Author: Davinderpal Singh

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2019 NAPABA Convention Review

Here’s a recap of everything you might have missed!

Looking at social media posts from the Convention, we were pleased to see so many attendees share our feeling that NAPABA is a family, a group of friends and colleagues, and most importantly, a community. No matter the field, the level of experience, or geographic location, we are one NAPABA.

We’re excited to head into 2020 with you all, but first let’s look back at this year’s Convention!

New Year, New Leadership 

Bonnie Lee Wolf was sworn in as NAPABA’s president. We are inspired by her vision for NAPABA and look forward to supporting her leadership! 

Using History to Inform Our Future

Through a re-enactment and historical materials, we revisited the importance of Korematsu v. United States, when Fred Korematsu challenged Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Individuals who played key roles in the successful effort to overturn Korematsu’s conviction in the 1983 case brought his story to life, connecting his values of equity and human rights to the issues we face today.

During the Saturday plenary, an inspiring group of LGBTQ attorneys reflected on the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that opened the door for inclusion for diverse communities and laid the groundwork for marriage equality to become a right across the country. However, true inclusion is still a work in progress. Panelists offered their look at the future of diversity and inclusion for the LGBTQ community.

Celebrating 31 Years

At our Anniversary Gala, we celebrated 31 years of NAPABA by looking to the future with a swearing-in of the 2019-20 NAPABA Board of Governors. Comedian, actor and writer Sheng Wang hosted the gala and Chef Kristen Kish and food critic Soleil Ho had a great conversation about identity, self-worth and success.

2019 Award Winners

We were honored to recognize this year’s award winners at the 2019 NAPABA Convention. We’re proud to have so many distinguished members, who inspire our work every day.

Trailblazer Awards

The Honorable Richard J. Chin. To see the award video, click here.
Julia Markley. To see the award video, click here.
Byung “BJay” Pak. To see the award video, click here.
Debbie Leilani Shon. To see the award video, click here.

Affiliate of the Year Award

To see the award video, click here.

APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award

To see the award video, click here.

Law Firm Diversity Award

To see the award video, click here.

Military and Veteran Service Award

Captain Lia Mitoko Reynolds. To see the award video, click here.

President’s Award

Dale Ho. To see the award video, click here.

Pro Bono Award

Karen King. To see the award video, click here.

Women’s Leadership Award

Debbie Leilani Shon. To see the award video, click here.

 Best Under 40

Vanessa E. Candelaria | Attorney, Law Offices of Vanessa Candelaria
Christina Chan | Assistant Attorney General, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Nooree Lee | Associate, Covington & Burling LLP
Cindy Lin | Partner, King & Spalding LLP
Laurie Rose Lubiano | IP & Product Counsel, The Climate Corporation
Catherine Y. Lui | Partner, Orrick LLP
Jessica Nguyen | General Counsel, PayScale, Inc.
Marc A. Pilotin | General Counsel, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
Sid Shenoy | Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Christopher Thana Sukhaphadhana | Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property, Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
Jerry Vattamala | Democracy Program Director, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Johnny Wang | Partner, Stinson LLP
Jovita T. Wang | Partner, Richardson Wright LLP
Bryant Y. Yang | Assistant U.S Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office
Bilal Zaheer | Partner, Locke Lord LLP 

Partners Network In-House Counsel Awards

Diversity Leadership Rising Star Award 

Laurie Rose Lubiano

Diversity Leadership Award

Michael C. Wu

NAPABA Gives Back

Thanks to everyone who joined us at our Community Service Project and Farewell Breakfast! We assembled over 200 care packages for the Asian Family Support Services of Austin. AFSS Austin is a nonprofit that helps Asian, immigrant and refugee survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault & trafficking. 

A Message from NAPABA Law Foundation

The NAPABA Law Foundation thanks everyone who donated during convention to support NLF’s fellowships, scholarships, and the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition.  

Whether by buying a Fred Korematsu or Judge Denny Chin bobblehead, wagering at Casino Night, bidding on silent auction items, or using text-to-give during the Gala, these proceeds will be used to advance access to justice for our communities.
 
