On Tuesday, February 6, 2024, AABANY members, family and friends attended Lunar New Year celebrations at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks took on the Memphis Grizzlies. The night started with Asian musicians playing the national anthem, and the Knicks got off to a hot start. During halftime, the audience enjoyed a traditional lion dance performance. By the fourth quarter the Grizzlies cut the Knicks lead down to single digits, but the Knicks ultimately prevailed with a 123-113 victory.
For the second straight year, the Knicks won when AABANY attended their Lunar New Year celebration game. And, again, our group of nearly forty attendees got a “live shot shoutout” on the jumbotron. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with AABANY including our President Karen Kim who attended with her husband and two boys. No one cheered as loud as they did. Happy Year of the Dragon!
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Dena M. Coggins to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
“NAPABA congratulates Judge Dena M. Coggins on her nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. With nearly a decade of judicial service, Judge Coggins is well qualified to serve on the bench. We urge the Senate to confirm her quickly,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA.
Judge Dena Michaela Coggins is the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, having served in that position since 2023 and as a Superior Court judge since 2021. Judge Coggins was previously an Administrative Law Judge with the State of California’s Office of Administrative Hearings, in the General Jurisdiction Division from 2018 to 2021 and the Special Education Division from 2015 to 2017. Between her positions as an Administrative Law Judge, Judge Coggins served as a supervising attorney and hearing officer at the State of California Victim Compensation Board from 2017 to 2018. From 2013 to 2015, she served as a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary for the Governor of California. Prior to her state government service, Judge Coggins worked as an associate at Downey Brand L.L.P. from 2012 to 2013 and at Morrison & Foerster L.L.P. from 2007 to 2012. Judge Coggins received her J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2006 and her B.S. from California State University, Sacramento in 2003.
“President Biden has nominated 39 AANHPIs to an Article III court, and 30 judges from our community have been confirmed,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “If President Biden’s nominees are confirmed, AANHPI Article III judges will reflect our representation in the U.S. population at 8%.”
NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Dena M. Coggins and Senators Padilla and Butler for supporting her nomination.
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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.
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Senate confirmed Lisa Wang to serve on the U.S. Court of International Trade. She is the second from the AANHPI community to serve on this Article III court.
“We congratulate Lisa Wang on her confirmation to serve on the U.S. Court of International Trade,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “She brings deep experience to the bench having worked in private practice and government service, including at the Department of Commerce and in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.”
The U.S. Court of International Trade, an Article III court, has nationwide jurisdiction over civil actions arising from U.S. customs and international trade laws. Appointments to the U.S. Court of International Trade are lifetime appointments.
“Today, President Biden has appointed 30 AANHPI Article III judges that the U.S. Senate has confirmed. We thank President Biden for nominating Ms. Wang and his continued efforts to extend his record-breaking benchmark of AANHPI judges,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA.
Lisa Wang served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance, and she was the U.S. Department of Commerce’s delegate on the Interagency Working Group for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. In that role, Assistant Secretary Wang supported the Administration’s whole-of-government agenda to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AANHPI communities.
Before her appointment at the Department of Commerce, she was a partner at Picard Kentz & Rowe LLP, where she focused on international trade law matters, including antidumping, countervailing duty litigation, and trade policy issues. Assistant Secretary Wang also served as Senior Attorney with the Office of the Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement and Compliance at the Department of Commerce, as Assistant General Counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and as Senior Import Administration Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where she was awarded Commerce’s Bronze Medal Award for Distinguished Performance. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2006 and her B.S. from Cornell University.
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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.
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
“NAPABA congratulates Judge Sanket J. Bulsara on his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is an experienced jurist and has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the court since 2017,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “A native New Yorker and active member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, Judge Bulsara, who was – at the time that he was appointed a U.S. Magistrate Judge – the first South Asian American to serve as a judge within the Second Circuit, is exceptionally well qualified. We are proud to support his nomination.”
