The coronavirus has disrupted normal business practices for many of us. We at NAPABA recognize that our members have been pulled in many different directions to adjust to changes in work environments.
With that in mind, we’re extending our deadline for the 2020 NAPABA Convention Call for Programs to March 23 at 5 p.m. ET to give you more time to submit.
On March 11, 2020, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) sent two letters to House and Senate leadership, urging them to call for unity and publicly denounce the increase in racist attacks and discrimination against the Asian American community, in the wake of rising concerns over the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
AABANY is proud to be among the signatories for these letters. While we recognize the growing public health and economic threat the virus poses, we believe our leadership needs to be grounded in truth and committed to taking on racism and xenophobia directly.
On Wednesday, March 3rd, AABANY’s Student Outreach committee collaborated with Cardozo Law School’s Asian-Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) to host a panel on “How to Network.” The panelists included Margaret Ling, Senior Counsel at Big Apple Abstract Corp., Tiffany Ma, Partner at Young & Ma LLP, and Jeff Ikejiri, Vice President of Legal and Business Services at UnitedLex. The moderator was Aakruti Vakharia, Associate at Garwin Gerstein & Fisher LLP and Co-Chair of the Student Outreach Committee.
Tiffany Ma spoke about her journey from a mid-tier law school to her lateral move to Morrison & Foerster, advising Cardozo law students to take advantage of their location in New York to build their networks and make themselves more competitive. She believes that “the best marketing is sincerity” and she shared her personal technique of establishing three points of commonality with new connections to help others remember her when she follows up with them afterwards.
Margaret Ling also shared a tip to have different business cards—company, personal, school, etc.—so that students can present the best side of themselves in different contexts. Margaret emphasized the importance of doing one’s homework and being aware of social cultural etiquette, always staying as humble as possible throughout the process.
Jeff Ikejiri advised students to think of networking as making friends. He told the story of how he got his current job through someone he met in line for refreshments during a break at a convention years ago. He encouraged students to be similarly outgoing and open to making new connections as well as being proactive in following up with potential connections.
Cardozo law students of all years came to hear insights and tips from the experienced practitioners. Those in attendance found the discussion thoughtful and engaging.
Thanks to Cardozo’s APALSA for co-hosting the event and providing food for the attendees. We hope to host many similar events in the future as AABANY continues to extend its outreach to students in law schools across New York.
The Korean Channel (TKC) News, New York and New Jersey’s Korean news channel, recently covered a press conference leading up to AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinic in Queens conducted in coordination with Sandra Ung, New York State Committeewoman.
TKC News elaborated on how AABANY plans to provide free legal assistance to Asian-American community members who face significant language barriers and financial obstacles. The Queens Pro Bono Clinic will be held in Ms. Ung’s Flushing Office and will continue on a monthly basis until June. The upcoming March 17th Pro Bono Clinic will focus primarily on Housing Law, the April 15th Clinic on Immigration Law, the May 20th Clinic on Elder Law and Public Benefits, and the June 17th Clinic on Family/Matrimonial/Education Law.
TKC News interviewed Ms. Ung who expressed her appreciation working with AABANY to provide free legal services through her office. Additionally, the channel expanded on the criminal defense experiences of Eugene Love Kim, a regular volunteer at AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, and touched on how his early life has spurred him to stand for his community.
In an interview with TKC, Mr. Kim stressed that in times of increasing racial tensions because of the Coronavirus outbreak it is important for the members of the Asian-American community to stand in solidarity with one another. As someone who has had the privilege of becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kim believes that he and others like him have a responsibility to help all Asian Americans in need of legal services to provide a brighter future for later generations. The news coverage ends with a request for all viewers in need of services to call to make an appointment.
Read more about the Queens Pro Bono Clinic in the press release.
Thanks to the Network of Bar Leaders for sharing this important announcement about the Presumptive ADR Program:
The NYS Unified Court System has launched the Presumptive ADR Program, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) initiative, which will expand existing ADR programs and develop appropriate dispute resolution programs in a broad range of civil cases statewide.
These programs will address various case types and will be implemented systemwide. Some programs will rely on the existing network of ADR programs while others will seek to develop or expand rosters of neutrals who meet the requirements of Part 146 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge. Courts may be seeking neutrals for assistance in areas that may include matrimonial and family law, personal injury, trusts and estates and commercial matters.
