Author: Carly Hegemier

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Congratulations to AABANY Immediate Past President William Ng on Being Named to the City & State’s 2023 Asian 100 List 

On May 1, City & State published their 2023 list of the Power Asian 100 in New York. As stated in the article: 

City & State’s Power of Diversity: Asian 100 list features these elected officials and also highlights other power brokers who are managing government agencies, running businesses, advocating for policy changes – and ensuring Asian Americans have a voice at the table.

AABANY is pleased to announce that our Immediate Past President William Ng has been named one of City & State’s Power Asian 100 at 56 on the list.

Please join AABANY in congratulating William Ng along with the following attorneys connected to AABANY (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking): 

Sandra Ung, New York City Council Member and Former AABANY Treasurer. (10)

Kevin Kim, Commissioner, New York City Department of Small Business Services. Honored by AABANY with the Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award at the 2022 Fall Conference, and past AABANY Board Officer. (10)

Frank Wu, Queens College’s first President of Asian descent. AABANY honored Frank Wu with the AABANY Impact Award at our 2021 Virtual Gala: Uniting for Justice and Equity. (22)

Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a Sponsor of AABANY for many years. (40)

Asim Rehman, Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge, New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Longtime AABANY Member. (46)

Preet Bharara, Partner, WilmerHale. AABANY honored Preet Bharara, when he was the United States Attorney of the Southern District of New York, at the Annual Dinner in 2015. (48)

Anna Mercado Clark, Partner, Phillips Lytle. Previously served as the Development Director of AABANY during FY2023 and currently President-elect of NAPABA. (78)

Tai Park, Partner, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a long-time sponsor of AABANY. (91)

Vincent Chang, Partner, Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch. First Asian American President of the New York County Lawyers Association and past AABANY President 2007. (96)

AABANY congratulates all the accomplished individuals who appear in City & State’s 2023 Power Asian 100 List. 

To read the full article, please click here. 

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Loren L. AliKhan and Susan K. DeClercq to the U.S. District Court 


For Immediate Release: 
Date: May 3, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden nominated Judge Loren L. AliKhan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and Susan K. DeClercq to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. If confirmed, Judge AliKhan would be the first South Asian woman to serve on U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the only active AAPI woman judge on that court. Ms. DeClercq would be the first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge AliKhan and Susan DeClercq on their nominations,” said Sandra Leung, president of NAPABA. “Judge AliKhan is a highly respected jurist with exceptional service to the citizens of Washington DC. Ms. DeClercq is an experienced prosecutor with experience in both private practice and corporate law. We applaud President Biden for nominating this slate of highly qualified AAPI nominees. We urge the Senate to confirm them swiftly.”

President Biden nominated Judge AliKhan to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on September 21, 2021, and the U.S. Senate confirmed her with bi-partisan support on February 22, 2022. Upon her confirmation, Judge AliKhan was the first AAPI judge to sit on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Before her confirmation, she served as the Solicitor General of the District of Columbia, where she directed the District’s appellate litigation and has overseen more than 1,800 appeals before the D.C. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge AliKhan has the support of NAPABA’s affiliate, the  Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington DC Region. She has been recognized with the Public Sector Trailblazer Award by the South Asian Bar Association of Washington D.C. and previously clerked for the Hon. Thomas L. Ambro on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Hon. Louis Pollack on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. AliKhan is a graduate of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and the Georgetown University Law Center.

Susan K. DeClercq has been Director and Counsel of Special Investigations at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan since 2022. Ms. 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, Ms. 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. Ms. 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.

NAPABA thanks Senators Stabenow and Peters of Michigan and Delegate Norton of Washington, D.C., for recommending and supporting these nominees.

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Student Outreach Committee and Corporate Law Committee Co-host Program on “What Do Corporate Lawyers Do?”

On March 31, 2023, the Student Outreach and Corporate Law Committees presented the panel: “What Do Corporate Lawyers Do?” at Orrick’s New York office. Moderators Long Dang (litigation associate at Cleary) and Jay Hawlader (law student at Brooklyn Law School) spoke to corporate attorneys Alice Hsu (Capital Markets partner at Orrick), Chris Min (Finance partner at Orrick), Cherry Liu (M&A/PE associate at Paul, Weiss), and Ashley Wong (M&A/PE and Capital Markets associate at Sidley). 

