Author: Ellyse Ramos

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the September Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, our community partners, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic on September 12, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including identity theft, matrimonial, housing, immigration, fraud, trust & estates, and civil litigation. We received positive feedback from the clients, expressing gratitude for the advice.

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys:

Vishal Chander

Sam Chen

Francis Chin

Angie Liao

Arthur Lin

Kwok Kei Ng

May Wong

Jameson Xu

Gary Yeung

Non-attorneys:

Nandar Win Kerr

Jiaze Qu

Wendy Zeng

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community. 

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– October 7th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– October 21st [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002.

– November 14th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232.

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to your participation in future Pro Bono Clinics!

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NAPABA Welcomes 2026-27 NAPABA Board of Governors

NAPABA is proud to announce the 2026-27 Board of Governors, who will be sworn in during the 2026 NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles.

Our NAPABA community thrives because of dedicated members who step into leadership roles across the organization. From the national Board of Governors to our affiliate leaders, substantive committees, affinity networks, and professional development programs, NAPABA’s impact is fueled by the vision, energy, and service of our volunteers.

We are grateful for all of our leaders and their commitment to advancing NAPABA’s mission and strengthening the AANHPI legal community.

If you are interested in serving and shaping the future of NAPABA, please contact Priya Purandare to learn more.

2026-27 NAPABA Board of Governors

Executive Committee
President | Jason DeJonker, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

President-Elect | Sapna Palla, White & Case LLP

Treasurer | Arlene Yang, Center for Employment Opportunities, Inc.

Secretary | Brian Wong, ServiceNow, Inc.

Immediate Past President | Joseph Yao, Retired

Executive Director | Priya Purandare, Ex-Officio, NAPABA

Regional Governors
Central | Beth Olivera, Cozen O’Connor

Central California | Jason Liang, Liang Ly LLP

Eastern California/Nevada | Glicel Sumagaysay, Law Office of Glicel Sumagaysay

Northeast | Alan Y. Wong, KabaFusion

Northeast | Jack Yu, Fasken

Northern California | Raymond Rollan, State Bar of California

Northwest | Lily Zhang, Owen Bird Law Corporation

Southeast | Onchantho Am, University of Central Florida

Southern California | Julie Houth, Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Southwest | Phil Kim, Jackson Walker LLP

At-Large Board Members
Benes Aldana, Judicial Pathways and Leadership Strategies, LLC

Kainoa Asuega, Crowell & Moring

Anushree Bagrodia, Starbucks

Phil Bautista, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

Vishal Chander, The Chander Law Firm, P.C.

Eemaan Jalili, Jalili Law PC

Eugene Kim, Vanguard Cleaning System

Alicia Limtiaco, Former Attorney General of Guam & U.S. Attorney for Guam and NMI

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AABANY’s Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring and In-House Counsel Committees Host Joint Happy Hour in Midtown

On August 18, 2026, the AABANY Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring Committee and the AABANY In-House Counsel Committee co-hosted a joint happy hour at Bar Lola in Midtown Manhattan.  The event brought together attorneys from a variety of practice areas and professional backgrounds for an evening of networking, relationship-building, and conversation. 

Events like this joint happy hour demonstrate the value of bringing together attorneys from different practice areas to connect, share experiences, and expand their professional networks.  Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the event a success.  We look forward to hosting more joint programs and networking opportunities in the future.

The Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring Committee and the In-House Counsel Committee are committed to providing members with opportunities to engage with one another through networking and community-building events throughout the year.  Those interested in learning more about either Committee are encouraged to attend future programs and visit the AABANY website for additional information.

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AABANY Hosts its Annual Summer Picnic in Central Park

On August 8, 2026, AABANY held its annual picnic at Central Park’s Heckscher Playground Area, one of the oldest playgrounds in Central Park. This family-friendly picnic brings together AABANY members, family and friends. On this day, about 60 attendees joined AABANY for an afternoon of outdoor activities, delicious food, and connection. Among the attendees were AABANY’s President, Varuna Bhattacharyya, and some of the AABANY Board Directors: Beatrice Leong, Vishal Chander, and Alysha Naik. This event was organized by the Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) Co-Chairs, Alexandra Lao and Justin Lee, along with the Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA) Co-Chairs, Amos Kim and Willis Huynh.

The event began with families arriving throughout the morning and settling into the picnic area. On this summer afternoon, the sun shone brightly overhead as a gentle breeze swept through the park. The atmosphere was welcoming and lively as guests found comfort under the trees’ shade. Guests enjoyed a wide spread of delicious food from the Kimbob Club, a family-owned Korean restaurant located in New Jersey, with different varieties of kimbap from their special spicy squid kimbap and grilled pork kimbap. There were also hand-made sandwiches, a charcuterie board, fresh-fruit and a huge assortment of asian snacks. Over shared meals and conversations, longtime colleagues reconnected while new friendships and professional connections began to take shape.

As the afternoon continued, guests spread out across the grass on picnic blankets soaking in the sunshine. Guests also participated in outdoor activities such as badminton, card games, and toss-and-catch on the lawn. The most memorable part of the afternoon was how naturally professional connections became personal ones and a simple introduction turned into a discussion about travel, hobbies, and shared experiences. Overall, the AABANY picnic provided a welcoming and inclusive opportunity for law students, attorneys and friends to spend time together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year’s picnic a memorable afternoon. We look forward to continuing this summer tradition and creating more opportunities for our AABANY community to come together and make wonderful memories!

To learn more about the Young Lawyers Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/123. 

To learn more about the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/444. 

To see the album of photos, go here. 

– Written by Alexandra Lao, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Young Lawyers Committee

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NLF Calls for Student Volunteers and Volunteer Judges for Regional 2026 Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition

The NAPABA Law Foundation (NLF) is calling for volunteers for its annual Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court (TTMC) Competition. This competition was founded in 1993 and is named in honor of the late Honorable Thomas Tang, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for more than eighteen years. In honor of Judge Tang and his wife Dr. Pearl Tang, this appellate advocacy competition aims to help law students develop advocacy skills and to foster legal talent of the future.

The in-person regional round will take place at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York City on October 9, 2026. The online regional round will take place on October 17, 2026. Top teams from both regional rounds will advance to the National Competition, held at the NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles, CA, on November 13-14, 2026.

Click here for the bailiff volunteer sign up.

Click here for the general volunteer sign up.

Click here for the judge volunteer sign up (eligible for New York CLE credits).

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In the News: AABANY’s President Spotlighted as One of the 2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate by the New York Real Estate Journal

On August 25, AABANY’s very own President, Varuna Bhattacharyya was featured as one of the 2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate by the New York Real Estate Journal (NYREJ).

NYREJ asked Varuna questions about her commercial real estate practice, such as her most rewarding project in the past year and what upcoming commercial real estate trends she sees on the horizon. When reflecting on her most important leadership lesson to date, Varuna emphasized authenticity, finding that “the most effective leadership comes from embracing your own values, strengths, and perspective.”

Please join AABANY in congratulating President Varuna Bhattacharyya on being spotlighted in NYREJ.

To read the full article, click here.

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