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On May 27, 2026, the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court held its fourth annual Hon. Randall T. Eng Award Program in celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month at 45 Monroe Place in Brooklyn Heights. This event was covered by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and by the World Journal. This year, the Hon. Randall T. Eng Award was presented to Assembly Member Steven Raga (Assembly District 30), Associate Court Attorney Kwok Kei Ng of the New York County Criminal Courts, and Jo-Ann Yoo, Deputy Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality. Of note, honoree Kwok Kei Ng serves as the Co-Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee and runs AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinics.
The World Journal traced Ng’s path through the court system, beginning his career as a court interpreter, translating for Cantonese and Mandarin speakers in Brooklyn Family Court. Ng then served in the borough’s Supreme and Civil Courts and, today, as a court attorney in New York County Criminal Court. He received the award in recognition of his efforts in partnering with the New York State Unified Court System and the Brooklyn Bar Association to develop CLE programming that enhances language access in the courts.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle story recounted Ng’s acceptance speech, in which he spoke of standing on the shoulders of giants. “And many of these giants are here in this room,” he said. “Some of you paved the way for me before I arrived; some of you invited me in; and some of you encouraged me, and for that I am grateful.” His family joined him on stage to accept the award. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle also reported on AABANY President Varuna Bhattacharyya making closing remarks at the Award Program. She described the honorees as “exceptional individuals who exemplify all that the Randall T. Eng Award is intended to recognize and represent.” She added that they “have helped redefine what leadership looks like,” and closed with a call to action: “As we leave here tonight, let us continue building a legal community that reflects not just the diversity of our society, but its full promise.”
To read the World Journal article (written in Chinese), click here.
To read the Brooklyn Daily Eagle article, click here.