AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents “What’s Happening in Queens” Networking Event

On June 26th, 2025, at JP Morgan Chase Bank in Bayside, AABANY’s Real Estate Committee hosted their “What’s Happening in Queens” networking event, which brought together a variety of people interested in making meaningful connections in the Queens real estate scene. As people entered, they were encouraged to leave their business cards and enter a raffle whose winners would be announced later that night. Lucky attendees would win goodies such as AmTrust umbrellas, blankets, or water bottles. There was a light buffet set up on the main space of the bank, allowing people to converse while eating an assortment of Italian and Chinese dishes. 

Approximately 25 attendees were able to forge new connections with each other and reconnect with old friends. Those with an established presence in the Queens real estate scene were able to enlighten emerging professionals with advice on their future career paths through explaining their own journeys and current professions. Professionals specializing in various sectors, from real estate insurance law to real estate capital management, were able to network and converse.

The event featured a fireside chat with Thomas Grech, President & CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and George Xu, the President of Century Development Group LLP, moderated by Real Estate Committee Co-Chair Margaret Ling. Tom shared some remarkable stats about Queens, and most notably mentioned that Queens is considered one of the most diverse urban areas in the world. Tom talked about new developments in real estate happening in Queens, such as the new casino and soccer stadium being built in Queens near Citi Field. Tom also talked about how the Queens Chamber of Commerce is now the most diverse chamber in New York. Tom spoke highly of his diverse staff which speaks 18 languages, and how they help communicate with small business owners. Margaret praised Tom for how he helped small business people especially during the pandemic. 

Margaret then turned to George, who is behind the exciting opening and development of multiple new hotels in the heart of Flushing. George talked about opening hotels such as The Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport and the Four Seasons by Sheraton Flushing. He also talked about how the opening of these hotels would help local businesses by economically revitalizing  the area.

Margaret concluded the fireside chat by thanking everyone for coming out and encouraging people to network afterwards. Tom and George thanked Margaret for the talk and for giving back to the community. Margaret, aside from her position at AmTrust as New York State Underwriting Counsel, helps teach underprivileged kids golf at First Tee in New Jersey. She emphasized that her most important motivator was teaching kids how to be good people, which is her way of “giving back to the next generation.”

Margaret then announced the raffle winners to the eagerly awaiting audience. Afterwards, attendees continued chatting, networking, and enjoying food.

Thank you to AmTrust Title Group, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) for co-sponsoring this event. Thank you to Margaret Ling and the Real Estate Committee Co-Chairs for organizing this event. To learn more about the Real Estate Committee go here.

NAPABA Connects | 2025 Application Now Open!

NAPABA Connects 2025

Applications Due: July 15, 2025

We’re excited to announce that the in-house counsel application is now open for NAPABA Connects, our premier program designed exclusively for in-house counsel NAPABA members who register for Convention and to Solo and Small Firm, Gold, or higher-level sponsors.

Through NAPABA Connects, in-house counsel will be matched with law firm attorneys for one-on-one meetings, giving you the opportunity to expand and diversify your preferred provider network. In addition to the opportunity to meet with new outside counsel, NAPABA will be offering in-house counsel the opportunity to meet with existing preferred provider firms. These curated meetings are designed to foster connection and long-term collaboration. By participating, both in-house counsel and law firm attorneys can strategically grow their networks and support each other’s professional advancement.

Don’t wait to submit your application—this is a program you don’t want to miss!

Please note that participants must be registered for the 2025 NAPABA Convention (November 6–8, Denver, CO). As part of this program, NAPABA will offer participating in-house counsel a partial Convention registration reimbursement depending on the number of meetings you volunteer to participate in. The maximum reimbursement amount is $750.

Questions? Contact programs@napaba.org.

AABANY Dumplings & Discussions Featuring Liz Nie

On June 16, 2025, AABANY held another installment of its Dumplings & Discussion Series. The series presents notable leaders in the legal industry in a fireside chat, in a casual, intimate setting. We were honored to have Liz Nie as our featured guest of the night. Liz is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Acorns, a financial technology company. Throughout the event, attendees enjoyed pork and chive dumplings, shu mai, shrimp rolls, and many other delicious Chinese dishes. AABANY Board Director Jeffrey Mok moderated the discussion.

Over the course of the evening, Liz enthusiastically discussed her journey in the legal profession. She described her personal experiences that led to her current role as General Counsel and her transition into the fintech industry, and offered valuable insights into the industry.

Liz’s discussion elicited many thought-proving questions from all the attendees, resulting in a lively Q&A.

Afterwards, everyone continued to enjoy food and drinks while forming new connections and cultivating old ones at the networking reception. 

Check the AABANY calendar for future editions of the Dumplings & Discussion series.

2025 NAPABA Awards | Celebrating Last Year’s Honorees

Join Us As We Celebrate Our Community

Each year, NAPABA celebrates legal professionals and organizations whose work exemplifies excellence, impact, and leadership in service of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. This year’s honorees will join an illustrious list of past recipients—Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, Rear Admiral A.B. Cruz III (ret. USN), former Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States Neal Katyal, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of Medtronic Ivan Fong, former Mayor of San Francisco Edwin Mah Lee (posthumous), Ambassador Gary Locke, Ambassador Katherine Tai, civil rights attorney Dale Minami, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, Judge Amul Thapar, President of Queens College Frank Wu, and activist and author Helen Zia to name a few—whose achievements have shaped the legal profession and advanced justice nationwide.

With award presentations now thoughtfully spread across the NAPABA Convention to create more meaningful moments of celebration, there’s never been a better time to nominate someone whose work inspires you. Let’s shine a spotlight on the leaders shaping our future.