In a relaxed setting with pizza and soft drinks, students listened to Alice and Chris speak about building relationships with clients, managing associates, and how they succeeded in becoming partner at their firm. Cherry and Ashley gave advice on how law students should judiciously select practical law classes, how they can ace the law firm interview process, and how to be resourceful, self-starting junior associates.

The panelists also shared what drew them into their respective fields. Ashley, for example, was inspired by purchasing Teavana tea from a Starbucks menu and was then intrigued by high-level transactions that affected consumers. Chris was drawn into her group because she enjoyed the personalities and the work combination.

Students on Zoom and in person listened closely as Alice described her day in a life as a partner and when Cherry gave advice on interviewing with law firms. The event concluded with Q&A and light mingling among the panelists and students.

Thanks to the Student Outreach Committee and Corporate Law Committee for organizing this helpful and informative program, and thanks to all the speakers for sharing their knowledge and insights.

Join the Student Outreach Committee  and Tax Committee for “What Do Tax Lawyers Do?” on April 26. For more details and to register, go here.

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NAPABA | Written Testimony for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 13, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Last week, NAPABA submitted written testimony for inclusion in the record before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) in response to its briefing and inquiry on the Federal Government’s Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the United States. As a bar association, NAPABA recognizes that serving the immediate legal needs of hate crimes and hate incident victims addresses only one critical aspect of the problem and that our community cannot prosecute or litigate our way out of this latest wave of anti-Asian hate.

NAPABA’s testimony advocates for a multi-modal response, and has called for legislation to: 1) strengthen law enforcement’s ability to identify, document, and respond to hate crimes, including by fully implementing provisions of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act; 2) address the mental health crisis that has accompanied the surge in anti-Asian hate with culturally and linguistically appropriate resources; and 3) increase educational resources to combat harmful stereotypes in order to address root causes of anti-Asian sentiment.

Over three decades ago, in a report entitled, “Civil Rights Issues Facing Asian Americans in the 1990s,” the USCCR identified a range of contributory factors underlying anti-Asian bias, including: 1) the model minority myth that Asian Americans are successful and do not suffer the discrimination or disadvantages associated with other minority groups; 2) perpetual foreigner syndrome where Asian Americans—even those born and raised in the United States are viewed as non-Americans and foreign; 3) stereotyping Asian Americans as meek and lacking in communications skills; and 4) limited English proficiency (LEP) within the Asian American population. More than 30 years later, these factors continue to persist and several have been cited by NAPABA in its groundbreaking Portrait Project reports as leading barriers to advancement by APA attorneys in the legal profession. 

Given how little has changed just in the past 30 years, it is clear that for generations of AAPIs, these barriers are engrained and systemic and only a holistic, multi-pronged approach that includes raising visibility and belonging through education, providing culturally appropriate mental health resources, and increasing language access, in addition to supporting law enforcement, can address anti-Asian sentiment.  

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Rahat N. Babar Appointed as NAPABA’s Deputy Executive Director for Policy 


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 10, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named Rahat N. Babar as its new Deputy Executive Director for Policy. In this role, Rahat will lead strategies and programs that will advance NAPABA’s advocacy, civil rights, and policy priorities.

Rahat brings to the position a long-standing commitment to NAPABA and the Asian American and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander community, and nearly two decades of high-profile public service. Rahat is a former member of NAPABA’s Board of Governors and a former chair of NAPABA’s Civil Rights Committee. He previously served as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and served on the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey. NAPABA recognized Rahat as one of NAPABA’s Best Under 40 in 2018.

Currently, Rahat serves as a Judge on the Superior Court of New Jersey, the first Bangladeshi American to be a member of the court. Immediately prior to his appointment, Rahat was Special Counsel to Governor Philip D. Murphy, overseeing all high-profile litigation impacting the Governor and the Administration. Previously, he was the Director of Community Engagement at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, where as part of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal’s Executive Leadership Team, he led the Attorney General’s efforts to strengthen the office’s relationships with community leaders, faith leaders, and the public. Rahat held several other leadership roles within the Attorney General’s Office, practiced in a boutique corporate law firm, and taught law and public policy at Temple University Beasley School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. 

