On November 21, 2023, the IP Committee convened at Dhaba Indian Cuisine for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. Co-Chair of the IP Committee, Jeffrey Mok, ordered family-style dishes for everyone to share. A group of law firm attorneys, in-house counsel, and students connected over aromatic and spicy Punjabi specialties. Some highlights were the paneer cheese, baigan da bharta (tandoor smoked eggplant), and lamb biryani. Conversations ranged from how AI can transform legal business models and what to do in NYC over the holidays to stories about law school reunions and career paths.
Thanks to everyone who attended the pre-Thanksgiving IP Committee dinner. Please sign up for the IP Committee mailing list and look out for the next events! To learn more about the IP Committee, please click here.
On Saturday, November 4, 2023, the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s (AABANY) Student Outreach Committee (SOC) held its Fall 2023 Postering Campaign in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The event was co-sponsored by Mayer Brown LLP and AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee.
Volunteers and law students from the Greater New York area donated their valuable time on a Saturday morning to distribute flyers and promote AABANY’s pro bono legal resources to local businesses and residents in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Our volunteers covered areas from East Broadway to Kenmare Street. Some volunteers reported that small business owners and residents were ecstatic to learn about our Pro Bono Clinics and are “grateful such a service exists for the Asian American community.”
After the postering campaign, our Executive Director, Yang Chen, invited the volunteers and law students to a complimentary group lunch at Deluxe Green Bo, a small Shanghainese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Our volunteers and law students enjoyed some tasty soup dumplings, seafood casseroles, pan-fried noodles, and yellow fish with dry seaweed.
AABANY would like to thank Mayer Brown for their support with the printed flyers and supplies.
We also express our sincere gratitude to the volunteers and law students below for their time, leadership, and overall commitment to giving back to the community.
Volunteers
Charlene Hong Emily Kong, Esq. (Mayer Brown) Justin Lee Vivian Lee William Lee, Esq. (Mayer Brown) Jameson Xu Sharon Yang Kelly Yao
Law Student Volunteers
Brooklyn Law
Kyle Hogan Michael Qian
Cardozo Law
Gabrielle Capulong Kimberly Cheung Justina Chen Isaac Kim Edwin Liu Angela Zhao
Columbia Law
Woohyeong Cho Melodie Han
Cornell Law
Sage Park
Fordham Law
Amanda Dai Yuanyuan Li Stephen Park
NYU Law
Dai An Jiang Zachery Lee Gina Tan Chris Wong Haixin Xie Jinge (Evelyne) Yang Hanyi Yu
On November 4, 2023, the IP Committee gathered for a relaxing afternoon of board games at the Uncommons board game cafe in the Village. On this beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon, we were glad to be able to welcome several newcomers – both practicing attorneys and law students – as well as familiar faces, over classic board games such as Catan, Unstable Unicorns, Sorry! and more. We had a cozy private room in the back just to ourselves within this bustling venue as the several board game aficionados amongst the group explained the rules of our games and led us through two hours of fun! We had such a great time that many attendees expressed interest in extending our time or, even better, holding a board game event on a regular basis (more to come on this, so please stay tuned!).
We would like to thank all of our attendees for joining us and making this event as enjoyable as it was. We are always looking forward to seeing more faces and welcoming newcomers and members alike. To learn more about the IP Committee, please click here.
On October 28, 2023, AABANY’s Asia Practice Committee hosted a foliage hiking trip in Cold Spring, New York. The Membership Committee was a co-sponsor of the hiking trip. This event was a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, offering all participants a refreshing break and the opportunity to connect with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Our chosen path for the day was the Bull Hill Trail, a delightful 3- to 4-hour hike that was accessible to both seasoned hikers and newcomers. The trail was well-marked and easy to follow, and its scenic views of the Hudson River and the surrounding area were nothing short of breathtaking. As we meandered through the woods, we found ourselves immersed in a stunning display of fall foliage, with trees cloaked in vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold.
One of the highlights of our journey was the discovery of ruins from a burned-down mansion, adding a touch of history and intrigue to the hike. It prompted us to ponder the stories and events that had once unfolded in this now-abandoned place. After the hike, a group of 10 participants gathered for dinner at the Riverview restaurant.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants who made this journey memorable. The Asia Practice Committee looks forward to organizing more enriching events that promote the beauty of nature, the spirit of adventure, and the bonds of community. To learn more about the Asia Practice Committee and how you can get more involved, click here.
On August 21, 2023, AsAm News published a piece written by Rachel Phua titled “The Pandemic Emergency May Be Over, But Anti-Asian Hate Is Not.” AABANY was featured in this article, which details the alarming ongoing hate crimes against Asians in America and its effects on Asian-Americans.
The research of Dr. Elaine Chiu, law professor at St. John’s University and past chair of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, was cited to describe the discrepancy between official statistics and AABANY’s statistics regarding anti-Asian hate crimes. The article notes “although official statistics show that anti-Asian hate crime rates have fallen, AABANY found 233 anti-Asian incidents in New York City over the first three quarters of 2021, compared to 118 hate crimes the NYPD reported.”
In response to these persisting crime rates, AABANY has been pushing for hate crime prosecution reforms. The article noted that “AABANY wants the state and city to lower the standards needed to prove a hate crime, partly by changing the phrase ‘in substantial part’ to ‘in part,’ and including all offenses — unless explicitly excluded from the law — as possible acts of hate.” Chris Kwok, co-chair of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, said they are working with state lawmakers to introduce a bill to update the law.
