AABANY congratulates the AABANY members who have been named Super Lawyers in the New York Metro 2020 edition. Super Lawyers are selected through a rigorous selection process that includes being nominated by their peers, evaluated by third-party research in 12 key categories, and reviewed by a Blue Ribbon Panel of attorneys. Five percent of attorneys are named Super Lawyers.
Please join us in congratulating the following AABANY members on their achievements:
Eugene L. Chang, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Vincent T. Chang, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch LLP, Former AABANY President 2007
Loyti Cheng, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Kenneth Chin, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
John Ho, Cozen O’Connor P.C., Co-Chair of AABANY’s Labor & Employment Committee
Annie Huang, Robins Kaplan LLP
Glenn Lau-Kee, Lau-Kee Law Group PLLC, Former AABANY President 1997-98, First APA President of the New York State Bar Association
“Stronger Together: APA Women in the Legal Profession – Strategies to Support, Lead, and Advance” was one of the many panels presented at AABANY’s Fall Conference this year. Held on Saturday, September 26 from 10:45 am to 12:15 pm, the panelists consisted of:
Moderators:
Connie Montoya, Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson
Sandra Yamate, CEO, Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession
Speakers:
Anna Mercado Clark, Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
Judy Lam, Partner, Maynard Cooper & Gale
Honorable Grace E. Lee, Administrative Law Judge, State of New York
Sandra Leung, General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
Sapna Palla, Partner, Wiggin and Dana
The panel was not recorded to create a safe environment for panelists as well as listeners so that there could be a candid conversation about race and the experiences APA women have had to face throughout their legal careers.
The panel started off with discussing the challenges and barriers of being an APA woman in the legal profession. Shared experiences among the panelists were that they were often overlooked in the courtroom, being perceived and mistaken as the court interpreter or court reporter rather than as the lawyer or judge. Even when they were correctly perceived as the lawyer, the panelists were still treated differently compared to their white male counterparts. In response to these challenges, the panelists discussed how it was okay to feel uncomfortable about these topics and it is important to focus on the microaggressions. If people are more vocal about the uncomfortable situations and share their experiences with the community, it creates a greater ability to mobilize and create change.
The panelists stressed the importance of seeing more APA women in higher positions and one way of achieving that is through having role models and mentors for rising APA lawyers. Current AABANY President, Sapna Palla, highlighted the AABANY Leadership Development Program which has been successful in teaching participants the skills to advance into executive positions, and she hopes to see more programs that do the same.
The panel ended with each panelist going over one action item they were willing to commit to within the next year that will help support and advance APA women in the legal profession. The general consensus among the panelists was to start a mentoring circle. Not only do the panelists want to be an available resource for people who come up to them and have questions, but also they want to be active in following up with mentees and seeking feedback from them.
The panelists also vow to use their positions as a platform to continue this dialogue. Advancing APA women in the legal profession is an ongoing conversation and hopefully, listeners of the panel are inspired to continue the dialogue with their friends, peers, and colleagues.
Thank you to the panelists, Anna Mercado Clark, Judy Lam, Honorable Grace E. Lee, Sandra Leung, and Sapna Palla, and moderators, Connie Montoya and Sandra Yamate for sharing their experiences and leading an important discussion about supporting APA women in the legal profession.
SupChina’s Serica Initiative is hosting a free webinar and film screening on December 1st, 2020 with makers of the documentary Finding Ying Ying. The film is about a Chinese graduate student that disappeared in 2017 and her family’s attempt to find her.
On Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, SupChina will first host a webinar at 12:00 p.m. EST with two people involved in the film on their own personal experience of being a Chinese student in America and how that encouraged them to make the film.
Then later that day at 7:00 p.m. EST SupChina will host a film screening of the documentary followed by a round table discussion with the filmmakers moderated by Amy Chua.
On Thursday, November 12, 2020, AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee (“SOC”) together with NYU APALSA as co-sponsor were thrilled to host over 110 attendees in its annual resume review workshop on the virtual platform, Remo. The event was particularly exciting this year because we invited APALSAs locally and outside of New York. We were pleased to see students join us from different states representing fifteen APALSAs who got to meet numerous attorneys in diverse sectors ranging from law firms to General Counsels of public companies.
Before the date of the workshop, Blair Hu and Jeong Hyun Hwang from NYU APALSA helped us pair the students and attorneys according to their shared interests in practice areas, school, time availabilities, etc. Once the student-attorney pairing information was sent to all the participants, the students sent in their resumes and connected via email in advance. This preparation contributed to the smooth and timely transition into the start of the event.
At the beginning of the workshop, students waited in a virtual assembly room where they had the opportunity to join different tables and network while waiting for their turn. Each student met with their paired resume reviewers for a one-on-one 20-minute session and received personal feedback on their resumes and career paths. One of the students, Ashley Wong, a 3L from Boston University School of Law, commented that she loved the waiting room feature for the students and that her paired attorney was able to review her resume prior to the event. Ashley commented: “I loved the event and found it super useful.” Despite the initial technical difficulties with Remo, the platform created a unique space for students and attorneys to meet, network, and potentially create meaningful relationships in the community. Based on the feedback that we received from the students and attorneys, we are delighted to know that folks found our event to be useful and had a great time meeting their partners.
