On May 5, 2023, the Society of Asian Federal Officers held its 32nd Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet at Golden Unicorn Restaurant. AABANY Board Member, Won Shin, Chief of Appeals, U.S. Attorney’s Office, S.D.N.Y., was awarded Prosecutor of the Year. Charlie Lai and Jack Tchen, Founders of The Museum of Chinese in America (MoCA), received the Civilians of the Year award.
Pictured are (left to right): David Sohn, Karen Kim, Won Shin, Katherine Loanzon and David Chiang.
Congratulations to Won Shin on this well-deserved award and recognition! Click here to read AABANY’s press release on Won Shin being awarded Prosecutor of the Year by the Society of Asian Federal Officers.
The Nominations and Elections Subcommittee is accepting nominations for Officer and Director candidates and applications for At-Large Board Member candidates for the 2023-24 NAPABA Board of Governors through June 30 at 8 pm ET. Officers and Directors are elected positions and At-Large Board Members are appointed to serve.
As the nation’s largest Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) membership organization, NAPABA continues to grow exponentially—maturity, stature, and staff. The NAPABA Board of Governors cultivates the strategic direction of the organization, provides resources to achieve goals and strategy, and exercises oversight ensuring the advancement of NAPABA’s strategic plan. The governing Board of 23 and national staff of eight complement and collaborate with each other—together united with a shared focus on advancing NAPABA’s mission through different perspectives and actions.
NAPABA is committed to having a governing board that reflects the diverse AA and NHPI legal community and has the right blend of skill, expertise, community connections, and diverse perspectives. We value an inclusive culture that embraces our diversity and empowers leaders to engage with each other and the community in a meaningful way by building trust, increasing transparency, and maximizing impact. We seek outstanding individuals of high character and integrity with proven leadership and board governance skills and who have demonstrated a strong commitment to NAPABA. The deadline for Officer and Director nominations and applications for At-Large Board Member candidates is June 30, 2023 at 8:00 pm ET.
To be considered for a NAPABA Officer, Director, or At-Large position, candidates must be a current individual member in good standing as of the date that the nominations or applications are submitted.
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – In response to the troubling rise in state legislative activity attacking an individual’s right to purchase real property based on the purchaser’s citizenship, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) endorses the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act. Introduced today in the United States House of Representatives by Rep. Judy Chu of California, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Rep. Al Green of Texas, the bill would nullify any state law that prohibits or otherwise restricts an individual’s right to purchase real property based merely on that individual’s citizenship.
“NAPABA will not stand idly by when our community, especially those who trace their ancestry to China, becomes the target of ill-advised efforts by state policymakers to strip them of their fundamental rights to pursue a livelihood,” said Sandra Leung, the President of NAPABA.
“These efforts eerily recall ancient alien land laws, which were enacted over a hundred years ago, that barred Asian immigrants from owning land. Such laws belong in the dustbin of history, and they have no place in our nation today. While policymakers are free to address the legitimate national security concerns of the United States, they may not enact discriminatory laws on the backs of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community.”
NAPABA’s support today for the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act coincides with the leadership of NAPABA affiliates across the nation to combat state legislation targeting our community. This past week, the Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association (LAPABA), with NAPABA’s support, opposed legislation that, if enacted, would have barred innocent parties from purchasing or leasing real estate. Similarly, the Alabama Asian Bar Association (AABA), also with NAPABA’s support, led the opposition to a bill in Alabama that would prevent “any individual who is a citizen of China” from purchasing any real estate.
The actions of LAPABA and AABA build on NAPABA’s collaboration with our Florida affiliates – 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 Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association (JAABA) – and our Texas affiliates – the Asian American Bar Association of Houston (AABA Houston), the Austin Asian American Bar Association (Austin AABA), and the Dallas Asian American Bar Association (DAABA) – in combatting similar efforts in Florida and Texas. NAPABA is grateful for their leadership.
NAPABA extends its thanks and appreciation to Chairperson Chu and Rep. Green for introducing the bill.
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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.
NAPABA’s 12th annual Lobby Day, held on May 22-23, 2023, brought together a diverse group of AANHPI attorneys, law students, and community leaders from across the country to advocate for meaningful policy changes and address key issues affecting our community. Together, we engaged in productive discussions, shared compelling stories, and sought to create lasting connections with lawmakers and their staff.
Highlights of our Lobby Day achievements include:
Robust Representation: With nearly 90 participants taking part in 52 meetings with congressional offices, NAPABA demonstrated its strength and its commitment to amplifying AANHPI voices in the halls of power.
Advocacy Training: Prior to the meetings, we organized targeted training sessions to equip our participants with the necessary tools and strategies to effectively communicate our policy priorities.
Policy Priorities: Throughout our meetings, we passionately advocated for key issues at the forefront of our community’s concerns, which included the fair treatment of immigrants, the equal rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and the ability of the AANHPI community to pursue their livelihood. Our collective advocacy efforts ensured that these critical topics received the attention they deserve.
Meaningful Engagements: We met with several influential lawmakers and their staff, fostering meaningful dialogues and building relationships that will continue to be instrumental in advancing our policy objectives. Our Lobby Day participants skillfully articulated our positions, presented compelling arguments, and shared personal stories to humanize the issues we face.
Looking ahead, we will maintain our momentum and continue our advocacy efforts beyond Lobby Day. Learn more about NAPABA’s advocacy at napaba.org/page/advocacy
On Tuesday night, the AABANY Litigation, Membership, and Prosecutors’ Committees hosted a happy hour at Peachy’s, a wonderful AAPI-owned venue in the heart of Chinatown.
