of the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment promised future generations that they would be treated equally under the law. It also included an equal claim to citizenship to all persons born in the United States, regardless of stature or the circumstances of their parents. The executive order upends that promise. It refuses to recognize the birthright citizenship of any child born in the United States to a moth er who is lawfully present on a temporary basis, like those on work or student visas, and a father who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident.
The Asian American community is no stranger to such unconstitutional attacks. More than 125 years ago, a young Chinese American, Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco, sought to return to the United States after a trip to visit his family in China. The government denied him entry and claimed that he was not an American citizen. The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed, holding that a child born in the United States to noncitizen parents is entitled to automatic citizenship. United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898). Congress confirmed that understanding in federal law. See 8 U.S.C. § 1401.
Wong Kim Ark is settled law. If the executive order is left to stand, countless families within the Asian American community—the majority of whom are immigrants and the children of immigrants—would be impacted, unsettling their lives. The fundamental constitutional guarantee to citizenship cannot be discarded by a stroke of the pen, and NAPABA strongly opposes any effort to weaken the right under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Asylum, Refugee Resettlement, and Trust with Immigrant Communities
NAPABA recognizes the need to address the situation at our southern border. But we must not compromise our values as a Nation that welcomes immigrants and protects refugees. The President’s executive order eliminates any avenue for individuals—including many who hail from Asian countries—to claim asylum at the southern border. The order also suspended the entry of refugees under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
These executive actions are inconsistent with our country’s obligation under domestic and international law to provide refuge to those fleeing persecution and war. With nearly three million such refugees from Southeast Asia fleeing conflicts in the 1970s and new generations arriving since, the protections offered by the United States as a leading signatory to the International Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol are critical to uphold.
The Asian American story is one of perseverance, with countless numbers throughout history fleeing persecution for a better life in the United States. We need not turn our back on history or the generations seeking refuge. NAPABA has consistently supported the refugee resettlement program and this Nation’s long history of welcoming those from Asia seeking the protections of our Constitution.
Further, our immigrant communities are better served and safer where there is trust. Coercing state and local law enforcement agencies to carry out federal civil immigration enforcement undermines that trust and damages the relationship with the communities that they serve. For the Asian American community that endured the recent wave of anti-Asian hate, the fear of immigration consequences places an unnecessary obstacle to report and address hate crimes.
In another executive order, the President sought to restrict federal funds to jurisdictions “which seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal [immigration] enforcement operations.” The choice by state and local leaders to decline voluntary cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement is not only lawful, but one that prioritizes the best interests of their communities. Jurisdictions ought not to be penalized for advancing public safety in their region.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In a call to action several months ago, NAPABA emphasized how the majority of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives serve to increase access and opportunity, not stifle them. President Trump’s action to eliminate those efforts in the federal government is misguided and impacts AANHPI communities. The executive order purports to advance “equal dignity and respect,” yet its actions yield the opposite.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts minimize bias and barriers while fostering unity. And contrary to the executive order, not only do such initiatives advance the promises of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, they bring greater meritocracy to our workplaces, unlocking individual potential and belonging across the board where everyone has a fair shot at success.
LGBTQ+ Dignity
Every person, regardless of how they identify their gender, deserves respect, dignity, and the equal protection of the law. Another executive order attacks and jeopardizes the transgender and broader LGBTQ+ community, potentially undermining workplace and school protections, and denying access to essential public services and health care.
NAPABA firmly believes in the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community. Just recently, NAPABA opposed H.R. 28, which would exclude those in the transgender, nonbinary, and intersex community from athletic programs in schools. The policies of government ought to be guided by the inclusion of all segments of our communities, not the exclusion of the most vulnerable.
Capital Punishment
In another executive order, the President reversed the last administration’s moratorium on capital punishment and reauthorized the Attorney General to pursue the death penalty. NAPABA stands opposed to the death penalty, which is disproportionately imposed on members of minority groups, individuals suffering from mental illness, and individuals raised in poverty. It does not deter crime, and it is not necessary for the administration of justice. We reiterate our call that the death penalty be abolished.
NAPABA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing the interests of well over 80,000 AANHPI legal professionals. Our community is diverse, spanning across cultures, language, and political ideologies. NAPABA has worked diligently with presidents, administrations, and congressional members of both parties to advance the interests of our community.
