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Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition 2011

Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition 2011

The Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition is a unique way of gaining experience in appellate advocacy for law students. Each year, the problem features a topic of interest to the Asian Pacific American community. Teams of two, preferably from the same law school and having completed their first year of law school, write an appellate brief and argue both sides of the issue. You do not have to be a member of your school’s Moot Court Honor Society or be Asian Pacific American – all upperclass law students are welcome to participate.

The Northeast Regional competition will be in Philadelphia, PA on October 21-22. The top two or three teams will advance to the National competition in Atlanta, GA on November 18-19.

In addition to the honor of participating in a very competitive competition, the winners of the National Competition receive a share of $10,000 in scholarship money provided by the NAPABA Law Foundation.

The registration deadline is September 23, 2011, but law students should sign up now to maximize the amount of time available to work on the problem.  Visit the NAPABA Thomas Tang website here.

AABANY, as the New York regional affiliate of NAPABA, supports the competition by coaching and mooting teams in the New York area and by providing judges for the Northeast Regional and the nationals. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like assistance in preparing for the competition or if you can help out our law students. CLE credits are available for attorneys judging the competition.

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So, What Now?: Perspective from a Recent Law Graduate

It’s been two and a half weeks since I sat for the New York bar exam.  Everyone says that the bar exam is the most terrifying moment of a young lawyer-to-be’s life, and I have to agree.  The bar exam took over my life.  For two and a half months, I couldn’t help but constantly repeat black letter law in my head over and over again. 

For some recent law graduates in my position—that is, recent graduates without a job—the bar exam was not only terrifying because it could make or break our career, but also because it was the end of certainty.  For the past three years, law school pampered us:  we knew exactly what our next step was going to be, whether it was a new semester of classes or some form of summer internship.  Even after graduation, the bar exam was an excuse to postpone determining the next step in our lives.

But now that the bar exam is over, it was time to face reality.  In this economy, many recent law graduates, and even current law students, feel the pressure of taking any job that they can get.  Instead of focusing on their lifetime goals, the economy pressures them to take the first job offer that comes their way. 

I felt that same pressure.  During my second-year of law school, I was fortunate enough to get a summer associate position at a reputable law firm in Virginia.  The firm was great, the attorneys served as wonderful mentors, and the experience was amazing.   At the end of my internship, the firm had offered me a full-time position—something that I was extremely fortunate to get.

But whether to accept the offer was probably one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make.  I felt a lot of pressure from my colleagues and my school’s career services to take the offer.  While, on the one hand, I recognized that taking the firm job in Virginia would probably be a good decision in the short-term, on the other hand, I knew that I wouldn’t be happy in the long-run.   I always knew that I wanted to end up in NYC, especially after having interned there during the summer of my first-year of law school.  After thinking long and hard about what I wanted in my legal career and where I wanted to practice, I turned down the offer.

Admittedly, it has not been easy to look for a job in this economy, but I don’t regret my decision.  I have seen so many of my classmates get lost in what they are “supposed” to do that they often forget what they want to do.  I think, if some of them were to pause and take a step back, they would realize that this is just one bump in the road.  After all, many of us will be practicing law for at least thirty years, and this economic downturn will prove to be just a small blip in our long career.  

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NYCLA Task Force Reports on Judicial Budget Cuts

The New York County Lawyers’ Association and its Task Force on Judicial Budget Cuts has issued its Preliminary Report on the Effect of Judicial Budget Cuts on New York State Courts.  Read the press release here and the report here.  A similar report on the Federal courts in New York will be coming out shortly.

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Mentors Needed for AABANY Mentorship Program

August 15 is the deadline for applications to the AABANY Mentorship Program.  We have received a large number of responses from mentees.  Thanks to all who registered.  We would like as much as possible to match one mentor to one mentee and to that end, we are putting out a call to mentors.  Thanks to the mentors who have already signed up.  We need more to apply, so if you have not yet done so, please do so before the Fall Conference on September 17.  If you have done so, please encourage others to apply.

As of 11:59 pm on Monday, August 15, we will be closing the applications from mentees while leaving the form open to mentors.  The final deadline will be September 17, at which time we plan to introduce the mentors and mentees to each other during the cocktail reception at the conclusion of the Fall Conference.