We hope everyone enjoyed themselves that night and continue to nurture the connections that they have made. Thank you to the students for joining us, the attorneys who graciously donated their time, and everyone who helped make this event a success. We hope everyone continues to stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in our future programming!
The next President of the United States will need to appoint talented and dedicated individuals to high-visibility jobs, including Cabinet and sub-Cabinet positions, as well as mid- and entry-level positions. Although the selection of individuals for career positions and appointments for non-career positions is an ongoing process that will continue year-round, the elections mark a special point at which opportunities may become available and when individuals may become particularly motivated to seek positions in government.
NAPABA is committed to supporting its members who are interested in seeking appointments in the next presidential administration and to ensuring that individuals from diverse background are considered and appointed to positions at all levels of government.
The NAPABA Judicial and Executive Appointments Project is accepting applicants to recommend to presidential administrations for: 1) Article III Judicial Appointments and DC (state) Courts; 2) Executive Branch Appointments: Senate Confirmed (PAS) and Non-Senate Confirmed Presidential Appointments; and 3) Boards and Commissions.
Please note there are some offices that are bi-partisan that will require the applicant to be a registered Democrat, Republican, or Independent, e.g. U.S. Court of International Trade, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, etc.
On November 20, 2020, 16 participants attended our Weekly Mixer on Remo. This week we celebrated the birthday of Board Member Francis Chin, Director of Technology! His friends dropped in to wish him a happy birthday from California, Kansas, and Japan! His birthday wish is to eat at a buffet safely, without COVID restrictions. We played “Happy Birthday” for him throughout the night. Participants stayed until 8:45pm.
The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars, ballparks, stadiums, operas, etc, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but many often stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups.
Membership Committee will continue to host weekly virtual mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person.
We are giving away door prizes at some of the mixers. In order to win, you must be a member and must RSVP on the aabany.org calendar entry to get a raffle number. Non-members can join the mixer but won’t be eligible to win a prize.
On November 13, 2020, the Membership Committee hosted their weekly virtual Membership Mixer, with 17 participants in attendance. This week AABANY had the honor of having Naf Kwun, Partner at Lee Anav Chung White Kim Ruger & Richter LLP and AABANY Board Member, as our guest speaker.
Guest Speaker Naf Kwun
The icebreaker question posed to the group was: “What would you have done differently if you knew everything you knew about COVID before the lockdown?” Participants gave varied responses, such as invest in Pfizer, Zoom, and Amazon stocks; take a trip; clean their offices; buy more PPE.
Naf shared her path to success in the legal profession, starting with her attending AABANY’s second Fall Conference, in 2011, which led her to getting actively involved with AABANY’s quarterly newsletter, The Advocate, which then led to her becoming active on various AABANY Committees, including serving as a Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee. Naf also joined the Board and served as an Office and Director, including a highly productive tenure as Co-Vice President of Programs and Operations. Even as she was busy with AABANY, Naf got her legal career on track, first as a clerk to Criminal Court Justice Patricia DiMango, and then as an Associate at Lee Anav, where she rose to Partner after a few years. Naf also serves on the Board of AABANY’s 501(c)(3) affiliate, the Asian American Law Fund of New York. This year, Naf received recognition as one of NAPABA’s Best Under 40. Congratulations to Naf on this well-deserved honor and recognition, and thanks to Naf for sharing her inspiring journey with our members at our Weekly Mixer!
The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars, ballparks, stadiums, operas, etc, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but many often stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups. Membership Committee will continue to host weekly virtual mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person.
We are giving away door prizes in some weeks. In order to win, you must be a member and must RSVP on the aabany.org calendar entry to get a raffle number. Non-members can join the mixer but won’t be eligible to win a prize.
Congratulations to Henry Man, for winning the weekly prize!
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates Littler Mendelson P.C. (Littler) on receiving the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s (NAPABA’s) 2020 Law Firm Diversity Award. Littler is the world’s largest employment and labor law firm with over 1,500 attorneys in 95 offices globally and AABANY is honored to have the support of Littler as a Silver Sponsor.
The NAPABA Law Firm Diversity Award honors law firms that actively and consistently recruit, retain, and promote Asian Pacific American (APA) lawyers to equity partnership and firm leadership. It also celebrates law firms’ successes in their support for APA lawyers. Through its many initiatives, Littler is creating a welcoming environment for its employees, accepting of different backgrounds, and is continuing to look for ways to become a more diverse and inclusive employer.