The court system is seeking to improve diversity in the court rosters and increase outreach in all judicial districts. The Network of Bar Leaders is in a unique position to help promote ADR practitioners through this recruitment tool.
We encourage prospective neutrals to submit their information on or before March 20, 2020 by completing and submitting the online form at this link: https://forms.gle/SqnP8AG8irbfqt2a9so that it can be aggregated and provided to the court system to make outreach more efficient when the time comes.
The information you provide will be forwarded to the NYS Unified Court System’s ADR office and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge’s Special Counsel for ADR Initiatives for Courts within NYC and Outside NYC, for their further consideration when the initiative reaches that stage.
Please note that the court system will contact only those respondents whose professional background, formal training, ADR and subject matter experience, and geographic availability meet the current needs of a particular roster. The court system will also communicate directly with you at a later date if they are in need of any additional information.
SBA Disaster Loans Would be Made Available for Virus-Impacted Firms
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), the First Vice Chair of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Rep. Nydia M.
Velázquez (D-NY), the
Chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, and Rep. Judy Chu
(D-CA), the Chairwoman of CAPAC, have introduced legislation aimed at
assisting small businesses that suffer economic harm from the
coronavirus outbreak.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy in Queens and throughout New York City,”
said Meng. “They enhance our neighborhoods, bring investment and innovation to local communities, and provide jobs to area residents.
But
concerns about the coronavirus have hit many small businesses hard. In
fact, I have heard from many Asian American-owned small business owners
in my district that they are
severely struggling. We cannot let them suffer. Government must be a strong partner in helping
small
businesses succeed and we must not abandon them in their time of need. I
call on all my colleagues to immediately pass this legislation so that
our entrepreneurs and small
businesses can get back on track. When small businesses succeed,
America succeeds!”
“Small businesses around the country and in New York City are beginning to feel the economic effects of the coronavirus,”
said Velázquez. “Many of our Asian-owned businesses in New York
have already experienced a decline in sales due to misinformation, fear
and stigma associated with the virus. The bill we’ve authored will help
businesses access federal loans if they suffer
losses related to the outbreak.”
“The
spread of COVID-19 has nothing to do with race or ethnicity, but that
has not stopped dangerous misinformation and xenophobia from spreading
faster than the
disease itself,” said Chu. “In my district, some Asian-owned
businesses are reporting a 50% drop in customers, and that’s the case
elsewhere around the country as well. For instance, in New York City,
before there was even a single case of COVID-19,
some restaurants saw as much as an 80% decline in customers. We have
even seen instances of illegal, fraudulent letters that baselessly urge
people to avoid Asian-owned businesses. These are serious losses that
can have long-lasting impacts on our local economies.
We cannot let misinformation and fear ruin communities and businesses.
This bill would help by providing necessary assistance to help our
Asian-owned businesses continue to operate in the face of a disaster
they had no control over.”
Economists
recently lowered the global forecasts for major economies from 2.6
percent to 2.4 percent. Much of the recent slowing of the economy is
linked to the
coronavirus, which has weakened demand in travel and tourism. Besides
the decline in foot traffic for many retailers and restaurants,
particularly those in Chinese communities, small firms have experienced
challenges related to their supply chains. Companies
sourcing products and services from China have had delays or complete
cancellations of orders, resulting in lower profits for the
company. Besides these challenges, small firms must start the process of
preparing their companies for the potential to have employees
become infected and remain home or telework. In many instances, a small
employer may be unable to absorb the additional workforce reductions
without a coinciding loss in productivity.
Under
the bill, the “Small Business Relief from Communicable Disease Induced
Economic Hardship Act,” small businesses would be able to access
Economic Injury Disaster
Loans of up $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating
expenses, which would otherwise have been met if it were not for the
virus’ spread. The bill specifies that the loans would be interest free.
Companies that are major employers could be
potentially eligible for larger loans.
“Properly
preparing for the impact of the coronavirus requires a multi-front
strategy and that includes being ready to address the very real economic
fallout we
may see,” Velázquez added. “This legislation would be a good first step
to help our small firms in New York and around the nation who sustain
economic injury from COVID-19. I look forward to working with my
colleagues to advance this measure.”
