Author: Kyto Batt

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AABANY Hosts a Membership Mixer at Little Island on July 30

Hard to believe this amazing park was once a pier seeing its last days in Lower Manhattan! Members braved the strong winds on this beautiful summer evening for our Membership Mixer at Little Island on July 30.  Between small bites and beers, new friends were made, old acquaintances emerged, and we got to experience live performances, catch a great view of the sunset, and discover the newest TikTok-famous attraction. We were surprised by the unannounced visit of Simone Nguyen Chung, AABANY’s former Program Associate, who left AABANY to move to California where she attended UCLA Law School. She came to New York City last week to … take the California bar exam remotely. She said it was less distracting that way. Um … okay. Thanks for joining us, Simone, and best of luck to you in all your future endeavors!

In-person mixers are back– don’t let the summer pass you by! Click here to sign up now for some mingling at Yankee Stadium on August 6– guests are welcome! Registration deadline is August 5th; tickets are $5 for members and $20 for non-members (must prepay at full price, will receive refund upon actual usage of ticket).

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NAPABA Congratulates Its Former Communications Manager Nisha Ramachandran on Her Appointment as Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

For Immediate Release:

Date: July 22, 2021

Contact: Edgar Chen, Policy Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates Nisha Ramachandran who was named as the new Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Ms. Ramachandran will be the first South Asian American to serve in this role. Ms. Ramachandran has extensive experience both on Capitol Hill and with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) advocacy community, including serving as Policy Director for the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, as a Legislative Fellow in the office of Congressman Ami Bera, and previously as interim Communications Manager for NAPABA. “Nisha Ramachandran brings over a decade of legislative, advocacy, and policy experience dedicated to advancing the interests of AAPIs, and has been an invaluable resource for NAPABA,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “More importantly, Nisha has earned the trust, confidence, gratitude, and friendship of so many who are working to improve the lives of AAPI communities in this country. NAPABA applauds CAPAC Chair Representative Judy Chu for making this historic appointment at a critical moment for the AAPI population.”

CAPAC is a non-partisan, bi-cameral congressional caucus comprised of Members of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and members who are committed to promoting the well-being of the AAPI population. NAPABA has worked closely with CAPAC to strategically reach key AAPI stakeholders in Congress on issues of legislative and policy importance to the AAPI community. Ms. Ramachandran holds both a B.A. and a Masters in Public Policy from the George Washington University. To view the announcement by CAPAC, click here.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

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Public Notice: One Full-Time Federal Magistrate Judge Vacancy

United States District Court, Eastern District of New York

July 7, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

There is one (1) upcoming full-time United States Magistrate Judge position vacancy at the Central Islip Courthouse of the Eastern District of New York at 1100 Federal Plaza, Central Islip, New York, effective February 24, 2022. 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 basic jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C., section 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 2021-16) 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 each vacancy. The Court will make the appointments following FBI and IRS investigations of the appointees. 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, $201,112 per annum. The term of office is eight years.

Please note that the application form can be accessed on-line at the district’s website: www.nyed.uscourts.gov. 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 August 8, 2021. A submission can be made by email in PDF format sent to [email protected] or submitted online at this linked address. Instructions are available on the court website.

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AABANY Congratulates Grace Jamgochian on Her Election as a Partner at Shearman & Sterling

Grace Jamgochian was elected to Partner at Shearman & Sterling on June 16th, 2021. She currently practices in Shearman’s New York office and, as stated in the Shearman & Sterling announcement, she “represents all aspects of mergers, acquisitions and investments for corporates and private capital investors. Her experience includes domestic and cross-border public company mergers, complex private transactions, and activism/defense, particularly in the TMT, infrastructure, and consumer products sectors.” Grace has also been a member of AABANY since 2019 and she currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Women’s Committee.

Please join AABANY in congratulating Grace Jamgochian and wishing her much success in all her future endeavors.

