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Hurricane Harvey Relief | Resources for Attorneys

“The real test of legal aid’s capacity will come after the rain stops.”

–The Atlantic

Dear NAPABA Members,

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by the terrible storms and flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana. While we are stunned by the images and stories coming out of the region, we are inspired by the compassion and sense of community on display.

NAPABA and our Texas affiliates, the Austin Asian American Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association of Houston, and the Dallas Asian American Bar Association; the South Asian Bar Association of Houston; and the Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association are working with community leaders to assist with the recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. We recognize that this is a time for the legal community to step up and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our colleagues and communities in the region during the long recovery ahead.

To assist attorneys and community members find resources and information for the Asian Pacific American community, we have established Hurricane Harvey disaster relief toolkit to direct you to information and opportunities to engage with legal services organizations.

We encourage you to direct all requests for assistance to the Texas legal aid organizations via the Texas state disaster relief helpline: 1-800-504-7030.

The State Bar of Texas has established a database for volunteer attorneys who wish to provide services to victims. By special order of the Texas Supreme Court, out-of-state attorneys may practice in Texas if they are volunteering to serve hurricane victims, subject to conditions such as working through a legal aid program. Due to the situation on the ground, out-of-state attorneys are encouraged to sign up to receive information before attempting to travel to the Houston-area. Attorneys in Houston are encouraged to sign-up to volunteer through Houston Volunteer Lawyers.

We expect that there will be a need for bilingual attorneys in many languages, particularly those who speak the following Asian languages: Cambodian, Chinese (multiple dialects needed), Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Vietnamese, and others. We also expect there will be a significant need for volunteers with knowledge of federal benefits, claims, immigration, and/or insurance law.

Due to the nature of the disaster, these communities will need sustained help that last months and years. It is our hope that communities across the region receive the legal assistance they will need and that Asian Pacific American attorneys join those in service. We will continue to monitor the situation and work with local legal organizations to provide you with opportunities to assist the community.

The Hurricane Harvey disaster relief toolkit will be continuously updated with additional resources and projects. If you have additional resources to share, please email Navdeep Singh, policy director, at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Cyndie Chang
NAPABA President

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NAPABA Condemns the President’s Decision to End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program

For Immediate Release
Sept. 5, 2017                                                 

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) condemns President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), a program that protects eligible undocumented youth from deportation and provides them with work permits. Approximately 800,000 individuals, including over 30,000 Asian Pacific Americans, benefitted from the program.

“Ending protections for some of the most vulnerable in the immigrant community is a step back from progress. President Trump’s decision means that hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their families now face an uncertain future,” said NAPABA President Cyndie M. Chang. “DACA protected undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from being suddenly deported from the country in which they grew up, went to school, and now work. There is bipartisan support for the protection of these young individuals.

“The Administration’s decision and their enforcement priorities underscore the need for Congress to enact meaningful immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship,” continued President Chang. “We urge Congress to take a first step and protect these youth by passing the bipartisan DREAM Act, sponsored by Senators Graham and Durbin. We stand with our immigrant communities, and urge our elected officials to do the same.”

The end of DACA will hurt every industry and community. Individuals protected by DACA are an integral part of the America’s present and future. They contribute to the American economy and to our rich and diverse culture. The Cato Institute estimates this decision will cost the United States $60 billion to deport 800,000 students and workers, and result in a loss of $280 billion in economic growth over the next 10 years.

NAPABA stands firmly in support of immigrant communities. Congress must stand with the immigrant community, uphold American values of diversity, acceptance, and inclusion, and work to protect DACA recipients.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or [email protected].

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NAPABA Announces 2017 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award Recipients

For Immediate Release
Aug. 30, 2017

                                                   For More Information, Contact:
                                                   Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
                                                   [email protected], 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected five exceptional attorneys to receive NAPABA’s highest honor — the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of lawyers who have paved the way for the advancement of other Asian Pacific American attorneys. These Trailblazers have demonstrated vision, courage, and tenacity, and made substantial and lasting contributions to the Asian Pacific American legal profession, as well as to the broader Asian Pacific American community.

