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AABANY and AALFNY Partner with CMP to Empower Entrepreneurs Through Legal Know-How

On October 18th, 2025, the Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP) held its Annual Entrepreneurship Training.  The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) partnered with CMP to deliver a legal workshop on Business Entity Formation and Partnership Agreements, designed to assist small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Thanks to May Wong, former Co-Chair of the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and Nandar Win Kerr, Treasurer and Consultant to the PBCS Committee for providing invaluable insights on the crucial topics of business entity formation and partnership agreements, equipping aspiring and current entrepreneurs with the foundational legal knowledge necessary for success.

The engaging training covered essential aspects of choosing the right business structure, including understanding the implications of diverse entity classification and the critical components of strong partnership agreements. Attendees gained a clearer picture of how to protect their businesses, navigate legal complexities, cultivate productive collaborations and promote a sustainable business model.

Many immigrants arrive in the United States seeking better economic prospects and face barriers to traditional employment, such as language barriers and lack of local networks. CMP offers employment support to people from all walks of life, including immigrants and second-generation immigrants. CMP also hosts comprehensive entrepreneurial workshops and seminars, provides one-on-one consulting services to small business clients, and refers clients to partnering resource organizations for government assistance, legal consultation, financial literacy, and micro-lending. 

Wong and Kerr also highlighted the availability of free 30-minute legal consultations through the PBCS Committee’s legal clinics in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. These clinics, co-sponsored by AABANY and AALFNY offer accessible legal guidance to the community. The PBCS Committee encourages pro bono legal service from AABANY members, informs the community of their legal rights, and works with other not-for-profits to bring free or low-cost legal services to the AAPI, immigrant, and other New York communities. AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (“LRIS”) connects members of the New York community with qualified legal counsel, overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers and increasing the accessibility of legal referral services in the Greater New York area for an underserved demographic.

We believe that empowering entrepreneurs with legal education is vital for fostering thriving businesses and communities. As a gesture of our appreciation and support, all attendees were presented with special Pro Bono Clinic items at the conclusion of the training, a small token to remind them of the resources available to them and the importance of legal guidance in their entrepreneurial journey.

AABANY collaborates with CMP to create this legal workshop to help small business owners and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. AABANY also helps provide legal advice to small business owners and young entrepreneurs at our upcoming legal clinics. We invite you to join AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics taking place on: 

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

November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

A big thank you to CMP for their continued dedication to fostering entrepreneurship, and to all the attendees for their enthusiasm and engagement. We look forward to future collaborations that uplift and empower our community.

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AABANY Committees Present Pickleball Night, Co-Sponsored by Citizens Bank

On October 16, 2025, AABANY’s Corporate Law Committee, In-House Counsel Committee, Mentorship Committee, and Government Service and Public Interest Committee, in collaboration with Citizens Private Bank, held Pickleball Night at Gotham Pickle (5-25 46th Ave., Long Island City, New York 11101). The event brought together professionals and AABANY members for an evening of networking, community building, and fun competition and conversation.

The event welcomed both seasoned players and first-time pickleball enthusiasts, creating an inclusive atmosphere where attendees learned together and competed in friendly matches. The event provided a unique opportunity for members to connect outside the traditional professional setting, while enjoying one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

Brandon Martinez from Gotham Pickle coached our group and taught us about the no-volley zone or the “kitchen,” serving in doubles, the two-bounce rule, keeping score, and best practices and strategy to win a rally.

Throughout the evening, the players rotated between courts and teams to allow for a mix of playing experience and so that people were able to meet new people, helping to foster meaningful connections among peers from diverse practice areas and career stages. Each game went to 11, and the players with the most wins reached the finals.

Huge congratulations to Alysha Naik and Don Liu for reaching the finals and winning the prizes!

Special thanks to Citizens Private Bank for their support! Citizens Private Banking offers a personal, relationship-driven approach to managing wealth. Every client is paired with a dedicated relationship manager who takes the time to understand their goals, priorities, and financial vision.

Private Banking clients benefit from:

  • Dedicated Relationship Managers who provide proactive, one-on-one guidance.
  • Custom Lending Solutions for real estate, investments, and liquidity needs.
  • Comprehensive Wealth Strategies, in partnership with our investment and planning specialists.
  • Priority Service and Access to exclusive products and premium benefits.