The Criminal Justice Act/Pro Bono Committee is accepting applications for the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel. The deadline to be considered for appointment in 2020 is April 30, 2020.
Pro Bono Panel members will, at the Court’s invitation or on a litigant’s motion for appointment of counsel, represent pro se litigants in civil appeals that present issues of first impression, complex issues of law or fact, or potentially meritorious claims warranting further briefing and oral argument. Pro bono representation will be provided to litigants who would otherwise be unable to pay for counsel and are ineligible for the appointment of counsel pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.
Cases in which pro bono counsel will be appointed cover a broad range of legal issues, including prisoner civil rights, labor and employment, discrimination, social security, immigration, and tax law.
Applicants must be admitted to and members in good standing of the Bar of the Second Circuit or have an admission application pending before this Court, and have at least three years of appellate litigation experience. Pro Bono Panel members will serve for a three-year term.
Pro Bono Panel members who were appointed by the Court in 2017 for a three-year term must submit a new application if they wish to remain on the Panel.
An application package must contain a resume, a written application (available on the Court’s website at http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov) and three writing samples, preferably appellate briefs on which the applicant was the primary author. These materials must be submitted to David Bober, Director of Legal Affairs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, by April 30, 2020.
The Plan for the Appointment of Pro Bono Counsel and the application form are available click here.
NEW YORK – March 5, 2020 – On the heels of its success in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is getting ready to expand its Pro Bono Legal Clinic to Queens.
According to the 2010 Census, of the over one million people identified as Asian American in New York City, nearly half live in Queens. Located in the heart of Flushing, the Queens Clinic will be available every third week of the month with a specific focus each month on housing, immigration, elder law, or family and matrimonial law. Interpreters in Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese), Korean, Japanese, and other languages will be available during the one-on-one consultation with a volunteer attorney. Karen Lin will be volunteering her time to serve as Coordinator of the Queens Clinic.
The Clinic will be held in collaboration with New York State Committeewoman Sandra Ung, a longtime resident of Queens and leading community advocate. Ms. Ung stated: “Having a free legal clinic in Queens, where there will be translators, gives an opportunity for those who simply do not know where to turn when encountering a legal problem, a place where their concerns can be heard. This Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Queens is the first step in helping our community better understand their legal rights. Thank you to AABANY for this partnership and making this clinic available to our Flushing community.”
“As members of the legal profession, our members have achieved their career goals through the struggles of their immigrant parents and grandparents,” states AABANY President Brian Song. “Now it’s time to give back. Many people in our neighborhoods do not have access to reliable information and assistance about legal processes and available legal resources. We can provide assistance in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner, so that the community understands their rights and remedies. Thank you to our committed volunteers.”
AABANY’s Pro Bono Legal Clinic opened in 2015 to serve members of the Asian Pacific American community who have limited English proficiency (“LEP”) so that they can have meaningful access to justice. Mobilizing the skills and experience of AABANY’s diverse membership, the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee has spearheaded the Clinic’s effort in helping nearly 2,000 LEP individuals in the vast yet underserved Asian American community in New York through its Clinics in Manhattan’s Chinatown and Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhoods. The Manhattan Clinic takes place on the second Wednesday of each month at the Community Room, 33 Bowery Street. The Brooklyn Clinic takes place on the fourth Thursday of every other month at A+ Academy, 6802 8th Avenue. (If a community member is interested in attending these Clinics, please contact judy.lee@aabany.org to double-check their dates and for any additional updates.)
The New York State Bar Association recently awarded the Pro Bono Legal Clinic with its prestigious New York State Bar Association Bar Leaders Innovation Award, in recognition of the impactful work done to provide legal assistance, community education programs, and outreach. AABANY’s theme for its upcoming fiscal year, “Stronger Together: Unity in Diversity,” is especially fitting as the Pro Bono Clinic expands to Queens, the most ethnically and diverse county in the United States, with 138 languages spoken throughout the borough.