The 2017 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Awards will be presented on Nov. 3, 2017, at a special ceremony during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., to the following recipients:

  • Honorable Halim Dhanidina
  • Parkin Lee
  • Willard K. Tom
  • Honorable G. Michael Witte
  • Honorable Youlee Yim You

The 2017 Trailblazers class is represented by a diverse and impressive group. Judge Halim Dhanidina began his career as a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for over 14 years, working his way up to the Hardcore Gang and the Major Crimes Divisions. In 2012, Los Angeles Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. appointed Judge Dhanidina to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County — making him the first Muslim American judge in California. Judge Dhanidina was a founding law student member of NAPABA’s Los Angeles affiliate (APABA-LA), and, through his efforts, APABA-LA partnered with SHADES (Stopping Hate & Delinquency by Empowering Students). With SHADES, APABA-LA’s members served as mentors and case proctors for teenage jurors in an innovative “Teen Court” program which provided an alternative to traditional school discipline by educating offenders and helping them to develop stronger empathy toward victims.

While in law school at New York University, Parkin Lee helped pioneer the practice of allowing students of color to review law school applications from, and advocate for, potential students of color, a practice initiated at NYU and subsequently adopted at other law schools, including Harvard. At the time, there were few students of color — including Asian Pacific Americans — in the law school (there were five Asian Pacific American students in total in his class). Currently, 30 percent of the J.D. student body at NYU are students of color; 16 percent of the Fall 2016 class are Asian and South Asian. As senior vice president and chief legal officer of the Rockefeller Group, Mr. Lee is trusted counsel to one of the country’s most recognized names in real estate development and asset management. Previously, he spent 20 years at New York Life Insurance Company where he became one of the highest ranking Asian Pacific American attorneys in the insurance industry in New York. He served for many years as president of the NAPABA Law Foundation where he is currently on the board and is board chair of the Asian American Justice Center.

From representing Vietnam War protesters in the 1970s to his work with the Asian Law Caucus and other West Coast groups defending the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1988, Willard K. Tom’s impressive 38-year legal career, both in private practice and in government, has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the public good as well as to the enforcement and advancement of antitrust and consumer protection law. In 2000, Mr. Tom left his position as deputy director of the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission (the antitrust arm of the FTC) to become a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, but returned to the FTC in 2009 to serve as general counsel, becoming the first Asian American to hold that post. In that position, he took part in the most important FTC matters relating to competition and consumer protection, including three that led to significant FTC victories in the U.S. Supreme Court.

More than thirty years ago, Judge G. Michael Witte became the first Asian Pacific American to be elected a judge in the State of Indiana (1984). Since 2010, Judge Witte has served as the executive director of the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission, one of the most important and visible positions in the Indiana legal community. He also became the first Asian American to serve as chairperson of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Judicial Division in 2010. He received the prestigious Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award (2009) from his local community and was honored by the ABA National Conference of Specialized Court Judges as its National Distinguished Judge of the Year (2008). His 25 year judicial career included service as judge of the Dearborn County Court, Lawrenceburg, Indiana (1985–2000); judge of the Dearborn Superior Court No. 1 (2000–2008); and judge of the Wayne Superior Court No. 1, Richmond, Indiana (2009).

In 2016, Judge Youlee Yim You, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Oregon, was appointed as the first Asian American federal judge in Oregon. Before that, in 2007, the Oregon governor appointed her as the first female Asian American trial judge in the state. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge You’s legal career focused primarily on criminal law. She served as a prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York; a death penalty staff attorney for the federal court in Los Angeles; and as both an assistant attorney general and public defender in Oregon. Throughout her career, she has served on various legal committees and community organizations, and performed volunteer service, including a month at Mother Teresa’s orphanage in India. She received a pro bono service award from the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (now Asian Americans Advancing Justice) in Los Angeles, an Award of Merit from the Multnomah (OR) Bar Association, and will be receiving an award from the Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association in September.

