Day: June 30, 2025

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AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents “What’s Happening in Queens” Networking Event

On June 26th, 2025, at JP Morgan Chase Bank in Bayside, AABANY’s Real Estate Committee hosted their “What’s Happening in Queens” networking event, which brought together a variety of people interested in making meaningful connections in the Queens real estate scene. As people entered, they were encouraged to leave their business cards and enter a raffle whose winners would be announced later that night. Lucky attendees would win goodies such as AmTrust umbrellas, blankets, or water bottles. There was a light buffet set up on the main space of the bank, allowing people to converse while eating an assortment of Italian and Chinese dishes. 

Approximately 25 attendees were able to forge new connections with each other and reconnect with old friends. Those with an established presence in the Queens real estate scene were able to enlighten emerging professionals with advice on their future career paths through explaining their own journeys and current professions. Professionals specializing in various sectors, from real estate insurance law to real estate capital management, were able to network and converse.

The event featured a fireside chat with Thomas Grech, President & CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and George Xu, the President of Century Development Group LLP, moderated by Real Estate Committee Co-Chair Margaret Ling. Tom shared some remarkable stats about Queens, and most notably mentioned that Queens is considered one of the most diverse urban areas in the world. Tom talked about new developments in real estate happening in Queens, such as the new casino and soccer stadium being built in Queens near Citi Field. Tom also talked about how the Queens Chamber of Commerce is now the most diverse chamber in New York. Tom spoke highly of his diverse staff which speaks 18 languages, and how they help communicate with small business owners. Margaret praised Tom for how he helped small business people especially during the pandemic. 

Margaret then turned to George, who is behind the exciting opening and development of multiple new hotels in the heart of Flushing. George talked about opening hotels such as The Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport and the Four Seasons by Sheraton Flushing. He also talked about how the opening of these hotels would help local businesses by economically revitalizing  the area.

Margaret concluded the fireside chat by thanking everyone for coming out and encouraging people to network afterwards. Tom and George thanked Margaret for the talk and for giving back to the community. Margaret, aside from her position at AmTrust as New York State Underwriting Counsel, helps teach underprivileged kids golf at First Tee in New Jersey. She emphasized that her most important motivator was teaching kids how to be good people, which is her way of “giving back to the next generation.”

Margaret then announced the raffle winners to the eagerly awaiting audience. Afterwards, attendees continued chatting, networking, and enjoying food.

Thank you to AmTrust Title Group, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) for co-sponsoring this event. Thank you to Margaret Ling and the Real Estate Committee Co-Chairs for organizing this event. To learn more about the Real Estate Committee go here.

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NAPABA Statement in Response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc.

For Immediate Release:
Date: June 27, 2025		Contact
Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, in the cases involving challenges to the executive order that limits birthright citizenship, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the preliminary injunctions that can be available to pause the executive order before a final judgment can be rendered. This discrete, preliminary issue will now return to the district courts for them to craft an injunction that, in the Court’s view, is no “broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue.” The Court did not address the constitutionality of the executive order.  

In the meantime, as the parties litigate over the scope of the injunctions, and as three federal courts of appeals evaluate the substantive challenges to the executive order, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) reaffirms the principles that underlie our amicus briefing to the courts that Executive Order 14160 must be set aside.

First, EO 14160 upends the Fourteenth Amendment’s promise of an equal claim of citizenship to all persons born in the United States. Under the plain text of the Fourteenth Amendment and longstanding historical precedent, EO 14160 is patently unconstitutional.

Second, EO 14160 distorts the holding of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898). As we explained in our amicus brief, the Court upheld the conferral of citizenship to children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. The brief underscored the historical significance of this precedent and the role of Asian Americans in shaping our nation’s foundational immigration and civil rights precedents.

Lastly, if EO 14160 is implemented, disproportionate harms would result for Asian American communities. In the United States, 65% of Asian American adults are immigrants. Asian immigrants account for a substantial percentage of the overall immigrant population, with 17% of all undocumented immigrants having Asian ancestry and more than 88% of individuals holding H-1B visas. Under EO 14160, children of these categories of immigrants would be excluded from citizenship, despite being born, raised, and educated in the United States and despite knowing no other country of allegiance.

The question of a child’s citizenship in the United States ought not to be dependent on the stature or circumstances of their parents. Nor should it turn on whether a child is born in one state versus another. For the guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment to be vindicated, birthright citizenship must apply to all children across the United States. 

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AABANY Prosecutors Committee and Student Outreach Committee Co-Hosts Summer Welcome Event at TapHaus 33

On June 24, 2025, AABANY’s Prosecutors Committee and Student Outreach Committee held their Summer Welcome Event in collaboration with the New York Chapter of the National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association (NAPIPA) at TapHaus 33, a bar in Midtown Manhattan. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) and judges over great drinks and small bar bites. 

Prosecutors from all over the city attended this casual gathering that perfectly blended professional enrichment with summer socializing, highlighting the strong sense of camaraderie within the prosecutor community. The energetic and community-focused setting enabled conversations on everything from the unique challenges prosecutors face to the importance of mentorship in the profession. 

The event also provided a great opportunity for Committee members to catch up and for law students to make meaningful new connections. Students were able to engage in thought-provoking discussions with ADAs and judges about career paths, courtroom experiences, and the motivation behind pursuing public service. Many expressed how these candid conversations offered valuable insight into the realities of a prosecutor’s role and what life is like in public service. 

With over 50 attendees, the event was a great success, especially given the sweltering summer heat wave. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so special. The Prosecutors Committee looks forward to hosting more events in the coming months. Join us next time and bring a friend!

To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee and how you can get involved, visit their page here. To learn more about the Prosecutors Committee and how you can get involved, visit their page here.

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