The first Queens Clinic will be held on March 17 at the office of the New York State Committeewoman located at 135-15 40th Road, Flushing, New York 11354, on the topic of Housing Law. Subsequent Clinics will be held on the third Tuesday of each month, and the subsequent clinics already scheduled are on April 15 (Immigration Law); May 20 (Elder Law and Public Benefits); and June 17, 2020 (Family, Matrimonial, and Education Law). Community members seeking legal assistance must call to make an appointment at (347) 391-6463 (English and Chinese speakers), (516) 690-7724 (Korean language speakers), or (845) 450-0726 (Japanese language speakers). Appointments will be made based on availability. Please note that walk-ins will not be permitted at the Queens Clinic.
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (646) 653-2168, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
Asian American Studies Center at Hunter College Wednesday, March 11th 5pm – 7pm
Hunter College West Building, 3rd Floor Glass Cafeteria 904 Lexington Ave and 68th Street Guests will need a photo ID to enter the building
More than half of all college students in the United States are first-generation college students (neither parent had a bachelor’s degree). At Hunter College, more than a third of the undergraduates are the first members of their families to attend college. Join this exciting discussion to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of being a first-generation college student from faculty members, who went from being the first in their families to attend college to being professors teaching and mentoring the next generation of students.
The Panelists
Margaret M. Chin Associate Professor of Sociology, Hunter College & CUNY Graduate Center Hung Cam Thai Professor of Sociology & Asian American Studies, Pomona College & CUNY Thomas Tam Visiting Professor (2019-2020) Van Tran Associate Professor of Sociology, CUNY Graduate Center, Hunger College Class of 2004
Moderator
Vivian Louie Professor of Urban Policy & Director fo Asian American Studies, Hunter College
On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, AABANY hosted its 2020 Annual Dinner with the theme “Stronger Together: Unity in Diversity” at Cipriani Wall Street. The dinner attracted over 800 attorneys, judges, prosecutors, in-house counsel, government officials, and dignitaries and sponsorships from more than 60 law firms and corporations.
This year AABANY was proud to honor:
Hon. Sri Srinivasan, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, with the Public Interest Leadership Award.
Alan Tse, Global Chief Legal Officer, Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc., with the Corporate Leadership Award
Yen Chu, Chief Legal Officer, Equinox Holdings, Inc., with the Women’s Leadership Award
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with the Law Firm Diversity Award
To read more about our extraordinary honorees, read the press release here.
This year, Spectrum NY1 News Anchor Vivian Lee served as MC and was joined on stage by Immediate Past President James Cho.
James presented each of the honorees with special gifts from AABANY. Noting that Alan Tse was considered by his peers to be “The Closer,” James presented him with a bottle of McCallan, a nod to Attorney Harvey Specter from “Suits,” another well-known “Closer.” However, because Alan had to fly back to Chicago, the full-size bottle was replaced with a miniature size, with a ziploc bag that will ensure the bottle gets through security. (We have a feeling that the bottle was consumed well before Alan made it to the airport.)
For Yen Chu, James presented her with a monogrammed workout head towel for her next session at one of Equinox’s many gyms. That is one way to make sure that AABANY is “top of mind” for Yen in the days to come. Finally, for Chief Judge Srinivasan, we figured that as a jurist, he can never have too many robes, so James presented him a wizard’s robe, bearing his name above the Gryffindor crest. Although we doubt we will see Chief Judge Srinivasan wearing that robe on the bench any time soon, we can imagine him donning the robe in chambers, especially on those occasions where he may need to work some judicial wizardry to decide the most difficult cases.
In addition, we were also pleased to present the 2019 class of Don H. Liu Scholars: Grace Cho, Raymond Magsaysay, and Andrew Tran. To read more about the Don H. Liu Scholars, see our press release here.
Congratulations also to the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. The Pro Bono Clinic was recognized with the New York State Bar Association Bar Leaders Innovation Award. NYSBA President Hank Greenberg attended the Annual Dinner to present the award. To read more about the award, see our press release here.
We thank all of the AABANY Annual Dinner Planning Committee members
and volunteers for their hard work in making this year’s celebration a
huge success.
We extend sincere thanks to all of our sponsors. Their generous sponsorships make it possible for us to pursue our mission to advance the interests of the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal community and the communities we serve and support our many activities and signature events throughout the year.
Lastly, we thank everyone that attended the 2020 Annual Dinner and celebrated with us.
Thanks to Corky Lee for the photos in this blog post. More photos to come. Stay tuned!