Speaking of the text-to-give, congratulations on breaking the system! It appears that so many people were jumping on their smartphones to donate that our vendor’s system crashed! 
 
If you were unable to make a gift at Convention, you may donate via NLF’s website by clicking here. Remember, Harry Gee, Jr., and his family are matching the first $150,000 raised! Every dollar you donate will have double the impact!

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Thank you to the amazing sponsors who supported the 2019 NAPABA Convention.

Premier Sponsor
Walmart

Jade Sponsors
Littler
Microsoft
Prudential

Platinum Sponsors
Akin Gump
Apple
Baker Botts
Comcast NBC Universal
Goodwin
Google
McGuireWoods
Nationwide
Paul Weiss
Seyfarth Shaw

For a full list of our 2019 sponsors, click here.

Save the Date

Join us for the 2020 NAPABA Convention 
November 5 – 9, 2020
Los Angeles, California 

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Congratulations to James R. Cho and Linda S. Lin on Being Honored with the 2019 CUP Law Catalysts Award

AABANY is proud to announce that last week James R. Cho, Immediate Past President and Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of NY, and Linda S. Lin, Past President 2011 and Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at QBE North America, were presented with the 2019 CUP Law Catalysts award at the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) 10th Annual Lawyers Forum and Law Catalyst Recognition Ceremony. The ceremony was held at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP on November 12, 2019.

The CUP Law Catalyst award honors and celebrates the accomplishments of diverse legal professionals who are achieving extraordinary professional success while making significant and impactful contributions to their community.

James and Linda’s dedication to promoting diversity in the legal profession, their leadership as Past Presidents at AABANY, and service to the overall Asian American community make them highly deserving and outstanding recipients of this recognition.

This is not the first time that AABANY members have been honored with the CUP Law Catalysts award. Below is a list of ABBANY members previously recognized by the Council of Urban Professionals:

November 2018
Alice Hsu, AABANY Member

November 2016
Steve Chung, Past AABANY Board Member
Sonia Low, Past AABANY Board Member

October 2015
Austin So, Past In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chair

October 2014
Jean Lee, Past AABANY President 2012

October 2013
Dwight Yoo, Past AABANY President 2017

October 2012
Vincent Chang, Past AABANY President 2007

Please join us in congratulating James, Linda, and all the other AABANY members that have received this tremendous honor.

Also, please join us in congratulating the other 2019 CUP Catalysts in Law:

Adam Banks, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Tia Breakley, Managing Director & Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Compliance Officer – The Infrastructure Group, The Blackstone Group
Sarah Dodds-Brown, EVP & Managing Counsel, American Express
Stuart Downing, Partner, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
Chinyere Ezie, Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights
George Fatheree III, Partner, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Karen Hsu Kelley, Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Jessica Lee, Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP
Clarence A. Nesbitt, General Counsel, National Basketball Players Association 
Marianela Peralta, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Allegis Global Solutions, Inc. 
Pamela Rosado, Senior VP and Chief Counsel-Litigation, MetLife
Kimberly Spoerri, Partner, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Camelia Valdes, Prosecutor, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office

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AABANY Goes to the Opera: “La Bohème” at the Met

On Nov. 14, the Membership Committee together with the Asia Practice, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate Committees hosted a Night at the Opera, gathering about 30 AABANY members with friends and family to see a performance of “La Bohème” at the Met in Lincoln Center.

Before the performance a group of attendees mingled and enjoyed drinks and quick bites at the bar outside the Family Circle. Then, at 7:30, everyone went inside to take their seats. The AABANY contingent took up nearly three rows of seats.

For some it was a first-time experience that was greatly enhanced upon the discovery of subtitles that appeared on a thin bar that stretched across the row. Each person could see the subtitles displayed directly in front of them.

The sets were breathtaking and the score by Puccini was classic and timeless. The performances were excellent, and the main cast included two Asian Americans, with Hei-Kyung Hong playing the tragic character Mimi.

