Official blog of the Asian American Bar Association of New York
On Sunday, February 24, the IP Committee got together for a fun and relaxing evening of Axe Throwing at Kick Axe in Brooklyn. We had a good mix of members in various stages of their careers and practicing various aspects of intellectual property law. Thanks to everyone who attended!
To learn more about the IP Committee and to get involved, please go to https://www.aabany.org/page/145
We thank Jeff Mok, IP Committee Co-Chair, for the photo and the write up for this post.
On February 23, 2019, the Military and Veterans Affairs (“MVA”) Committee and Litigation Committee teamed up to co-host a Laser Tag event at Indoor Extreme Sports in Long Island City. Committee members spent the morning improving their teamwork, coordination, and communication skills by working in squads to engage their adversaries. Mission themes included Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, and Slayer.
Similar future events will likely be planned due to the overwhelmingly positive experience and feedback received from those who joined.
To stay in the loop, join our listserv by contacting the co-chairs of the MVA Committee at https://www.aabany.org/page/444 or the Litigation Committee at https://www.aabany.org/page/116.
Thanks Jimmy Kang, MVA Committee Co-Chair, for the write-up and photos.
On Wednesday, February 27, 2019, AABANY hosted its 30th Anniversary Annual Dinner: United in Action and Vision: Towards 2020 Together at Cipriani Wall Street. The dinner attracted over 700 attorneys, judges, prosecutors, in-house counsel, government officials, and dignitaries and sponsorships from more than 55 law firms and corporations.
This year AABANY was proud to honor:
Gurbir S. Grewal, Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, with the Public Service Leadership Award
Gabrielle Lyse Brown, Executive Director, Diversity and Inclusion for Morgan Stanley, with the Women’s Leadership Award
Deneen Donnley, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of USAA, with the Corporate Leadership Award
Davis Polk & Wardwell with the 2019 Law Firm Diversity Award
In addition, we were also pleased to present scholarships to this year’s class of Don Liu Scholars.
We thank all of the AABANY Annual Dinner Planning Committee members and volunteers for their hard work in making this year’s celebration a huge success.
We extend sincere thanks to all of our sponsors. Their generous sponsorships make it possible for us to pursue our mission to advance the interests of the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal community and the communities we serve and support our many activities and signature events throughout the year.
Lastly, we thank everyone that attended the 30th Annual Dinner and celebrated with us.
More photos to come. Stay tuned!
AABANY thanks everyone who submitted nominations for the election taking place at the Annual Meeting scheduled for February 13, 2019. We did not receive any qualified submissions for the position of Secretary and therefore it was marked as vacant for the meeting. The Board will fill this vacancy pursuant to Section 7.05 of the bylaws. If you are interested in applying for the Secretary position, please submit your nomination materials by no later than 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 6. Note that you may be meeting with the Nominations Committee on March 13, in the evening, so please save the date.
As set forth in the Bylaws, section 5.4 (f):
The Secretary shall:(i) be the recording secretary of the Board, shall act as clerk, record all votes and prepare the minutes of all Board, Special and Annual meetings; (ii) prepare all correspondence to inform the Members and the Board as to the status of all orders, votes
To apply for this Officer position, please submit:
(i) a statement of interest declaring your intent to run; and
(ii) a current resume, biography or CV listing your experience and accomplishments and any honors received to date.
As part of item (i), please indicate your experience with AABANY if you have been an active member, describing any activities that you
You may email your application in Word or PDF to [email protected]. You may fax your nomination to (718) 228-7206. If you wish to submit by regular mail, it must reach AABANY by no later than close of business, March 6, at the following address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10111.
On February 21, 2019, the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) at St. John’s University School of Law recognized Michael J. Rhee as the 2019 APALSA Honoree during their Lunar New Year Reception at China Blue-Tribeca. AABANY congratulates Michael J. Rhee on his recognition as the 2019 APALSA Honoree.
Michael J. Rhee received his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law in 1998 and went on to lead a remarkable legal career. Mr. Rhee had served as a Special Counsel in the real estate department at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Currently, Mr. Rhee is Vice President and General Counsel of the Durst Organization, one of the most prominent real estate companies in New York City. As Vice President and General Counsel, Mr. Rhee advises on leasing, acquisitions, construction and development activities, as well as the corporate and legal needs of the company. Mr. Rhee also oversees insurance and collections and manages outside counsel.
Michael J. Rhee is not only a distinguished member of the legal community
Older Filipino Americans are particularly vulnerable as targets of certain fraud. According to AARP’s “Facing Fraud or Saving Face? A Survey of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 50 Years and Older on Fraud and Scams” (www.aarp.org/AAPIfraudsurvey), many con artists use immigration scams to falsely promise cheap, quick, or easy paths to work permits and green cards.