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Legal Outreach Invites You to Become a Mentor for High School Students

Now, more than ever, students at New York City’s public schools are grappling with questions of inequality and whether the law is the same as justice. Legal Outreach’s Mentoring Program allows attorneys and law school graduates to directly impact high school students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds by guiding them through high school and modeling what it means to be an attorney and to engage with the law – and allows attorneys to consider these questions, too! You and the members of Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) are invited to apply now to volunteer to be a Mentor, starting the 2021-22 academic year!
Attorneys meet with their students once a month to get to know each other and discuss any issues and obstacles students are facing. Mentors, with materials provided by Legal Outreach, also help students through Legal Outreach’s Constitutional Law Debate Program. In Debate, students learn and apply Supreme Court precedent to issues directly affecting the country, such as qualified immunity, political apparel at polling sites, education rights for undocumented students, gerrymandering and voting rights, discrimination in housing developments, and more. 
To be a Mentor, a volunteer needs just their JD and the ability to commit to 4-6 hours a month to meet and communicate with their student. It is a low-time, high-impact program that will help shape the course of a young person’s life and make the legal profession a more inclusive one. It is so important for our students to be able to see a model of what they can do with a law degree and see themselves represented in the profession. 
Apply here by August 15, 2021 to be a Mentor starting the 2021-22 academic year!

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Congratulations to Vanessa Fang on her Appointment as a Housing Court Judge of the New York City Civil Court

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates Judge Vanessa Fang on her appointment as a Housing Court Judge of the New York City Civil Court, Housing Part. Judge Fang was appointed in June 2021, and currently sits in New York County. 

Judge Fang began her legal career with the New York State Unified Court System as a court attorney in 2010 and has handled residential landlord-tenant summary proceedings throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Judge Fang is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law and Boston University; she has also been a member of AABANY since 2018.

Please join AABANY in congratulating Judge Fang on her appointment. We wish her much success during her tenure on the bench.

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NAPABA and Florida Affiliates File Comments Before Florida Supreme Court to Uphold Diversity and Inclusion in Continuing Legal Education

For Immediate Release: Date: June 29, 2021

Contact: Edgar Chen, Policy Director

WASHINGTON –The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), together with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay (APABA-TB), the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida (APABA-SF), the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association (GOAABA), and the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association (JAABA) (collectively, “Florida Affiliates”) filed comments today before the Florida Supreme Court in response to the Court’s April 15 ruling prohibiting the Florida Bar from approving and providing credit for any continuing legal education (CLE) courses employing certain diversity requirements for CLE panels. NAPABA, its Florida Affiliates, and all affiliates across the nation serve to promote justice, equity, and opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) and to foster professional development, legal scholarship, advocacy, and community involvement benefiting persons of all colors and backgrounds.

Today’s filing documents the critical need for diversity, equity, and inclusion in CLE programming both in Florida and across the country. As APAs remain underrepresented at nearly every level of the legal profession, NAPABA and its Florida Affiliates urge the Florida Supreme Court to recognize that fostering diversity is an increasingly necessary component to the successful functioning of the American legal system. The submission argues that the Florida Bar’s diversity policies are inclusive and would not exclude any person, perspective, or viewpoint from a CLE program based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, as the Florida Supreme Court believed, when it described the policy as “tainted by …discrimination.” Instead, as the filing notes, the stated goal of the policy was to eliminate bias, increase diversity, and implement tactics aimed at recruiting and retaining diverse attorneys.

“The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) values diversity, equity, inclusion, and opportunity for members of the APA legal community and persons from all backgrounds,” said A.B. Cruz III, President of NAPABA. “Meaningful representation, including on CLE panels, is a chance for panelists and participants to recognize that APA lawyers are here to contribute to the advancement of legal education.”

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“The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay (APABA of Tampa Bay) is proud to join with our fellow Florida APA bar associations in underscoring the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion in continuing legal education,” said Hannah Choi, President-Elect of APABA of Tampa Bay.  “In Florida there are over 760,000 Asian Pacific American residents, yet there is only a small percentage of APA lawyers in the state.  In a profession where APAs are underrepresented, diversity, equity, and inclusion matter and benefit all current and future members of the bar.”

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“For the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida (APABA-SF), diversity, equity, and inclusion are not merely buzzwords, but are significant and meaningful to the APA community,” said Guy Kamealoha Noa, President of APABA-SF.  “As our comments show, APA jurists account for less than ½ percent of all Florida judges.  Having diversity on CLE panels presents an opportunity for participants to learn from their peers of different backgrounds and perspectives, and can inspire others to know they too can be leaders in the Florida Bar. I have witnessed APA attendees comment during a panel presentation that they did not know there were any APA judges in South Florida and how wonderful and inspirational it was for them, as APAs, to see an APA judge. Diversity on CLE panels provides real, meaningful impact on the community.” 