But as an organization of legal professionals, we bear a special responsibility to uphold the rule of law. Regardless of the presidential administration, NAPABA will continue to advance justice, with the AANHPI community at the forefront along with all communities of color, our values, and our policy positions.
### The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 AANHPI 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.
On January 22, 2025, the AABANY Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee held a CLE event at the Yoo Law Group’s NY office. The session was moderated by Rachel J. Yoo, Co-Chair of the ADR Committee.
The event featured four highly respected professionals, including matrimonial lawyers, mediators, and psychologists, who are experienced in the intersection of mental health and family disputes.
Speakers:
Jihee Cho, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Mind in Motion Psychological Services
Beatrice Leong, Esq, Partner, Law Office of Beatrice Leong
Megan Rha, Esq, Partner, Rha Kim Grossman & McIlwain, LLP
Historically, mental health factors have often been overlooked in family and matrimonial disputes. This CLE program, offering 1.0 credits in the Areas of Professional Practice category, explored how recognizing and addressing these issues can foster more effective, compassionate, and lasting resolutions.
One of the speakers, Dr. Jihee Cho, co-founder of Mind in Motion Psychological Services, shared her expertise on the impact of emotional-regulating disorders in decision-making during disputes. She also provided insights into strategies for helping parties move forward in such challenging situations.
Thanks to the panelists for a timely and insightful presentation, and thanks to all the attendees. To learn more about the ADR Committee, click here.
NAPABA is pleased to announce the “Our History, Our Voice” Video Contest for Middle and High School Students across the United States.
This is a joint project of the Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham Law School, the AAPI Crime Victims and Education Fund, and NAPABA. It seeks to engage young Americans with Asian American history told through certain little-known court cases. We want to challenge young people across the country to learn about the cases and retell them through short videos.
For too long, Asian Americans have been treated as foreigners in a country where we have lived and contributed for hundreds of years. Asian Americans have often been denied basic civil rights based on racial background alone. Most recently, during the pandemic, Asian Americans across the country were victimized as a result of being blamed for a disease associated with China. This perception of foreignness has lingered throughout U.S. history and has resulted in Asian Americans being treated as less than full-fledged citizens of our own country. This contest seeks to surface our community’s hidden history and to highlight the historical civil rights struggle of Asian Americans.
We encourage your children to participate. Please share the link for the contest landing page broadly to all of your circles, most especially those involving middle and high school-aged children. Our stories need to be told, and then passed along and retold, most especially by young people.
In the op-ed “Time for Change: Addressing Underrepresentation of Asian American Judges in the New York State Judiciary,” published on January 14, 2025, in the New York Law Journal, former Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng (Ret.) addresses the longstanding underrepresentation of Asian Americans in the New York State judiciary. While progress has been made since his historic appointment as the first Asian American judge in the state in 1983, the numbers remain glaring. Asian Americans, who constitute about 15% of New York City’s population, occupy only 5% of the judiciary statewide. Of the 1,300 state-paid judges, just 68 are Asian American, and many counties have never had an Asian American judge in positions of significant judicial power.
Justice Eng stresses the significance of leadership roles in the judiciary, pointing out that “there are 105 administrative and supervisory positions throughout the state… only five are held by Asian Americans, and there are none within OCA’s [Office of Court Administration] executive leadership team.” He also draws attention to historic firsts, such as Kathy Hirata Chin being shortlisted for the Court of Appeals vacancy in 2012 but emphasizes the need for urgent action, because to date no Asian American has been appointed to the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
Despite some progress, systemic inequities persist. For example, only three counties – Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn – have elected Asian Americans to the Supreme Court, while the remaining 59 counties remain without representation. Justice Eng asserts that true progress requires collective effort and advocacy: “We need to take it to the next step. We need to start saying as a community ‘it should be us.’” He calls on the community to expect and demand nominations for future vacancies, ensuring that representation reflects the diversity of the state.
To read Justice Eng’s call for change, op-ed in full, click here. (subscription required).
On January 9, 2025, the AABANY Intellectual Property (IP) Committee kicked off the new year with a fun and interactive event: the Super Smash Brothers & Sake Night, hosted at Fish & Richardson. The IP Committee fired up retro N64 gaming consoles, a Nintendo Switch, and a PlayStation 5 for this event, with attendees ranging from experienced gamers to first-time players.
The event included a tasty dinner menu with crowd favorites like pizza, wings, meatballs, and chicken tenders. For sake enthusiasts, a curated tasting session gave participants the chance to sample and compare five different types of sake from Japan and the United States.