“The South Asian population is one of the fastest growing in New York City, representing four percent of the population,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “President Biden’s nomination and Senator Schumer and Gillibrand’s recommendation of Judge Bulsara recognize the importance of having a judiciary representative of the community.”
Judge Sanket J. Bulsara has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2017. From January 2017 to May 2017, Judge Bulsara served as the Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he had been the Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement since 2015. Prior to that, Judge Bulsara worked at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr L.L.P. as an associate from 2005 to 2008, a counsel from 2009 to 2011, and a partner from 2012 to 2015. For six months between 2007 and 2008, he served as a Special Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, and he worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson L.L.P. in Los Angeles, California from 2003 to 2004. Judge Bulsara served as a law clerk for Judge John G. Koeltl on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 2002 and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1998.
NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Bulsara and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for supporting his nomination.
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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.
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.
The In-House Counsel Committee and the Corporate Law Committee of AABANY held the 2024 Winter Soiree on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at Le Chalet in Saks Fifth Avenue. This annual event was set against the stunning backdrop of an elegant indoor space and the breathtaking midtown skyline from the balcony, providing a perfect setting for a night to remember.
This Winter Soiree marks the first time we held it in-person, having held a virtual Winter Soiree during the pandemic in 2022. We also moved this event from summer to winter during AABANY’s 2024 fiscal year, so that we did not follow the AABANY dinner in May 2023 with another major event in June, the traditional time when we held our annual soiree for in-house counsel and law firm attorneys.
The Winter Soiree was an invite-only event, open to in-house counsel, law firm attorneys and sponsors of AABANY’s 2023 Annual Dinner and the 2024 Winter Soiree. The event enjoyed the attendance of numerous senior in-house lawyers, including many General Counsels, as well as senior attorneys and partners from law firms, making it an ideal opportunity for networking, reuniting with friends, and making new connections. The diverse group of attendees represented several companies across various industries and top global and regional law firms. We are grateful for the participation of many companies, including the following non-exhaustive list, encompassing a broad range of industries:
AIG
Bloomberg
Christian Dior Couture
Con Ed
JPMorgan Chase
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corp.
Morgan Stanley
Neuberger Berman
Pfizer
Sanofi
Taco Bell
Televisa/Univision
The Walt Disney Co.
Tiffany & Co.
Zurich American Insurance Co.
The event began at 6:30 pm. Guests enjoyed an array of hors d’oeuvres, drinks, wines, and cocktails, accompanied by engaging conversations. Discussions at the soiree covered a wide range of topics, from potential referrals and collaborations to personal interests and hobbies. About an hour into the event, AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chairs Anushree Bagrodia, David Sohn, and Kazuko Wachter, gave welcoming remarks and spoke about the work of the In-House Counsel Committee and AABANY to advance the legal profession and the AAPI community. Dennis Hopkins, Partner at Perkins Coie, a Platinum sponsor of the Winter Soiree, also addressed the crowd and spoke about the firm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the long relationship Perkins Coie has had over the years with AABANY.
AABANY thanks all the Winter Soiree sponsors for helping to make the event possible:
Platinum
Broadridge
Perkins Coie
Gold
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Davis + Gilbert LLP
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Haynes and Boone LLP
Jenner & Block LLP
Littler Mendelson P.C.
Milbank LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Silver
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP
Herrick Feinstein LLP
Linklaters LLP
Rupp Pfalzgraf LLP
Wilson & Chan LLP
AABANY also thanks our 2023 Annual Dinner sponsors that make our year-round programming, including marquee events like the Winter Soiree, possible. For a full listing of all our 2023 Annual Dinner sponsors, go here.
We also appreciate the efforts of the Corporate Law Committee’s Co-Chairs Tracy Feng, Alice Hsu, Edward J. Lee, Vice Chair Ashley Wong, and the student volunteers for their invaluable assistance in helping us before and at the soiree.