If you have any questions about the Mentorship Program please contact Julie Kwon, the Program’s Coordinator.

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“The Learning” Coming to POV

AABANY was one of the Community Partners for the screening of the documentary “The Learning” at the Asian American International Film Festival, now in its 34th year.  The seemingly endless rain did not dissuade the hearty souls who came out on a damp Sunday afternoon to see the film, showing at the Clearview Chelsea Cinema on West 23rd Street.

The film chronicles a year in the lives of four Filipino women who are recruited to teach in the schools of Inner City Baltimore.  They leave behind their entire families, friends and loved ones to pursue opportunities that are open to them in America, enduring the challenges of a different place and culture, and reaping the benefits and consequences of their choices.  The film is at once sad and funny, disturbing and enlightening. The film succeeds in drawing the viewer into the lives of each of the teachers and revealing the stark contrast of their lives here and back home in the Philippines.

If you missed the screening, make sure to catch it on POV on PBS, on September 20.  Check your local listings.

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Grads Sue New York Law School and Cooley Law, Saying They Inflated Job and Salary Stats – News – ABA Journal

Grads Sue New York Law School and Cooley Law, Saying They Inflated Job and Salary Stats – News – ABA Journal

The ABA Journal, Aug. 10, reports:

Graduates of New York Law School and Cooley Law School, respectively, filed lawsuits against their alma maters claiming that the schools were deceitful in the reporting of their graduate employment statistics. Plaintiffs in both the suit against Cooley (PDF) and the suit against New York Law School (PDF) are represented by the New York City-based Kurzon Strauss law firm. Cooley filed a lawsuit (PDF) against Kurzon Strauss last month in response to solicitations the firms posted on Craigslist and JD Underground that included a draft of a purported class action complaint contending that Cooley incorrectly reported its graduates’ job placements. David Anziska told the ABA Journal at the time that the firm intended to countersue Cooley as well as the school’s lawyers at Miller Canfield. Cooley filed a separate lawsuit (PDF)…

The full text of the article appears in the link in the title. 

Do these lawsuits have any merit?  Even so, should a court of law be the place to bring about change in the way law schools disclose post-graduation employment statistics and other information?  Thoughts? Comments?

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“The Learning” at AAIFF

“The Learning” at AAIFF

AABANY is co-sponsoring the film “The Learning” at the New York Asian American International Film Festival this Sunday. Four Filipina schoolteachers receive the ultimate culture shock by being dropped into Baltimore public schools. Use discount code “iloveaaiff” when ordering tickets online.

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WSJ Article entitled “Cut the Law Firms, Keep the Lawyers”

WSJ Article entitled “Cut the Law Firms, Keep the Lawyers”

Companies used to depend on elite law firms to train new lawyers they could bring in-house years down the road.

Now, some are just doing it themselves, hiring directly from law-school campuses rather than recruiting lawyers who had previously spent a few years at a major firm. These companies are growing weary of paying high hourly rates for inexperienced law-firm associates.

Hewlett-Packard Co. was one of the first known companies to bypass law firms in recruiting new lawyers.

“I think it’s the wave of the future,” said Michael Holston, H-P’s general counsel.

The full text of the article appears in the link in the title.

Will this be the new trend for companies to hire entry-level attorneys? Thoughts? Comments?

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Ascend National Convention in New York City: 8/27-29

Ascend National Convention in New York City: 8/27-29

Ascend logo

Ascend is the premier non-profit professional association dedicated to enabling its members, corporate partners and the community to realizing the leadership potential of Pan-Asians in global corporations.

Ascend has 5,000+ members with 37 professional and student chapters located in major business hubs and campuses. Ascend membership is open to individuals of all ethnicities and business backgrounds.

The theme of the convention is “Competing in a Borderless World."  It takes place at the New York Hilton.  Although the organization and event seem to be geared towards APAs in the corporate sector, "aspiring professionals, managers and executives, at all levels, in any industry” are encouraged to attend.  For lawyers to network with other professionals is not a bad idea.  A Corporate and Career Fair takes place all day on Monday.  It might be worth checking out.