Despite the chilly weather, on one of the coldest nights in New York City in recent memory, the event saw a great turnout. Guests enjoyed networking in a relaxed atmosphere, friendly competition, and a few cups of sake.
A big thank you to everyone who braved the cold to make this event a success! Based on the positive feedback, the IP Committee is already planning similar events for the future.
Stay tuned for more retro gaming nights, sake tastings, IP Committee dinner series, and other exciting activities in 2025. Visit the IP Committee’s page on the AABANY website to join.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) celebrated the illustrious career of Hugh H. Mo by honoring him with the prestigious Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award at their Fifteenth Annual Fall Conference, on October 12, 2024, during the Conference Cocktail Reception that capped a full day of programming. This award, named after Norman Lau Kee—an influential legal and community figure in New York City’s Chinatown—celebrates leaders who have made significant contributions to the legal field and the AAPI community, recognizing attorneys who exemplify the qualities of role models and trailblazers in the legal profession while contributing to the wider community.
Born in Shanghai, China, Hugh immigrated to the United States at nine years old after living in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Madrid. Hugh then grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. His journey into the legal profession started by participating in student activist groups, including the Vietnam War protests and the Civil Rights Movement, throughout high school and college. During his sophomore year at NYU, he was involved in a newly published magazine called Bridge: The Magazine of Asians in America, focusing on the experiences, issues, and concerns of Asian Americans that were ignored by the mainstream media and to mobilize Asians in political empowerment. As a result of his experiences as a student activist, Hugh was imbued with idealism and the desire to make the world a better place. He realized that in order to help Asians in general and in political empowerment, law is the most effective instrument to facilitate change to help people.
Hugh defines law as “advocacy,” to lend a voice to those who cannot advocate for themselves. This belief in the power of the law to help others was a driving force in his decision to become a lawyer. He says, “As a lawyer there is so much potential to help people,” and that realization has shaped his legal career.
From his formative student activist experiences, Hugh enrolled at Boston University School of Law, graduated in 1976, and served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the first Asian American to do so. During his tenure, he mentored then Assistant District Attorney Sonia Sotomayor – who later became the first Hispanic and 111th United States Supreme Court Justice. In Justice Sotomayor’s memoir, My Beloved World, she wrote that she was fortunate to be assigned a second-seat role in her first murder trial, with Hugh as lead counsel. The case was People v. Richard Maddicks, the “Tarzan burglar.” Maddicks committed a series of burglaries and murders in a bloody three-month spree from 1981 to 1982 in Central Harlem, by swinging from rooftops on ropes and crashing through apartment windows with his gun blazing. Hugh and Sonia successfully prosecuted Maddicks in a 37-count indictment charging him with multiple counts of murder, burglary, assault, and other crimes. Hugh ensured her second-seat role was far from pro forma, allowing her to present half of the 40 government witnesses and to draft the opening statement of the case, which Hugh delivered. After a four-week jury trial in early 1983, Maddicks was convicted and sentenced to 62½ years–to–life in state prison. In her memoir, Sonia recalled that Hugh was “a slightly built figure with a booming voice and a big personality to match; a hard driving prosecutor, he was also a gentle family man and an all-around confounder of stereotypes.”
Hugh’s eight-year tenure as a prosecutor was the beginning of a long legal career that stretched almost five decades, in which he fought for and inspired Asian Americans through the power of the law to secure our rights, justice, and fairness. In 1984, he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Trials in the New York City Police Department. At the time, he was the highest-ranking person of Asian descent in New York City government. After four years, he left public service to join the national and international law firm of Whitman & Ransom as a partner and founder of its China practice group.
In January 1994, Hugh established The Law Firm of Hugh H. Mo, P.C., to primarily represent domestic and overseas Chinese clients in corporate, civil and criminal litigation, white collar and financial crimes, government investigation, customs, tax, and real estate matters. In 2023, Hugh received the NAPIPA Life-Time Achievement Award, and his firm was honored with the 2023 NAPABA APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award.
Throughout his career, Hugh has always championed the issues and concerns of the AAPI community. He reflects that one of the most common issues Asian American immigrants face is assimilation: adopting a new language, learning new behaviors, being accustomed to new social norms, and fully embracing American culture, and, at the same time, retaining one’s Asian identity, language, and culture. As he learned in high school and college, law is an instrument of change and justice, and for Asian Americans learning to assimilate, it is even more imperative to have Asian representation at all levels of the legal profession.