2024 Award Honorees

2024 President’s Award

Nancy P. LeePriya PurandareWendy C. Shiba

INSPIRE Award

Military & Veteran Service Award

In-House Counsel Leadership Award

Don LiuMarty LorenzoHannah Kim

In-House Counsel Leadership Rising Star

Pro Bono Service
Award

Public Sector
Leadership Award

Stephanie Chu ClausenMuhammad FaridiJin Hee Lee

Women’s Leadership
Award

Manisha M. Sheth

Affiliate of the Year

APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year

Law Firm Community Champion

Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Awards

Joseph J. Centeno

Robert S. Chang

The Honorable Leslie E. Kobayashi

The Honorable Goodwin LiuChristy Goldsmith Romero

Best Under 40 Award

Onchantho Am

Aaron Bains

Aaron Bains

Nyssa P. ChopraMinsuk Han

AABANY IP Committee Enjoys Malaysian Cuisine at May Dinner

On Monday, May 12, 2025, the AABANY Intellectual Property Committee hosted its monthly dinner, this time at Rasa, a Malaysian restaurant located in Greenwich Village. Members and guests gathered to enjoy an evening of flavorful food and engaging conversation.

The dinner provided a relaxed and friendly setting for attendees to connect with others who share an interest in intellectual property law. Participants ranged from seasoned IP practitioners to law students and newcomers to the legal field. The event was open to both AABANY members and non-members, and several first-time attendees joined the group—bringing new energy and fresh perspectives to the table.

Over plates of satay, roti, and nasi lemak, conversations covered recent developments in IP law, career paths in the field, and opportunities for collaboration within the AABANY community. The dinner also offered a great chance for committee members to catch up and welcome new faces into the fold.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the evening a success! The IP Committee looks forward to hosting more dinners and events in the coming months. New members are always welcome—bring a friend and join us next time!

To learn more about the IP Committee and how you can participate, visit the IP Committee’s page on the AABANY website.

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the May 31st Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn

We extend our sincere gratitude to Volunteers, AABANY, Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and the Chinese-American Planning Council, for your invaluable contributions to the Pro Bono Legal Clinic held in Brooklyn on May 31, 2025. Thanks to your dedication, we were able to assist 21 clients with a wide range of legal concerns, including housing, matrimonial and family law, probate, personal injury, workers’ compensation, immigration, tax, business fraud, public benefits, and civil litigation.

Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated exceptional patience and commitment in addressing client questions, offering guidance, and connecting them with further legal support through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are proud to offer our services in both Mandarin and Cantonese, allowing us to continue our mission of providing crucial support to individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers in accessing quality legal care.

Thank you to our volunteer attorneys at the May 31st Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Francis Chin
Jenny Dai
Kwok Ng
Shuyao Wang
Yilan Wang
May Wong
Gary Yeung
Jungeun (Evelyn) Yu
Interpreters & Shadowers
Sam Chen
Jingjuan Guo
Nandar Win Kerr
Nikita Kohli
Samuel Liu
Albert Tong

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! Have a wonderful weekend!

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

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the May 21st Pro Bono Clinic in Manhattan

We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on May 21st, 2025.

During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 10 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, and nuisance issues. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

Thank you to our volunteer attorneys at the May 21st Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Ming Cheung
Francis Chin
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Jasmine Sripa
Kenny Ip
Interpreters & Shadowers
Albert Tong
Collette Chang
Sisu Chou
Emily Kam
Kenny Ip

We invite you to join us for our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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

AABANY Members and Friends March in the Fourth Annual AAPI Cultural and Heritage Parade

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, AABANY members and friends marched together in the Fourth Annual AAPI Cultural and Heritage Parade in Midtown Manhattan.

Around noon, our group gathered on West 44th Street and Sixth Ave near the New York City Bar Association building to line up for the parade. As everyone was arriving, the street filled with marchers anticipating the start of the procession, many practicing their dances, taking pictures with their groups, and enjoying conversation with the organizations around them.

As we did in last year’s parade, we wore matching red and new blue t-shirts, the front showcasing the AABANY logo and website link on the back pointing to the AABANY Pro Bono website. To attract more attention, AABANY Immediate Past President Joseph Eng Jr., along with his son Max and friends from Summit, NJ, brought a Chinese lion head and a drum to perform a traditional Chinese Lion Dance during the parade. While waiting for the parade to begin, other marchers took pictures with the lion and enjoyed the music and dance as Joe, Max, and friends practiced for their performance. They also taught any willing members of our group how to do a lion dance and play the drums.

In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chair Jack Chen came with his son Cameron, who led AABANY marchers with his spirited dance moves, walking in front of the AABANY group. 

Around 1:30 pm, we saw the floats in the front begin to move, and excitement rose among our group as our time to march in the parade drew near. Once we reached the entry point on Sixth Avenue, the drum was beating and the sun was shining, making it the perfect time to walk along the avenue with pride. Everyone was enjoying the 10-block march, especially as we got to see the performances of other groups and the fancy fast cars that formed the procession.

After the parade, several of the participants enjoyed a family-style lunch at Tang Pavilion on West 55th Street. The delicious meal at Tang Pavilion hit the spot, capping off a gorgeous Sunday for a parade along Sixth Avenue, making up for the long wait for the parade to start.

Thanks to everyone who marched with AABANY, and thanks especially to Joe, his son Max, and their friends, who provided the lion dance for our group. Special kudos go to Cameron for so enthusiastically leading from the front in his Captain America outfit!

To see more photos from the event, go here.