With Citizens, private banking isn’t just about managing assets – it’s about building a trusted partnership that grows with each client over time.

To learn more, connect with Steve Shin, Private Banker (steve.shin@citizensprivatebank.com).

Additional thanks to Rokstar Chicken for catering from their location at 42-02 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101 (in front of Food Bazaar Supermarket).

To learn more about the Corporate Law Committee, click here. To learn more about the In-House Counsel Committee, click here. To learn more about the Mentorship Committee, click here. To learn more about the Government Service and Public Interest Committee, click here. To stay informed about all upcoming events hosted by these committees, as well as other exciting AABANY events, we encourage you to visit the calendar on AABANY’s website for the latest information.

If you aren’t an AABANY member yet – consider joining!  AABANY membership allows you access to many more events like this one, and also free or discounted admission. Please see this page to learn more about member benefits, and sign up on AABANY’s website.

Thank you to everyone for joining us at the Pickleball Night. We hope to see you again at a future event soon.

Written by Johnny Thach, Co-Chair, Government Service and Public Interest Committee.

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AABANY Joins CPC Brooklyn’s Harvest Moon Benefit to Celebrate Community Partnership

On October 23, 2025, members of AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic joined the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Brooklyn Branch for its annual Harvest Moon Benefit, held at New Phoenix Seafood Restaurant (912 65th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219). The event brought together community leaders, partners, and supporters for an evening celebrating culture, service, and collaboration.

AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic volunteers — Victoria Cheng, Judy Lee, Albert Tong, Jameson Xu, Nandar Win Kerr, May Wong, and Kwok Kei Ng — represented AABANY at the banquet. The group was warmly welcomed by CPC staff and community members in attendance.

The Harvest Moon Benefit highlighted CPC’s decades-long work serving Brooklyn’s immigrant and working-class communities through programs in education, family services, workforce development, and senior care. AABANY was proud to celebrate this partnership: CPC Brooklyn generously provides the space that makes the Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic possible. At the Pro Bono Clinic, which occurs every other month, volunteer attorneys and students assist community members navigating complex legal issues involving housing, employment, family, and consumer matters.

This lively and heartfelt evening reflected the collaboration between AABANY and CPC Brooklyn — both focused on promoting access to justice, empowering immigrant families, and building stronger neighborhoods.

AABANY extends its deepest thanks to CPC Brooklyn for the invitation and for their ongoing support of our clinic and the communities we serve.

Those interested in volunteering at AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic can visit probono.aabany.org to learn more and register here for the next Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic to be held on November 8.

— Written by Kwok Kei Ng, Co-Chair, Pro Bono & Community Service Committee

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Intellectual Property Committee and Student Outreach Committee Present “Careers in Intellectual Property” Panel

On the evening of October 17, the AABANY Student Outreach and Intellectual Property Committees presented the Careers in Intellectual Property Panel, held at Wilson Sonini Goodrich & Rosati. The program featured Gregory Pan (Nolan Heimann; Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Committee) specializing in consumer products and entertainment, Joseph Eng (King & Spalding; Immediate Past President of AABANY) specializing in patent litigation, Jing Wang (Wilson Sonsini) specializing in patent prosecution, and Gina Kim (Zoetis) who shared her in-house patent experience.

All panelists spoke about their career paths into intellectual property and the work they handle day to day. Joseph and Jing, who both have PhDs in Chemistry, talked about their transition into pursuing law. Gregory and Gina shared their experiences working both in-house and in firms. In addition, Gregory and Jing shared their thoughts on the impact of emerging technologies such as AI on intellectual property.

Students not only learned about the wide spectrum of intellectual property work but also gained valuable and practical advice that included important skills worth building as junior level associates and qualities that help candidates stand out in the job process. At the end of the program, all of the panelists shared what they found most rewarding from their work and networked with attendees.

AABANY’s Student Outreach and Intellectual Property Committees extend their gratitude to Wilson Sonsini for the venue, everyone who made this event possible, and to the panelists for sharing their time and experience.

To learn more about AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee, click here. To learn more about AABANY’s Intellectual Property Committee, click here. To find out about upcoming events like this, please visit the calendar on AABANY’s website.