The happy hour provided a chance for members and guests of the three committees to reconnect (or connect for the first time) with friends, old and new. It was a welcome opportunity to socialize over delicious craft cocktails and appetizers, especially for those starved for in-person events after the long pandemic.
This event was a great kick-off to the new fiscal year. Thank you for all who joined us for the event, and we hope to see more of you at future events.
Please join the first quarterly meeting of the AABANY Litigation Committee, taking place via Zoom on May 31, to meet the Co-Chairs, hear plans for the upcoming year, share ideas for programs, and learn how you can get more involved. Register by May 30 here.
On May 17, 2023, AABANY held its Manhattan Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Our volunteers met with 17 clients and discussed issues relating to housing, fraud, and government benefits.
Some positive client responses: “I appreciate it so much.” “Good service. I will keep coming monthly.”
The Pro Bono Clinic is organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee. To learn more about the Committee’s work visit here. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated volunteers who made this Pro Bono Clinic a success:
AABANY members are invited to volunteer to serve as judgers and jurors for the High School Mock Trial Program, scheduled for May 20th and 21st. Volunteers can earn three (3) CLE credits in the category of skills.
The upcoming Empire Mock Trial program brings together 600 remarkable high school students from 23 states for a national mock trial competition. Not only is the experience enjoyable because the students are talented, but the case is topical and interesting: it is an original fact pattern inspired by the Alec Baldwin shooting on the Rust movie set.
Trials take place at 10 AM and 3 PM on Saturday (5/20) and Sunday (5/21);
Lawyers don’t need to leave the comfort of their own home (or office) because the trials are all online;
If a lawyer signs-up with a friend, we can ensure that they judge together;
To register, send an email to [email protected] with the following information:
Your name
Trial(s) that you’d like to volunteer for:
Saturday AM (5/20), Saturday PM (5/20), Sunday AM (5/21), Sunday PM (5/21)
On May 1, City & State published their 2023 list of the Power Asian 100 in New York. As stated in the article:
City & State’s Power of Diversity: Asian 100 list features these elected officials and also highlights other power brokers who are managing government agencies, running businesses, advocating for policy changes – and ensuring Asian Americans have a voice at the table.
AABANY is pleased to announce that our Immediate Past President William Ng has been named one of City & State’s Power Asian 100 at 56 on the list.
Please join AABANY in congratulating William Ng along with the following attorneys connected to AABANY (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking):
Sandra Ung, New York City Council Member and Former AABANY Treasurer. (10)
Frank Wu, Queens College’s first President of Asian descent. AABANY honored Frank Wu with the AABANY Impact Award at our 2021 Virtual Gala: Uniting for Justice and Equity. (22)
Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a Sponsor of AABANY for many years. (40)
Asim Rehman, Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge, New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Longtime AABANY Member. (46)
Preet Bharara, Partner, WilmerHale. AABANY honored Preet Bharara, when he was the United States Attorney of the Southern District of New York, at the Annual Dinner in 2015. (48)
Anna Mercado Clark, Partner, Phillips Lytle. Previously served as the Development Director of AABANY during FY2023 and currently President-elect of NAPABA. (78)
Tai Park, Partner, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a long-time sponsor of AABANY. (91)
Vincent Chang, Partner, Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch. First Asian American President of the New York County Lawyers Association and past AABANY President 2007. (96)
AABANY congratulates all the accomplished individuals who appear in City & State’s 2023 Power Asian 100 List.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, AABANY members celebrated AAPI Heritage Month (a few days early) with a night of laughs at the Very Big Very Asian (VBVA) Comedy Festival at the Broadway Comedy Club on West 53rd Street. Nearly 30 AABANY members and friends enjoyed a hilarious and wildly entertaining lineup of standup comedians of Asian descent. As was the case for the VBVA Festival in 2022, the jokes continued to be “Very Big” and “Very Asian.”
Shoutout to James Han, the VBVA team and Broadway Comedy Club for putting together a great show and giving AABANY front row seats. Broadway Comedy Club regularly hosts special comedy events featuring AAPI comedians throughout the year – please check them out.
Congrats to Vishal Chander on winning the raffle, a swag bag of items featuring various AAPI vendors! Besides being an active AABANY member, Vishal is serving as a Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee this year.
After Broadway Comedy Club, the attendees enjoyed ramen and conversations at Hide-Chan Ramen next door.
Thanks also to Membership, Issues and Prosecutors Committees for organizing a great outing for AABANY. Be on the lookout for upcoming AABANY events here.
On Tuesday, April 20th, AABANY’s Litigation Committee and KALAGNY hosted a Deposition Skills Panel at Haug Partners LLP’s New York Office. The panel consisted of Aakruti Vakharia, Antitrust Associate at Haug Partners LLP and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Litigation Committee (as moderator and speaker), Gene Kang, Partner at Rivkin Radler LLP and President of KALAGNY, and David Sohn, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee. The CLE took place in the boardroom of Haug Partners LLP’s New York office.
The panelists shared their wisdom on the purpose of a deposition, how to prepare to take or defend a deposition, how to deal with difficult witnesses and opposing counsel, and how to prepare your own witness to be deposed. Following the discussion, Haug Partners provided dinner and dessert, and attendees had the opportunity to network with the panelists and each other.
If you wish you could have been there, you can view a recording* of the panel here.
The Litigation Committee plans on hosting several more CLEs this coming year and values the ideas of our Committee membership. If you would like to see a CLE on any particular topic, please share your idea with the co-chairs. Go to the Litigation Committee’s page on the AABANY website to learn more about the Committee and how you can get in touch.
*Please note that CLE credit was only granted for attending in person. Credit will not be granted for viewing the recording.