NAPABA congratulates the 2017 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award recipients and thanks them for paving the way for Asian Pacific American attorneys.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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 color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

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2017 ADR Champions

2017 ADR Champions

Congratulations to AABANY member and past AABANY Board Member Theodore Cheng for being named one of National Law Journal’s 2017 ADR Champions.

ADR Champions is a special supplement developed by The National Law Journal. In the second annual issue of this supplement, hundreds of nominations were submitted. After a selection process, 37 people who have achieved remarkable success while pursuing their mission were chosen to be the champions.

Please join us in congratulating Theo on this well-deserved and noteworthy recognition and achievement.

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NAPABA and AAABA Respond to the Pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio

For Immediate Release
Aug. 28, 2017

                                                   For More Information, Contact:
                                                   Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
                                                   [email protected], 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Arizona Asian American Bar Association (AAABA) are disappointed by the pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

“The Constitution affords the President wide latitude in the ability to issue a presidential pardon. While we respect this authority, we are concerned about the message the expedited pardon of former sheriff Joe Arpaio sends to the public in a political way that undermines the rule of law and the judicial system,” said NAPABA President Cyndie M. Chang. “As attorneys, we find it troubling that a law enforcement officer would be pardoned and absolved of responsibility for ignoring a federal court order in a civil rights case. Various organizations, leaders from both parties, and communities of color have expressed shock and concern over the effect of the pardon on the public’s trust in the judiciary and the ability to seek recourse for those whose rights are violated.”

The AAABA board of directors made the following statement: “The Arizona Asian American Bar Association condemns President Trump’s pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. AAABA’s mission is to ‘promote and advocate for justice, equity, equality, inclusion, and opportunity through the Arizona legal profession.’ Accordingly, AAABA is, and has been, against Arpaio’s policies of racial profiling and discrimination, which terrorized the Hispanic and minority communities for many years. Arpaio’s conviction after a five-day trial represented a just result of the systematic violation of civil rights and racial discrimination of the Hispanic and minority communities over many years committed under Arpaio’s guidance and supervision. Arpaio’s conviction finally brought some closure and justice to his victims. The rule of law was upheld, and his conviction clearly demonstrated that no one was above the rule of law. President Trump’s pardon of Arpaio sends the wrong message to minority communities and the rest of the country. By pardoning Arpaio, President Trump has validated and endorsed injustice, discrimination, intolerance, racism, and disregard for the rule of law. This pardon only further divides this country, and is nothing more than a transparent decision to choose politics over justice and the rule of law. AAABA unequivocally condemns the pardon.”

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt by Judge Susan Bolton of the U.S. District Court of Arizona in July. He was found guilty of violating a court order by continuing to engage in illegal racial profiling and targeting of immigrants, stemming from a federal civil rights suit.

NAPABA and AAABA join their fellow national and local bar associations, including the American Bar Association and other diverse bar associations, in expressing disappointment over the pardon. In the current political climate where racial tensions are high in this country, it is important for NAPABA and its members continue to stand for justice, equity, and inclusion to preserve civil rights and to combat anti-immigrant backlash.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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 color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

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ACLU-NJ’s New Executive Director is Amol Sinha, Jersey-Raised Civil Rights Advocate

Sinha, an attorney who directed state campaigns at the Innocence Project
and led NYCLU’s Suffolk County Chapter, will head NJ’s ACLU affiliate

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Contact:
Allison Peltzman, Communications Director, 973-854-1711 (office), 201-253-9403 (cell)
Keerthi Potluri, Communications Strategist, 973-854-1702

The ACLU-NJ today announced that Amol Sinha has been named as executive director. The Jersey City resident, who most recently led state advocacy campaigns to address wrongful convictions nationwide at the Innocence Project, will start on September 1.

He knows exactly what he’ll do in his first 100 days: a lot of listening.

“In the first few months, my plan is to travel across the state, listen to the needs of people here, meet with as many organizations, community groups, and people as possible, and make the ACLU completely accessible,” Sinha said. “I want people across the state to know that we’re here as a partner, to collaborate together to make New Jersey better and more welcoming than it already is.”