Scammers pretend to provide quality legal advice, help with paperwork, or other tasks involved in the immigration process. The scammer usually asks for an upfront fee, takes the money, and disappears immediately. Or worse, they provide ineffective or even harmful representation by filing the wrong paperwork, using fraudulent measures, or misrepresenting facts. The American Bar Association believes immigration fraud is underreported because many victims are often ashamed to report it to authorities or are afraid it will affect their immigration status.
Amanda Bernardo, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Immigration Committee, provides tips and advice on how to avoid being a victim of immigration fraud. She is working with AARP to help the Filipino community and notes “The immigration process can be confusing and intimidating, especially for Filipinos and Asian immigrants who face language barriers.”
Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy says “Con artists often target immigrant communities because they are particularly vulnerable, but knowing how they work can help you spot and avoid scams.”
To learn more about Amanda Bernardo and to watch her video, click here.
Older Asian American and Pacific Islanders are particularly vulnerable
Susan Akina, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Immigration Committee, provides tips and advice on how to avoid being a victim of immigration fraud. She is working with AARP to help the Chinese community and says “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and if you ever feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to proceed with the attorney or the case. Sometimes the wrong type of help can be more problematic in the long run.”
Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy says “Con artists often target immigrant communities because they are particularly vulnerable, but knowing how they work can help you spot and avoid scams.”
To learn more about Susan Akina and to watch her video, click here.
NEW YORK – Feb. 21, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (“Davis Polk”) has been selected to receive the 2019 AABANY Law Firm Diversity Award. Davis Polk will receive the award at AABANY’s Annual Dinner on February 27, 2019, at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall Street, in New York City.
Since 2014, AABANY has selected a law firm to recognize for its commitment to improving diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. Applications are reviewed on four main criteria, which include a formal diversity plan committed to retention and promotion of women and minorities, an established diversity pipeline of talent, external participation in diversity programs with organizations such as AABANY, and the furtherance of AABANY’s mission, which includes the active and affirmative recruitment, retention, promotion, and development of Asian lawyers in New York City.
Davis Polk’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is rooted in its traditional emphasis on excellence and respect.
The firm is actively involved in fostering an inclusive environment and culture, from its recruitment efforts that target diverse student organizations and underserved communities, to generous parental leave and reintegration programs in support of new mothers in the workplace.
“AABANY congratulates Davis Polk on receiving the 2019 Law Firm Diversity Award,” states James Cho, AABANY’s President. “We applaud the commitment Davis Polk has shown in advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, and AABANY looks forward to working with Davis Polk to continue promoting these important values in the years ahead.”
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332- 2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected]. The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989,
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The Criminal Justice Act Committee of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is accepting applications for service on the Court’s Criminal Justice Act Panel. Criminal Justice Act Panel Members represent indigent criminal defendants and petitioners for habeas corpus.
The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2019.
To see the full announcement and learn more, click here.
For the application form, click here.
On Wednesday, February 13, 2019, AABANY held its Annual Meeting of Members at Wachtell Lipton. President James R. Cho called the meeting to order and established quorum. Elections were held for the 2019 Board of Officers & Directors and President James R. Cho presented the Year in Review. President James R. Cho also announced a new initiative to help AABANY law students find summer internship positions.
Executive Director, Yang Chen, presented the report of the Committees and then presented awards honoring several members and committees for their dedication to AABANY over the past year. Immediate Past President Dwight Yoo and President-Elect Brian Song tallied the votes.
The following officers were elected and will begin their term on April 1, 2019:
Sapna Palla
President-Elect
Tiffany Miao
Vice President, Programs and Operations
David Sohn
Vice President, Programs and Operations
Margaret Ling
Development Director
William Hao
Treasurer
Secretary – Vacant
Beatrice Leong
Membership Director
The following candidates were elected as Directors to serve two-year terms starting on April 1, 2019:
Dai Wai Chin Feman
Suzanne Kim
Chris Kwok
Edward Lee
Marianne Chow Newman
Terrence Shen
Andy Yoo
The following awards were presented:
Committee of the Year: The In-House Counsel Committee
For their excellent programming and activities that have benefited AABANY’s members and the community of legal professionals in New York.
Program of the Year: The AABANY Leadership Development Program
For helping to develop future leaders and contributing to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession in New York.
Member of the Year: Edwin Kim
For his exemplary record of service and leadership as Co-Chair of the Student Outreach Committee and Labor and Employment Law Committee and in coordinating volunteers for numerous programs and events.
Congratulations to all the officers and directors who were elected to the Board.
Congratulations to all the honorees for the recognition of their achievements and hard work in 2018.
We would like to thank our members for attending and participating in the annual meeting, and we also thank Edward J. Lee and Wachtell Lipton for hosting the meeting in a beautiful space, treating us to a delectable selection of food and light refreshments.
(Thanks to AABANY Program Associate Dave Singh for the write-up and photos.)