By all accounts, this event was a hit among those who attended. Talk is already brewing about another Night at the Opera. Stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone who came, and thanks especially to Membership Director Beatrice Leong for organizing the event.

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AABANY Presents: Dress for Success

On Tuesday, November 19, 2019, AABANY’s Career Placement Committee presented its inaugural Dress for Success event. The event took place at J.Crew Fifth Avenue. Over 20 people attended the event. The event provided attendees with personal styling advice, an opportunity to shop, and wardrobe demonstrations that would allow each attendee to put their best foot forward in dressing. Special thanks to the Government Service & Public Interest Committee, Litigation Committee, Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee, Student Outreach Committee, and Women’s Committee for co-sponsoring the event. Special thanks to Flavor Fuzion Catering and Ashvini Persaud, Sr. Business Banker at Capital One, for her generous donation.

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Manhattan Legal Services’ Housing Unit Providing Free Legal Service to Chinese-Speaking Clients

If you have been taken to housing court by your landlord and need assistance, contact the Manhattan Legal Services’ Housing Unit. Manhattan Legal Services’ Housing Unit conducts monthly intake in Chinatown for Chinese-speaking clients.

They provide free legal services to eligible clients every Wednesday of the month at either the Chinese-American Planning Council or the Visiting Nurse Service of New York at the Chinatown Community Center.

Please note you MUST make an appointment in advance for services by calling (646) 442-3119.

For more information, please see the flyers below.

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Thank you to our November Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

November’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic, held on Wednesday, November 13 at 33 Bowery Street in Confucius Plaza, brought out 36 volunteers who volunteered their time to help 25 clients.

We are asking every member to actively support AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic by making donations that are vital to its continuing operation. In a few short years, with the tireless and generous assistance of our volunteers, we have helped hundreds of low-income clients with free legal advice and referrals to high-quality, culturally sensitive, and linguistically competent legal services. Together we have helped expand access to justice for underserved Asian American New Yorkers.

To make it easier for our members and our community to donate to the Pro Bono Clinic, we have set up a page on Give Lively where you can make a donation by texting APAPROBONO  to 44321. It takes seconds to donate, and we hope you will take a moment today to support the Pro Bono Clinic and help it meet its fundraising goals. Please donate today!

If you know family members, friends, or businesses, such as your firm, who would like to support the Clinic, please help us connect with them by contacting Karen Yau at [email protected].

Or please urge them to make a donation directly. They can visit the website of Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s 501(c)(3) affiliate: https://www.asianamericanlawfund.org/donate/

AALFNY is accepting charitable donations on the Clinic’s behalf and can issue any donor a tax receipt. Any contribution, large or small, would help. Please be sure to indicate in the memo field that the donation is intended for the Pro Bono Clinic.

Thank you to all of the November Pro Bono Clinic Volunteers!

Lawyers: 

Sylvia Chin
Shengyang (John) Wu
Sae-Eun Ahn
Michelle Nam
Mayumi Cindy Iijima
Kelly Diep
Jen Rasay
Eun Hye (Grace) Lee
Bart Wu
Annie Tsao

Interpreters: 

Ya Peng
Xiaoxiao Pan
Winnie G Vien
Teri Chow
Teresa Wai Yee Yeung
Shimeng (Fiona) Zhang
Ruth Poon
Nicholas Loh
Nanako Arai
Mina Kanamura
Maria Katherine Delos Reyes
Limeng (Charles) Tan
Kenny Moy
Go-eun Son
Chao-Yung Chiu
Ami Ishida
Alicia Chen
Alex Hwang

Other Volunteers
Linda Liang , Research & Administration
Julia Elhai, NY Connects Benefit Counselor
Yu Ting Pak, Mental Health Professional
Justin Ben, Legal Research

Special thanks to Henry Man for coordinating the clinic, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Pauline Yeung-Ha, Karen Kithan Yau, Asako Aiba, and Judy Lee for their leadership. AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Clinic occurs every second Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The next clinic will take place on December 11, 2019. If you are interested in volunteering at future Pro Bono Clinics, please contact Asako Aiba at [email protected].