For Sinha, who grew up in Lawrenceville, taking the helm is a homecoming, not just to his home state, but to an organization that has always anchored him. Sinha’s first role as a newly minted lawyer – after interning for the national ACLU while a student at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law – was as director of the Suffolk County Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union. He said the job posting had an unforgettably fluid yet empowering description: “Be the face of the NYCLU.”

Approaching the responsibility with great pride, he transformed the Suffolk County Chapter into an advocacy powerhouse, making inroads with unexpected allies like the Suffolk County Police Department and Sheriff’s Office. The chapter, working with partners, convinced Suffolk County to stop honoring Obama-era immigration detainers – although that policy has been rolled back, a reminder that no battle for liberty stays won, no matter the administration. Under Sinha’s leadership, the chapter successfully defeated unconstitutional policing and surveillance schemes and investigated public schools that prohibited immigrant students from enrolling. The ACLU-NJ has done similar investigations of public schools and taken legal action as a result.

“The Board of Trustees is thrilled to welcome Amol Sinha to the ACLU-NJ family as our new Executive Director,” said ACLU-NJ Board President Deb Guston. “We expect Amol will bring both his passion for civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice, and his knowledge as a longtime New Jersey resident, to continue to move the ACLU-NJ forward.”

Sinha takes the helm at a time of significant growth for the ACLU-NJ, which recently added an immigrants’ rights attorney, staff attorney, and several legal fellows. The ACLU-NJ plans to fill the role of public policy director soon after Sinha starts as executive director, and the organization is currently accepting applications. (Read the policy director job posting, as well as other open positions, at www.aclu-nj.org/careers.) This growth coincides with new challenges in today’s social and political climate that call for greater vigilance.

“One quality of the ACLU I most admire is its inexhaustible capacity to remain principled, yet evolve to confront the ever-changing threats to our liberties, as we have seen this year,” Sinha said. “Crucially, the struggles for racial justice and the principles of free speech – both so fundamental to New Jersey communities – can be reconciled, and in this climate, they must. It may be complicated, but the ACLU does not shy away from complexity. We’re in it for the long haul.”

The ACLU-NJ role merges what Sinha described as his two passions: advocating for constitutional rights and New Jersey.

Sinha’s childhood in the Garden State was integral to his passion for civil rights. The son of Indian immigrants who came to America in the early 1970s, Sinha vividly recalls a persistent feeling that he couldn’t quite articulate. He has always been proud of his roots, but as with many first-generation Americans, struggled to find the right balance of identities. While finding comfort in New Jersey’s growing diversity, he witnessed interactions growing up that indicated some people viewed him and his family differently because of their immigrant South Asian roots. Such incidents often rolled off his parents’ backs. But for him, it was an introduction to larger injustices faced by many groups.

“The issues South Asian communities face are emblematic of civil rights issues – immigrants’ rights, racial justice, religious freedom, economic injustice, language access, gender-based discrimination, LGBT issues, and biased policing all impact South Asian communities in significant ways,” Sinha said.

“New Jersey has the largest proportion of South Asian residents of any state, so it’s meaningful for a member of that community to lead our state’s ACLU,” Sinha added. “But, I truly believe in unity and breaking barriers across communities. I want every community and every person in New Jersey to know they can call on the ACLU as a resource.”

Sinha is the first person of color to lead the ACLU-NJ and one of the first South Asian executive directors of an ACLU affiliate. Maya Harris, who led the ACLU of Northern California from 2006 to 2009, was the first person of South Asian descent to lead a state ACLU affiliate.

“Working for the ACLU never actually feels like work,” Sinha said. “It is truly a privilege to defend the rights of the people, and it aligns perfectly with my own principles and moral compass. I’m excited to come back home and have people across the state fall in love with the ACLU, just like I did.”

AABANY congratulates Amol Sinha, SABANY President-Elect, on this new position. We look forward to hearing great things from him as executive director of ACLU-NJ and we are pleased to be working with him as a leader of SABANY, one of our sister bar associations.

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