– written by Ariel Zhang, AABANY Student Outreach Committee Vice-Chair

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NAPABA Trailblazer Sandra Leung to Receive ABA Spirit of Excellence Award

For Immediate Release:
October 20, 2025		Contact:
Priya Purandare
Executive Director, NAPABA

WASHINGTON — The American Bar Association’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession has announced that past NAPABA President Sandra Leung will receive the 2026 Spirit of Excellence Award. Each year, the ABA honors lawyers who have excelled in their fields and who have demonstrated an abiding commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Earlier this year, NAPABA announced Sandra Leung as a recipient of its highest honor, the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award, in recognition of her achievements, commitment, and leadership in paving the way for advancement of other Asian Pacific, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander lawyers.

An accomplished attorney, prosecutor, C-suite advisor, and champion for justice, Sandra Leung has broken down barriers in a distinguished career that saw her become the first Asian American woman to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, and the first Asian American and the first woman to serve as general counsel for the global biopharmaceutical giant Bristol Meyers Squibb. As one of ten children born to Chinese immigrant parents who operated a Chinese restaurant in Stamford, Connecticut, and whose neighbors had circulated a petition in an attempt to block her family from moving in, Sandra Leung has displayed a lifelong commitment to speaking up for those facing inequality and prejudice.  

“Sandy Leung has blazed trails and set a remarkably high standard of achievement and excellence for our bar,” said NAPABA President Thy B. Bui. “Not only has she walked the talk in terms of her dedication to uplifting attorneys of all backgrounds in the legal profession, but her unapologetic public commitment to diversity and justice has been an inspiration for me as president of NAPABA and for so many others.”

Over more than a three-decade long career at Bristol Meyers Squibb, Sandra built and led a world class team of approximately 200 attorneys and 480 professionals across 35 countries. Among her many accomplishments, she takes greatest pride in her unwavering commitment to nurturing diverse talent at every level of the profession—beginning with the BMS internship program she helped cultivate and which has now been aptly renamed the Sandra Leung Program on Law and Leadership in recognition of her enduring impact.

In addition to her tenure at Bristol Myers Squibb, Sandra has devoted her time, energy, and expertise to advancing the mission of numerous nonprofit organizations. She served on NAPABA’s Board of Governors from 2021 to 2024 and as NAPABA President from 2022 to 2023, where she worked to strengthen and expand the organization’s reach.

“Sandy’s deep commitment to our bar and the legal profession derives from a lifetime of advocacy for diversity and underserved communities,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “I am grateful to Sandy for her leadership in not only guiding NAPABA with steady wisdom through a tremendous period of growth but also her dedication to advancing AANHPI lawyers and the communities they serve.”

Also receiving the 2026 Spirit of Excellence Award are:

  • Hon. Marcella Holland, Circuit Administrative Judge, Baltimore City (ret.);
  • Loren Kieve, Principal, Kieve Law Offices;
  • Rosevelie Márquez Morales, Chief Inclusion Officer, Hogan Lovells;
  • Hector Villagra, Vice President of Policy Advocacy and Community Education, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

The 2026 Spirit of Excellence Awards will be presented during a ceremony at the 2026 ABA Midyear Meeting on February 7, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

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Paralegal Pathways Initiative Offers Training Program Opportunity for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

Paralegal Pathways Initiative (PPI) at Columbia Law School is a semester-long training program aimed at supporting formerly incarcerated individuals to transition into careers within the legal field. Through skills-based legal training and professional mentorship, PPI empowers participants to develop valuable career and interview skills. 

PPI is now accepting applications for their upcoming Spring 2026 class, and wants to extend this opportunity to as many potential applicants as possible. Please reach out to (ppi@law.columbia.edu) if you know of anyone who may be interested or are interested yourself!

Eligibility Criteria

  • 18 years old or older
  • Have at least a GED or a high school diploma
  • Can commute to New York City
  • At least one year post-release
  • Interest in the legal field

Application Deadline

Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 11:59 PM

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the October 15th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

We extend our sincere gratitude to AAFE, AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on October 15th, 2025.

During the clinic, our volunteers provided free legal services and information to 16 clients, addressing a range of matters including housing, immigration, family and matrimonial, estate and property. 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.