Yang Chen, AABANY’s Executive Director, was quoted in the article stating that “before Covid came, Trump had already reoriented the US-China relationship. Covid set Trump on fire,” and noted lingering concerns over foreign policy rhetoric at the federal level.
On October 17, 2023, the IP Committee and the Labor & Employment Committee together hosted a bowling event at Frames Bowling Lounge in Midtown Manhattan. New and familiar faces gathered to mingle and bowl, alongside classic plates including angus beef sliders, buffalo wings, and perfectly crispy fries. With 4-5 players per lane across three lanes, attendees brought on the competition and the game was on! The spacious two-floor bowling lounge had a liveliness and energy that certainly made the Tuesday evening feel like a Friday, and the food was so good that it had everyone taking the leftovers home in smaller boxes.
We would like to thank all of our attendees for a fun night and Jane Hong (IP Committee vice-chair) and Jennifer Kim (Labor & Employment Committee vice-chair) who took the lead in making this event come to life. We are always looking forward to seeing more faces and welcoming newcomers and members alike. To learn more about the Labor & Employment and IP Committees, please visit this page and this page.
Yesterday [October 4], the United States Senate confirmed Susan Kim DeClercq to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge DeClercq is the first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan.
“NAPABA congratulates Susan DeClercq on her confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a district where nearly half of all AANHPIs in Michigan live,” said Sandra Leung, President of NAPABA. “The first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan, Judge DeClercq is an experienced prosecutor with experience in private practice and corporate law. NAPABA is proud to have supported her nomination to the bench.”
Susan K. DeClercq has been Director and Counsel of Special Investigations at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, since 2022. Judge DeClercq previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Civil Division since March 2014. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in September 2004, Judge DeClercq was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom in Washington, D.C., and she clerked for Judge Avern Cohn on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge DeClercq received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Wayne State University School of Law in 1999 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1995.
“Ms. DeClercq is the 24th Article III judge nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “With each confirmation, President Biden sets a new benchmark for future Presidential administrations.”
NAPABA thanks United States Senators Stabenow and Peters of Michigan for recommending and supporting her nomination.
When it comes to bringing people together for a weekend afternoon of fun, networking, and friendly competition, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) knows how to serve up an ace. On Saturday, October 7, AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice, Young Lawyers, and Immigration Law Committees organized an exciting Ping Pong social event at PingPod on the Lower East Side, and it was an afternoon filled with excitement, camaraderie, and impressive rallies.
Ping Pong enthusiasts from various legal backgrounds gathered at PingPod, each armed with a paddle and ready to showcase their skills. From beginners to seasoned pros, the event welcomed players of all levels. It was a fantastic opportunity for lawyers from both private and public sectors and recent law school graduates to let off some steam and engage in some friendly competition.
Participants also found themselves forging new connections, discussing legal topics, and even making potential career moves between rallies. Ping Pong truly served as the icebreaker, and the event demonstrated how professional connections can be made in the most unexpected settings.
Thank you to everyone for spending their Saturday afternoon with AABANY. Here’s to more exciting events and unforgettable moments brought by AABANY! Special thanks to Yen-Yi Anderson, Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, Ada Wang, Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers Committee, and Susan Song, Co-Chair of the Immigration Law Committee, for their hard work planning and organizing this event.
The Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Commmittee is launching a monthly Bring Your Own Lunch (BYOL) Sidebar Meeting, on Thursdays. The first one was held over Zoom on September 28. The PBCS Committee thanks Trusts & Estates Committee Co-Chairs Pang-Mei (P.M.) Natasha Chang and Yi Stewart for speaking at the inaugural event.
At the clinics, the PBCS Committee has been seeing more and more clients asking questions about estate planning. The attendees had the opportunity to discuss issues generally asked, such as setting up trusts vs. wills, spousal elective share, advanced directives, guardianships, and intestacy vs. probate.
For this area of practice, one should be familiar with the laws under EPTL and SCPA. To learn more about the Trusts & Estates Committee and how you can get more involved, sign up for their upcoming meeting on October 4 here.
The next BYOL Sidebar is on October 12, 2023 at 1pm. Please sign up here.
The next pro bono clinic is on October 14, 2023 from 12:30pm – 3:30pm. Please sign up here to volunteer.
The Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition is an appellate advocacy competition to help law students develop advocacy skills and to foster legal talents of the future. This year, the competition will be a hybrid competition with regional oral arguments occurring virtually and the National Competition in person coinciding with the 2023 NAPABA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 9-10, 2023.
We are seeking judges for the upcoming Regional Rounds, which will take place virtually via Zoom. This year’s problem may be found here.
We are seeking attorneys with a minimum of 5 years of litigation or appellate experience. Please consider judging a few rounds as we are in need of judges to enable us to hold the regional competitions that will allow the winners to advance to the national competition in Indiana.
The regional competitions will be held online via Zoom on Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14. Please sign up for judging at the links below by 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday, October 3:
Everyone is invited to the award reception in Indianapolis on Saturday, November 11, 2023, after the conclusion of the final round of competition. Thank you so much for your support in helping to develop the future generation of lawyers.