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“The Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association (GOAABA) notes that with anti-Asian hate crimes and hate incidents on the rise across the country, and particularly in Florida, APA voices and faces in the legal community need to be heard and seen,” said Onchantho Am, President of GOABBA. “Florida ranks eighth in the nation for anti-Asian hate incidents.  In these critical times, having a diversity of voices on CLE panels helps the legal community come together and be more united.”   

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“The Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association (JAABA) strives to improve representation of APAs in the Floridian legal community,” said Vivile Dietrich, President of JAABA. “Having APA representation in CLEs is just one area where the Florida Bar can do better in terms of raising the visibility of the APAs in the law.  The perspectives of APA legal colleagues regarding their career pathways, practice area expertise, and legal issues affecting the various APA communities, promote authenticity, credibility, and knowledge – not only regarding mentorship opportunities for APA attorneys and law students – but also of APA experiences, cultural views, and concerns for those who represent or otherwise wish to engage and foster deeper relationships with APA community members.” 

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“The Filipino-American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA NY) is committed to enhancing the diversity in the profession,” said Ariel Risinger, President of FALA NY. “CLEs are an opportunity to put forth a wide range of perspectives and thought leadership. We strongly support our Florida colleagues in ensuring the profession’s commitment to showcasing the diversity of thought for all generations of lawyers.”

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“The Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA Chicago) strongly believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion in CLEs benefit the entire legal profession,” said Kristy Gonowon, President of AABA Chicago. “We stand with our sister affiliates in Florida who are fighting to ensure that all perspectives are seen and heard on CLEs.”

Today’s submission is also supported by the following NAPABA affiliate organizations from around the country: the Arizona Asian American Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the Asian American Bar Association of Ohio, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania, the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey, the Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago, the Filipino-American Lawyers Association of New York, the Filipino-American Lawyers of Orange County, the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association-Hawaii, the National Filipino American Lawyers Association, the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, the Thai American Bar Association, and the Vietnamese American Lawyers of Illinois.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interests of approximately 60,000 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.

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AABANY’s Membership Committee Holds its 56th and Final Online Weekly Mixer

After a year of online mixers due to the pandemic, the Membership Committee held its 56th and final Online Weekly Mixer on Zoom, on Friday, June 25, 2021.

The beginning of the mixer featured a celebration of the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) Public Interest Scholarship Recipients, hosted by Sylvia Chin, President of AALFNY. The awardees were: Amanda Jimenez (CUNY School of Law, Class of 2022), Evelyn (Meng) Lin (Syracuse University College of Law, Class of 2022), and Shelley Wu (Cardozo School of Law, Class of 2023). AALFNY also honored the recipient of the AALFNY-SABANY Public Interest Fellowship: Dawa Lhamo (CUNY School of Law, Class of 2023), who will be interning with Catholic Migration Services. AALFNY awards Public Interest Scholarships each year to law students with a demonstrated commitment to the Asian American community. Congratulations to the recipients for their good work!

During the mixer, AALFNY held a Give Lively text to pledge fundraiser to support the Turning the Tide Project and nearly raised $1000. Thank you to everyone who donated! We are continuing to take donations via Give Lively and if you would like to donate, text “TIDE3” to 44-321. (A copy of AALFNY’s latest annual report may be obtained from P.O. Box, 161, 41 Purdy Ave, Rye NY 10580  or from the NY Attorney General’s Charities Bureau website www.charitiesnys.com. Information may also be obtained from us at [email protected] or the NYS Attorney General at 212-416-8686.)

After the AALFNY presentation, AABANY members went around the Zoom Room for the mixer portion. The participants introduced themselves, and answered the icebreaker question: “How will you change your lifestyle now that the city has reopened?” Participants told the group their various plans, including “adjusting their commute to work from home on most days,” “going back to travel internationally” and “going back to attend large gatherings.”