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AABANY Presents: Understanding Opportunity Zones and 1031 Exchange Deferrals

On November 14, 2019, the AABANY Real Estate Committee presented a CLE and networking event entitled “Understanding Opportunity Zones and 1031 Exchange Deferrals.” The CLE program was presented by John J. Lee, Esq, Vice President and Account Executive of IPX 1031. Margaret Ling, Co-Chair of the AABANY Real Estate Committee moderated the program. Thanks to our sponsors: Xavier Wong of First Republic Bank, KALAGNY, and  Big Apple Abstract. John Lee discussed the basics and the differences between the 1031 Exchange Program and the Tax Deferral Structures provided by Qualified Opportunity Zones. In the photo, from left to right: Margaret Ling, Co-Chair of AABANY Real Estate Committee; Qili Li, MD; John Lee of 1031 Exchange; George Xu of Century Development LLC; Larry Litwack of Big Apple Abstract Corp.

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AABANY Presents: Real Estate Fraud and Cyber Security

On October 28, 2019, the AABANY Real Estate Committee presented a CLE program entitled “Real Estate Fraud and Cyber Security.” The CLE and networking event took place at Anchin Block & Anchin LLP at its Manhattan Headquarters. The event was attended by over 50 attorneys and CPAs. Special thanks to the sponsors: Anchin Block & Anchin LLP; Big Apple Abstract Corp; KALAGNY; Capital One; SDL & GHS Insurance Agency; Ingram, Yuzek, Gainen, Carroll & Bertolotti LLP; Ganfer, Shore, Leeds & Zauderer LLP; Anchin Digital Risk Solutions. Pictured from left to right: Amol Pachnanda, AABANY Real Estate Committee Co-Chair; Russell Safirstein, Partner, Anchin Digital Risk Solutions; Margaret Ling, AABANY  Real Estate Committee Co-Chair; Ashvini Persaud, Capital One; Daniel Jacoby, SDL & GHS Insurance; Benny Liu, CPA, Anchin; Larry Litwack, Big Apple Abstract; Jason Ganfer, Ganfer, Shore, Leeds & Zauderer LLP.

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Congratulations to Akin Gump on Receiving NAPABA’s Law Firm Diversity Award

We congratulate Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, on being presented NAPABA’s Law Firm Diversity Award at the NAPABA Convention in Austin, Texas on Saturday, November 9, 2019. AABANY is pleased to count Akin Gump as a Silver Sponsor.

This award honors law firms that actively and consistently recruit, retain, and promote APA lawyers to equity partnership and firm leadership. One such lawyer is Alice Hsu, an AABANY member and Partner at Akin Gump.

Alice was interviewed in the acceptance video and stated that over the last few years Akin Gump has spent a lot of time working with pro bono clients and “brought together cross-racial, cross-ethnic coalitions to support challenging the travel ban, the census citizenship question, and DACA rescission. “

Please join us in congratulating Akin Gump on this well deserved honor.

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Congratulations to Karen King on Receiving NAPABA’s Pro Bono Award

We congratulate Karen King, AABANY Member and Counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, on being presented NAPABA’s Pro Bono Award during the Gala at the NAPABA Convention in Austin, Texas on Saturday, November 9, 2019. 

This award recognizes an attorney for outstanding achievement in Pro Bono service that involves impact litigation to advance or protect civil rights and provides direct legal services to individuals in furtherance of the administration of justice.

One of the pro bono cases that Karen was recognized for lasted for over 10 years and involved bias and discrimination in the promotion practices of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority against Asian American Police Officers. Karen found her work on the case to be very important for Asian Americans and rewarding for herself. In her video accepting the award, Karen remarked that young lawyers need to look for and seize opportunities to advance their careers “… and pro bono is an excellent way to do that.”

We are extremely excited and pleased that Karen received this prestigious honor. Please join us in congratulating her.

We commend Paul, Weiss on emphasizing, supporting, and encouraging their lawyers to engage in Pro Bono work and for being a Gold Sponsor.