Eddie Chyun and William Ng — shareholders in the Cleveland, Ohio and Long Island, New York offices, respectively — both emphasized their membership in Littler’s ‘Ohana affinity group ‘Ohana, when asked about their experiences as an APA lawyer at the firm. Within the first few weeks after being hired, Eddie and Will each were approached through email or word-of-mouth about joining ‘Ohana, the affinity group for Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, North African, and Pacific Islander-American attorneys. The invitation left a memorable impression on them both as it helped ease Eddie and Will’s transition into the law firm by quickly welcoming them into the APA community within Littler. Being a part of ‘Ohana allows them to know APA lawyers across all of Littler’s offices. Affinity groups meet in-person every other year to discuss diversity and inclusion, work on professional development skills such as practicing elevator pitches, and collaborate on coming up with new initiatives relating to retention and advancement, associate development, etc. that can help APA lawyers’ success in the office. Throughout the year, they participate in social gatherings, quarterly calls, and other events which provide members with support and networking opportunities at the firm.
‘Ohana group photo from their last retreat in Miami
Eddie also serves as co-chair of Littler’s 20-person Diversity & Inclusion Council (D&IC), which includes four APA attorneys among its diverse members. The D&IC focuses on increasing the hiring of individuals from diverse backgrounds and increasing professional opportunities for diverse employees like mentorships and leadership opportunities. Littler’s programs include the Career Advocacy Program (CAP) and Investment for Success, which support and promote diverse attorneys in the firm, including APA lawyers, to leadership positions.
Littler’s award-winning CAP selects higher-level, high-performing associates (Protégés) who identify as diverse and pairs them with the firm’s most influential leaders (Advocates) and client (Champions) who encourage their career growth. From 2015 to 2020, Protégés represented on average 28% and up to 40% of the firm’s new shareholder class. Twenty-four former Protégés, including eight APA attorneys, have been elevated to shareholder and continue to participate in the program. Currently, 11 of the 31 Protégés in CAP are APA attorneys. The Investment for Success Program pairs recently hired diverse attorneys with a shareholder to help them better integrate into the firm, as the transition in the first few weeks is critical for an attorney’s success in the firm. There are currently 30 diverse associates, including seven APA attorneys, participating in the program. Eddie and Will pointed out the importance of these programs because APA lawyers tend to face barriers with advancement in their positions such as a lack of access to mentors, and with these programs, APA attorneys are able to be mentored by a senior attorney, who ensures that they receive the proper mix of work and opportunities to succeed at the law firm.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Littler continues to create a diverse and inclusive environment through holding their mentorship programs and affinity group meetings virtually.
Littler’s creation of the Career Advocacy Program and the Investment for Success program have promoted and continues to promote APA lawyers to leadership positions within the firm, and the ‘Ohana affinity group continues to provide a supportive community among the firm’s APA lawyers. Littler will be honored at a reception for award recipients held in December 2020.
Please join AABANY in congratulating Littler on receiving the Law Firm Diversity Award.
Harris is the first Black, Asian American and Female to be elected to the Executive Office
WASHINGTON — Today, American voters elected Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris as 49th Vice President. The Biden|Harris presidential ticket included Harris as the first woman of color to be nominated and elected on a presidential ticket for a major party. Vice President-elect Harris will be the highest ranking Asian and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) ever in line for presidential succession.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is a non-partisan organization comprised of lawyers and leaders in both major political parties. As an organization, NAPABA has worked diligently with presidents, administrations and congressional members of both parties, on behalf of millions of AAPIs nationwide.
Amid a global pandemic and a contentious election, our nation has been tested. As members of the legal profession, we have a special responsibility to ensure the continuity of our best legal traditions, and to defend and uphold our commitments to justice, fairness, equity and the Rule of Law under our Constitution. We must work together to unite our membership and our nation to find common ground for a better path forward. NAPABA embraces the solidarity and strength of our robust and diverse community and is committed to our mission to serve as the voice of the AAPI legal profession.
We congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on their historic win. NAPABA is committed to working with the Biden administration and the new Congress to advance the representation and interests of the AAPI community.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of approximately 50,000 legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American 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 color in the legal profession.
On October 30, 2020, the Membership Committee hosted their weekly virtual Membership Mixer, with 20 participants in attendance. This week AABANY held a costume contest. The icebreaker question this week was: “What was the most memorable trick someone played on you or that you played on someone else, or what was your happiest Halloween Memory?” Participants told us their favorite memories, including people watching their children trick or treat. One person was pranked in college when their friend took an extra bed, moved it into their dorm room, and created an official looking letter to notify them that they were getting a 3rd roommate.
For the costume contest, members dressed up as a moose, a scary clown, Elliot from Mr. Robot, a Zombie, Princess Leia, and Killer Hornet! Congratulations to Momo Liu for her Princess Leia Costume and Kasama Star for her “Butt Cream” Zombie — the votes were tied! What is a “Butt Cream”Zombie? Let’s just say you had to be there.
The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars, ballparks, stadiums, operas, etc, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but people stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups.
Membership Committee will continue to host weekly virtual mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person.
We are giving away door prizes in some weeks. In order to win, you must be a member and must RSVP on the aabany.org calendar entry to get a raffle number. Non-members can join the mixer but won’t be eligible to win a prize.