 “We are so fortunate to have such a legal luminary and NAPABA stalwart lead our policy efforts,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “Rahat is a proven bar leader and policy expert who is uniquely situated to help ensure that our national advocacy vision and civil rights priorities can be carried out across the country by harnessing the passion and collaboration of our members and affiliate bar organizations.” 

Rahat will begin his new role with NAPABA in May 2023. 

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Register for NAPABA’s APAHM Congressional Reception

You are cordially invited to NAPABA’s APAHM Congressional Reception

May 22 | 6 – 8 pm ET

In conjunction with NAPABA’s 12th annual Lobby Day and in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), you are invited to join us on May 22 in Washington, DC for our Congressional Reception. 

The reception will bring together NAPABA members, Lobby Day participants, members of Congress and their staff, and leaders in the AAPI community from across the country. 

What: NAPABA Asian Pacific American Heritage Congressional Reception
Where: Kennedy Caucus Room (SR-325), Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC
When: Monday, May 22, 6-8pm ET

This is a widely attended event and open to the public. An RSVP is required. The last day to send your RSVP is Friday, May 12!

RSVP to this event here.

Learn more about Lobby Day and bookmark the page for the latest information.

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United States District Court Eastern District of New York Announces One Full-Time Federal Magistrate Judge Vacancy

April 4, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge Margo K. Brodie announced today that the Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York have appointed a Merit Selection Panel composed of attorneys and residents of the district (see Administrative Order No. 2023-12 on the Court’s website). The Panel will consider candidates for an anticipated United States Magistrate Judge vacancy in Brooklyn, New York, for an eight (8)-year term. The vacancy will be created by the anticipated elevation of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes to United States District Judge.

All applications for the magistrate judge vacancy must be received by May 5, 2023. The application form can be accessed online at the district’s website. Application forms also may be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the Public Announcements. Please see the public notices below for instructions on how to submit applications for the magistrate judge vacancy.

Within ninety (90) days from its appointment on April 4, 2023, the Panel must report to the Court its recommended slate of candidates for consideration for the Magistrate Judge vacancy.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ONE FULL-TIME FEDERAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE VACANCY

There is one (1) anticipated full-time United States Magistrate Judge vacancy at the Brooklyn Courthouse of the Eastern District of New York at 225 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York. The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging, and will include: (1) conduct of preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court; (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and (5) assignment of additional duties not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636. To be qualified for appointment, an applicant must: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least five years; (b) have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (with some substitutions authorized); (c) be competent to perform all the duties of the office, of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature, committed to equal justice under the law, in good health, patient and courteous, and capable of deliberation and decisiveness; (d) be less than 70 years old; and (e) not be related to a judge of the district court. An applicant should have federal court experience and be knowledgeable in federal civil and criminal practices and procedures.

A Merit Selection Panel (appointed by Administrative Order 2023-12) composed of attorneys and residents of the district will review all applications and recommend in confidence to the judges of the district court the five persons whom it considers best qualified for the vacancy. The Court will make the appointment following FBI and IRS investigations of the appointee. An affirmative effort will be made to give due consideration to all qualified candidates, including women and members of minority groups. The salary of the position is, as of this notice, $213,992 per annum. The term of office is eight years.

Please note that the application form can be accessed online at the district’s website. Application forms also may be obtained from the Clerk of Court at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Applications must be personally prepared by potential nominees and must be received no later than May 5, 2023. Applications should be submitted as one PDF file, by email, to NYED [email protected]. Instructions are available on the court’s website.

THE DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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Save the Date for the In-House Counsel Summit & Partners Summit  

August 10-11 | New York, NY

Mark your calendars and save the date for NAPABA’s 2023 In-House Counsel (IHC) Summit, August 10-11, taking place in New York. We are proud to announce that hosted in conjunction with the IHC Summit is the inaugural Partners Summit. These two distinct gatherings will bring together senior Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) attorneys who seek to advance and influence the profession. Space is limited for each program; applications will open mid-April. 