Since 2018, January 30 has been celebrated in New York City as Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Why do we commemorate Fred Korematsu and his fight for justice? Here is the answer from the Fred Korematsu Institute:
Fred Korematsu was an American civil rights activist who stood up to the U.S. government’s wrongful incarceration of over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast during WWII. Even though Fred was vilified and ostracized by his Japanese American community and had no support from his family, he was not afraid to speak up. He knew the government had violated the civil rights of thousands of its citizens and immigrants when it forced them to leave their homes and live in remote incarceration camps.
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Amir H. Ali to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Sunil R. Harjani to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jasmine Yoon to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
“Amir H. Ali, Judge Sunil R. Harjani, and Jasmine H. Yoon are exceptionally well qualified to serve on our federal judiciary,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Active in the AANHPI community, if confirmed, Ms. Yoon, a former board member of APABA-VA, would be the first Asian American to serve as an Article III judge in Virginia. A prominent member of the Chicago South Asian legal community, Judge Harjani was the first South Asian American to serve as a U.S. Magistrate in the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Ali is an experienced civil rights litigator who has worked to elevate the voices of marginalized communities at the U.S. Supreme Court. NAPABA is proud to support these nominees.”
Amir H. Ali has been President and Executive Director of the MacArthur Justice Center since 2021 and Director of the Criminal Justice Appellate Clinic at Harvard Law School since 2018. Previously, Mr. Ali worked in private practice as an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Washington, DC, from 2013-17. He also served as a law clerk for Justice Marshall Rothstein on the Supreme Court of Canada from 2012-13 and Judge Raymond C. Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2011-12. Mr. Ali received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2011 and his B.S.E. from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, in 2008.
Judge Sunil R. Harjani has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019. Judge Harjani served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois from 2008-19. He also practiced federal civil litigation as a senior counsel at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission from 2004-08 and as an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago from 2000-01 and 2002-04. Judge Harjani served as a law clerk for Judge Suzanne B. Conlon on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2001-02. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2000 and his B.A. from Northwestern University in 1997.
Jasmine H. Yoon has been the Vice President of Corporate Integrity, Ethics, and Investigations at Capital One Financial Corporation since 2022. Previously, Ms. Yoon worked as Interim University Counsel and Associate University Counsel at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville from 2019-22. Prior to that, Ms. Yoon served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2010-16. Ms. Yoon was also an associate at Crowell & Moring LLP in Washington, DC, from 2006-09 in its White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement group. She served as a law clerk for Judge James C. Cacheris on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2009-10. Ms. Yoon received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2006 and her B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2003.
NAPABA thanks Senators Durbin and Duckworth of Illinois, Senators Warner and Kaine of Virginia, and Delegate Norton of the District of Columbia for supporting their nominations.
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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.
Kang Hwan Yoo, a 70-year-old Korean immigrant business owner was stabbed repeatedly inside his store last month. Last week, the alleged perpetrator was finally arrested, but some of Mr. Yoo’s most challenging times remain ahead.
AABANY, along with community leaders and organizations, demands justice for Mr. Yoo. AABANY Board and AAVTF Member, Christopher Bae, is representing Mr. Yoo pro bono to help ensure that he receives all the legal, financial, and victim services that he needs.
Please consider donating to Mr. Yoo’s official Gofundme. Click here to learn more and to donate.
On December 14, AABANY hosted its Annual Holiday Party at Sour Mouse, a social club on the Lower East Side. The event was organized by Beatrice Leong, Co-VP of Programs and Operations. The event was filled to capacity within days of registration opening, and the actual location was not disclosed until the morning of the event. Many attendees expressed pleasant surprise that the party was held at Sour Mouse rather than a law firm.
Nearly 80 AABANY members filled a large section of the venue reserved for us. Guests enjoyed bar food (pizza, wings, mozzarella sticks) and an open bar. We had a live DJ and an artist sketching portraits of our guests in real-time on the spot. Those not drinking, eating, or mingling got to shoot pool and reveal their hidden pool shark (or not). We also had a business card raffle, and the winners got a bottle of Jameson and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire.
Thanks to everyone who came out to Sour Mouse to celebrate the holidays with us. AABANY wishes you all a happy holiday season!