As a trial attorney, Hugh serves as an advocate to bridge the language and cultural barriers for his Asian clients. His private practice, The Law Firm of Hugh H. Mo, P.C., has represented countless individuals, corporations, and government entities, primarily focusing on clients within the Chinese American community and overseas. Hugh has served as legal counsel for the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, Chinese Consulate in New York, Xinhua News Agency, N.A., People’s Daily Overseas Edition, and other Chinese government entities and state-owned enterprises over the years.
In addition to his legal work, Hugh founded and currently serves as Co-Chair of the NYPD Asian American Police Executives Council (AAPEX), with the mission to inculcate leadership development of Asian police executives in the NYPD. He was involved as a co-founder of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) in 1989, laying a foundation for future generations of Asian American lawyers. He was also involved in establishing the NYPD Asian Jade Society, the Chinatown Health Clinic (now known as the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center) and has served as Board President of the Chinatown Planning Council (now known as the Chinese-American Planning Council).
Hugh’s achievements extend beyond the courtroom. He served on numerous civic and advisory committees, including transition committees for elected officials such as Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., City Comptroller John Liu, and Mayor David N. Dinkins, among others.
When asked about current challenges facing the Asian American community, he reflects on the disproportionate challenges that Asians have to overcome in order to pursue success in the law, including barriers due to institutional racism and the under-representation of Asian American partners in BigLaw, corporations, government, and the judiciary. Hugh maintains that this obstacle can be overcome by “grit, intelligence, and the willingness to rise up to any challenge.” Success is possible for anyone who dares and dreams with determination. Hugh’s career offers even more hopeful insight: every day is a new opportunity, because every day brings a new challenge. But, in his words, “challenges are meant to be overcome.”
He has opened doors for Asian Americans in law and inspired others to pursue justice and community advocacy. Accepting the Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award, Hugh reflected on the importance of uplifting the AAPI community through representation and leadership.
“We all represent not just our clients and ourselves, but our community,” Hugh said, emphasizing the role of Asian American lawyers as bridges for first-generation immigrants. His message resonates as a call to action for future generations to embrace challenges, strive for excellence, and contribute to a more equitable society.
The Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award recognizes attorneys who exemplify the qualities of role models and trailblazers in the legal profession while contributing to the wider community. Hugh’s journey serves as an inspiration for overcoming racial barriers, bridging communication and cultural gaps, and rising up to face all challenges and converting them into opportunities for continuing success and achievement. As a trailblazer in the legal profession, Hugh’s legacy is a testament to the power of determination and service. As he puts it, “We should be defined not by one or a few achievements, but by a multitude of achievements. We should not be defined by our worst mistake but by the sum of our collective accomplishments. … I don’t believe a person should be defined by their magnum opus. It is a successful life journey that counts.”
Written by Lui Montes, AABANY Legal Intern, Fall 2024.
L-R: (top row): Judge Carmen A. Pacheco of Kings County (Brooklyn) Civil Court, Judge Edwin I. Novillo of Queens County Criminal Court, and Judge L. Austin D’Souza of New York County (Manhattan) Civil Court, (bottom row) Judge Ira R. Greenberg of Queens County Civil, Judge Taisha L. Chambers of Bronx County Civil Court, and Judge Frances Ortiz of New York County Housing Court.
Judge L. Austin D’Souza has been appointed as the Supervising Judge of the Manhattan Civil Court, succeeding Judge Shahabuddeen Ally. This significant and prominent elevation attests to Judge D’Souza’s strong leadership and dedication to public service.
Judge D’Souza is part of a group of new judicial leaders appointed across New York City, including Hon. Frances Ortiz, Hon. Ira Greenberg, Hon. Edwin Novillo, Hon. Taisha Chambers, and Hon. Carmen Pacheco, each taking charge of key courts in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn.
Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas praised the appointees for their “sound judgment, fairness, integrity, innovative spirit, and commitment to public service.” First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George also recognized their innovative and adaptable approaches to addressing the challenges of the legal system.
Judge D’Souza, an active member of AABANY, has consistently demonstrated a commitment to creating diversity and advancing the legal profession. His involvement with AABANY shows his passion for community engagement, further reflecting the qualities that make him a renowned and well-respected leader in the judiciary. Please join AABANY in congratulating Judge D’Souza on this noteworthy accomplishment and wishing him every success in his future judicial endeavors.
To read the full article in the New York Law Journal, click here.