In-House Counsel Summit 
The IHC Summit is a career and skills development program designed to help current and former public company senior and experienced in-house attorneys make the jump into the C-Suite, with a focus on diversifying the legal leadership of Fortune 1000 companies. Drawing on the collective experience of senior leaders in the AAPI community, participants will receive tailored guidance and training necessary to successfully climb up, and thrive on top of, the corporate ladder.

The focus during the 2023 IHC Summit is to bolster efforts to reach the 50×25 Initiative (of at least 50 General Counsels in Fortune 1000 companies by 2025). Participants will be exposed to experienced and established faculty, including current and former General Counsels, C-Suite Executives, and senior professionals from search firms. Through a series of panels and support that offer practical learnings including soft skills, participants will learn how to get a seat at the Fortune 1000 table and thrive as a legal leader once they get there. For eligibility requirements, learn more here.

Partners Summit 
The Partners Summit is an interactive program designed to deepen relationships and bolster the collective impact of AAPI law firm partners. Participants will collaborate on issues facing AAPI partners, strategies to successfully lead and progress within law firms, and how to forge meaningful connections with the next generation of AAPI partners. While hosted in conjunction with the In-House Summit, this program provides law firm partners an opportunity to expand their network and demonstrate support for current and former public company senior and experienced in-house AAPI attorneys who seek to elevate into general counsel positions at Fortune 1000 companies. 

During the 2023 Partners Summit, NAPABA and law firm leaders will facilitate collaborative conversations providing participants key insights and strategies on business development, origination credit, and advancement and mentorship. For eligibility requirements, learn more here.

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Congratulations to AABANY President William Ng on Being Named to the City & State 2023 Law Power 100 List

On March 20, City & State published their 2023 list of the Law Power 100 in New York. As stated in the article: 

City & State’s Law Power 100 recognizes the most influential legal professionals in the world of New York politics and government. The list features high-profile elected officials, powerful prosecutors, high-ranking appointees, partners at prominent firms, defense attorneys, public defenders, legal scholars and others in the profession who advise or oversee governmental bodies, advocate for policy changes or argue cases before our highest courts. 

AABANY is pleased to announce that President William Ng has been named one of City & State’s Law Power 100 at 96 on the list. (At the time of publication, William Ng was AABANY President. His term ended on March 31, and he currently sits on the Board as Immediate Past President.)

Please join AABANY in congratulating William Ng along with attorneys from the following affinity bar associations that were featured in the 2023 Law Power 100 List (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking):

·      Carl Forbes Jr., President, Metropolitan Black Bar Association (93)

·      Deborah Rosenthal, President, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (95)

·      Anthony Perrotto, Board President, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York (97)

·      Megha Jain, President, South Asian Bar Association of New York (99)

·      Lejla Hadzic, President, Muslim Bar Association of New York (100)

We also congratulate the attorneys from the following AABANY sponsors (2022-23) for being featured on the 2023 Law Power 100 List (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking): 

·      Barry Berke, Jeffrey Braun & Gary Naftalis, Partner; Counsel; Partner, Kramer Levin– Platinum Sponsor (13)

·      Jonathan Lippman, Of Counsel, Latham & Watkins– Silver Sponsor (17)

·      Brad Karp & Jeh Johnson, Chair; Partner, Paul Weiss– Platinum Sponsor (29)

·       Neil Barr, Chair and Managing Partner, Davis Polk– Platinum Sponsor (34)

·      Jon Mechanic, Melanie Meyers & David Karnovsky, Partners, Fried Frank– Silver Sponsor (35)

·      Boyd Johnson & Preet Bharara, Partner-in-Charge, New York Office; Partner, WilmerHale– Silver Sponsor (37)

·      Neil Rock, Partner, Skadden– Silver Sponsor (39)

·      Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore– Gold Sponsor (42)

·      Michael Cardozo & Paul Salvatore, Retired Partner; Partner, Proskauer Rose– Silver Sponsor (44)

·      David Boies, Chair and Managing Partner, Boies Schiller Flexner– Bronze Sponsor (49)

·      Kevin M. Hogan, Managing Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP– Silver Sponsor (67)

·      Glen G. McGorty, New York Managing Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP– Silver Sponsor (81)

Congratulations to our sister affinity bar associations and our 2022-23 sponsors and to everyone who made the 2023 Law Power List 100. For the full list, click here.