The weekly mixers had a core group of attendees, including Barry Kazan, Sylvia Chin, William Lim, Francis Chin, and Kevin Hsi, all of whom regularly attended the weekly mixers. In particular, Barry Kazan, a Partner at Mintz & Gold LLP, was awarded “MVP” (Most Valuable Participant) of AABANY’s Online Membership Mixers.

Membership Committee Mixers held various theme nights, including a trivia night, a Show & Tell night, a Talent show with dancing, guitar playing and Comedian, a Halloween Costume Contest, a Virtual Tour through Japanese Mountains, and Founder’s Night.

The participants expressed gratitude that there was a weekly outlet to connect, talk and share their thoughts every week, and appreciated that the mixers allowed people to form friendships through video. A few members requested that the mixers continue. 

Membership Committee plans on meeting in person beginning in July; please stay tuned for the announcements. The Committee is looking to host a cruise later this summer. Be on the lookout for the survey!

Thanks to everyone who attended the final mixer and to our members and friends who joined us for one or more mixers over the past year! Thanks to Beatrice Leong, Membership Director, for being such a gracious host.

We look forward to seeing everyone in person for future Membership Committee events. 

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Please Join AALFNY and AABANY for the 2021 Public Interest Scholarship Summer Reception

Please join us for the AABANY/AALFNY virtual Summer Reception to be held on zoom from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday June 25, 2021. 

Please RSVP at https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1420369

The Reception is the main fundraising event of the Asian American Law Fund of NY and provides funding for our projects which include, among others, our Public Interest Scholarships, the Turning the Tide Project and the AABANY Pro Bono Clinic.

While not a requirement for attendance at the event, we would be delighted if you or your firm would demonstrate support of the Fund by making a donation. The donation would be acknowledged on the Fund’s website. The various contribution levels are detailed below.  The Fund is a 501(c) (3) entity and contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Feel free to circulate this announcement to any interested lawyers and law students. There is no charge for attendance.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Contribution Levels

Diamond …………………………………………………….……$1000

Gold ………..……………………………………………………….$750

Silver ……………………………………………………………….$500

The Asian American Law Fund of New York awards Public Interest Scholarships each year to law students with a demonstrated commitment to the Asian American community. The purpose of the award is to assist law students with their tuition while encouraging them to use their legal knowledge and training to benefit the Asian American community in New York and to foster commitment by law students to public service to the Asian American community in New York.  Since 1997, AALFNY has funded more than 60 public interest scholarships to law students.

This year’s recipients were Amanda Jimenez, Evelyn (Meng) Lin, and Shelley Wu. In addition, Dawa Lhamo was the recipient of the AALFNY-SABANY Public Interest Fellowship.

The Asian American Law Fund of New York was established in 1993 by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) to create and support non-profit and charitable efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and to defend human and civil rights.

Donations to AALFNY may be made at asianamericanlawfund.org/donate or by check to AALFNY, PO Box 161, 41 Purdy Ave., Rye NY 10580. A copy of our latest annual report may be obtained from us at the above address or from the NY Attorney General’s Charities Bureau website www.charitiesnys.com. Information may also be obtained from us at [email protected] or the NYS Attorney General at 212-416-8686.

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AABANY Hosts Manhattan District Attorney Candidates’ Forum on June 15 and 16

On Tuesday, June 15th, and Wednesday, June 16th, AABANY hosted a forum with 8 Manhattan District Attorney candidates. The candidates were individually questioned on legal issues facing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by a panel of members from AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. These included questions about whether the candidates would increase AAPI representation in top leadership positions in the Manhattan DA’s Office, their thoughts on the Manhattan DA’s prosecution of Abacus Bank in 2015, and how they would charge defendants of anti-Asian hate crimes. When time permitted, candidates were also asked questions from audience members.

Day 1 featured Lucy Lang, Alvin Bragg, Tali Farhadian Weinstein, and Tahanie Aboushi.

To view the full forum of day 1, click here.

Day 2 featured Diana Florence, Thomas Kenniff, Eliza Orlins, and Liz Crotty.

To view the full forum of day 2, click here.

AABANY thanks all the candidates for participating in the Forum. We encourage everyone to get out and vote in the Democratic Primary on June 22. We hope that this Forum will help inform the public about the Manhattan DA candidates’ views on issues facing the AAPI community.