We thank all the volunteers at the October 15th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and dedication:

Volunteer Attorneys:

  • Yen Yi Anderson
  • Jack (Zixu) Hsia
  • Justin Lee
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Arthur Lin
  • Jieman Tan
  • Anthony Wong
  • Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers:

  • Kaleah Haddock
  • Emily Kam
  • Nikita Kohli
  • Qi (Ellie) Wang
  • Ruixuan Yi
  • Shang Zhai
  • Wendy Zeng

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

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

November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.

December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! To learn more about how you can get involved with AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, visit probono.aabany.org.

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AABANY Committees Come Together for GCs Uncorked

On September 30, 2025, AABANY hosted a special evening of wine tasting and live music at Saltwater NYC, a cozy coffee shop and wine bar co-owned by Sumeet Chugani, General Counsel at Cloaked. The packed event brought together senior in-house counsel and AABANY members for an intimate and engaging night of conversation and connection.

With curated wine selections and a relaxed ambiance, Saltwater provided the perfect backdrop for an evening of relaxed conversation, shared stories, and new connections among AAPI legal professionals and allies.

Thanks to the co-sponsoring AABANY committees; click to learn more about each one:

Thank you to Sumeet and the Saltwater staff for hosting a memorable and fun night.  We look forward to more events that foster connection within our vibrant community.

To stay informed about all upcoming events hosted by these committees, as well as other exciting AABANY events, we encourage you to visit the calendar on AABANY’s website for the latest information.

– written by Jeffrey Mok, AABANY Intellectual Property Committee Co-Chair and Board Director

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Tax and Trusts & Estates Committee Gather for Joint Dinner at Tang Pavilion

On October 16, 2025, tax and trusts & estate professionals convened for a highly anticipated joint committee dinner. The event welcomed a diverse group of AABANY members and non-members, including ambitious students and experienced professionals contemplating a career transition into these specialized legal fields. The evening served as a dynamic platform for invaluable knowledge exchange, with discussions spanning a broad spectrum of critical topics such as strategic career advancement, recent legislative updates, and effective practice management strategies.

The group met at Tang Pavilion, which provided a cozy and inviting atmosphere perfectly conducive to engaging conversations and reconnecting with peers. Attendees delighted in a culinary journey featuring an array of delectable dishes, thoughtfully selected by those present. The group savored perennial favorites like the crispy sesame chicken, the flavorful mapo tofu, and perfectly prepared string beans. Complementing the exquisite meal, guests enjoyed a selection of fine wines and refreshing Sapporo beer, creating a perfect ambiance to unwind and socialize after a busy workday. The camaraderie and shared enjoyment truly enhanced the collaborative spirit of the evening.

The Trusts and Estates Committee holds regular virtual meetings, dedicated to discussing topics of interest to its members, with the next meeting scheduled for November 7, 2025. For more details and to register for this upcoming meeting, please click here. To delve deeper into the activities and mission of the Trusts & Estates committee, further information is available here. Similarly, to learn more about the Tax Committee and its initiatives, please click here. To stay informed about all upcoming events hosted by these two committees, as well as other exciting AABANY events, we encourage you to visit the calendar on AABANY’s website for the latest information.

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Students Learn about Careers in Restructuring at a Panel on October 10

On October 10, 2025, AABANY’s Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring and Student Outreach Committees held a Careers in Restructuring panel, generously hosted by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

The program featured three restructuring attorneys: Helen Zhang (Davis Polk), Ismail Buffins (Weil), and Livy Mezei (Greenberg Traurig). The discussion was moderated by Albert Tong, Chair of the Student Outreach Committee. 

The panelists shared how they became interested in restructuring and explained the differences between Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 cases, in-court versus out-of-court restructurings, and liability management exercises. They also discussed how representing debtors and creditors requires distinct strategies and priorities. Students gained practical insight into what a “day in the life” looks like for restructuring associates, the evolving skills needed to succeed, and advice for preparing to enter the field. The conversation also touched on current trends, including cross-border matters and liability-management transactions. 


The event concluded with a networking reception where attendees were able to network and connect with both the panelists and other law students and attorneys in attendance. AABANY’s Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring and Student Outreach Committees extend their gratitude to Weil and everyone who made this event possible, and to the panelists for sharing their time and experience.

To learn more about AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee, click here. To learn more about AABANY’s Commercial Bankruptcy & Restructuring Committee, click here. To find out about upcoming events like this, please visit the calendar on AABANY’s website.

 written by Albert Tong, AABANY Student Outreach Committee Chair

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