Press Release: Heart Mountain at Cadwalader, July 11
Cadwalader to Shed Light on World War II Draft Resister Case
NEW YORK, July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (Cadwalader), a leading counselor to global financial institutions and corporations, is hosting a unique event that will reenact the historic World War II case of the 63 Japanese-American draft resisters who were interned at Heart Mountain in Wyoming and refused to report for U.S. military service until their rights as citizens were restored.
The program will be presented by a team of Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) members, which includes Cadwalader Partner Kathy Hirata Chin and Special Counsel Lauren U.Y. Lee. The group develops and performs reenactments of important moments in Asian American legal history, which are first performed at the annual National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) convention in November. The Hon. Denny Chin, Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, will also participate in the evening’s program.
“I commend Judge Chin, Cadwalader Partner Kathy Chin and the entire team for their efforts to raise awareness of significant, yet often overlooked, moments in our nation’s legal history which impacted Asian Americans. The Heart Mountain case, in particular, challenged notions of citizenship and individual freedoms,” commented W. Christopher White, Chairman of Cadwalader. “As a firm, we are committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and are honored to host this unique program.”
Cadwalader previously hosted another performance by AABANY, which focused on two key Supreme Court cases from 1922 – Takao Ozawa v. United States and United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind. George Wickersham, a Cadwalader partner at that time, represented Mr. Ozawa in the former case.
About Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, established in 1792, is one of the world’s leading international law firms, with offices in New York, Washington, Charlotte, Houston, London, Hong Kong, Beijing and Brussels. Cadwalader serves a diverse client base, including many of the world’s top financial institutions, undertaking business in more than 50 countries in six continents. The firm offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, business fraud, corporate finance, corporate governance, environmental, financial restructuring and reorganizations, healthcare, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private client, private equity, real estate, regulation, securitization, structured finance, and tax. More information about Cadwalader can be found at www.cadwalader.com.
Contacts:
Adam Segall +1 212 504 6492
Elizabeth Hyland +1 212-850-5633
SOURCE Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
/Web site: http://www.cadwalader.com
NAPABA Announces 2014-2016 Annual Convention Host Cities
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2013
Contact: Azizah Ahmad
NAPABA ANNOUNCES 2014-2016 ANNUAL CONVENTION HOST CITIES
WASHINGTON, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected its annual convention host cities for 2014-2016. The Annual NAPABA Convention will be held in:
- 2014: Scottsdale, Arizona
- 2015: New Orleans, Louisiana
- 2016: San Diego, California
“We are pleased to announce the host cities for the 2014-2016 Annual Conventions,” said Wendy Shiba, president of NAPABA. “We look forward to expanding NAPABA’s presence, engaging membership, and working with NAPABA’s affiliates and the local communities in these host cities.”
The process for selecting host cities breaks new ground from the bidding process that NAPABA has previously used. Several factors were considered during the selection process, including the presence of emerging Asian Pacific American and legal communities; hotel and convention site capacity of potential host cities; relative cost; and a desire to include regions that have not hosted a NAPABA convention recently or ever. New Orleans and San Diego will be first-time host cities and Scottsdale hosted in 2001.
“We are excited that Arizona will be hosting the NAPABA Convention in 2014,” said Mingyi Kang, president of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association. “We are grateful that NAPABA is changing the way the Convention is being hosted and are positive that this change will enable more local chapters to host the NAPABA Convention, increasing NAPABA’s profile, and encouraging more APAs to join and be more involved in our organizations and in the community in general.”
“On behalf of LAPABA, we are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to host Convention 2015 in New Orleans! This is an unbelievable opportunity, bringing our entire NAPABA family to our great home city for the first time, ever,” said Christine C. Bruneau, president of the Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association. “We look forward to fantastic speakers and programs, seeing old friends and colleagues and meeting new ones, and some truly amazing food, culture, and history!”
Brian S. Sun, president of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, one of four NAPABA affiliates in San Diego, said, “Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego is excited that San Diego was chosen as the host city for NAPABA’s Annual Convention in 2016. We look forward to the opportunity to help the NAPABA convention team in any way we can. I know that everyone will enjoy our wonderful city.”
The 25th Annual NAPABA Convention, Momentum, will be held in Kansas City, Missouri from November 7-10, 2013.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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.
AABANY Running Club: July 31
Yes, there is an AABANY Running Club. It’s part of the Young Lawyers Committee.
Their next run is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31 at 7PM.
They will meet at:
121 Fulton St
New York, NY 10038
You can leave your bags at 121 Fulton St with Liz Mo, co-chair of the Young Lawyers Committee, while the group goes on a 3-mile run, at a comfortable pace around 10:00minutes/mile.
They will either run over the Brooklyn Bridge and back or along West Side Highway.
If you can’t join them for the run, join them for post-run drinks + food at 121 Fulton Street, New York, NY.
Please RSVP to [email protected] if you plan to attend. Feel free to direct any questions to Jackie Sitjar at [email protected] or 574.360.6536.
Hope to see you July 31!
From the Historical Society of the New York Courts: Garfinkel Essay Contest Poll
From the Historical Society of the New York Courts: Garfinkel Essay Contest Poll
What should the topic be for our 2014 contest?
With the generous support of Gloria and Barry Garfinkel, the Society has offered annually since 2008 The David A. Garfinkel Essay Contest established in memory of the Garfinkel’s son David. This contest targets students from community colleges across New York State, offering them the opportunity to submit essays on topics of New York legal history. The competition seeks to draw students with a wide range of interests in law, history, social science and general research writing. The grand prize is $1,500, and the CUNY & SUNY Community College Prizes are $1,000 each. The winners of the competition are honored on Law Day each year held in the magnificent courtroom of the New York Court of Appeals. Their families and professors are invited for a memorable day at the courthouse for the awards ceremony followed by a luncheon where they are graciously and warmly greeted by the Court of Appeals Judges.
Join AABANY for the Opening Night Premiere of LINSANITY
AABANY has secured a LIMITED NUMBER of tickets to the 2013 Asian American International Film Festival Opening Night Premiere of LINSANITY on July 24, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Asia Society.
In 2012, Jeremy Lin, the first Chinese American to play in the NBA, swept the NBA and basketball fans by storm and created the Linsanity movement. LINSANITY brings back the unforgettable frenzy around the meteoric rise of Jeremy Lin with galvanizing game footage, juxtaposed with intimate interviews and home videos that showcase his faith, passion, and perseverance. As the Opening Night Presentation for AAIFF’13, LINSANITY marks the homecoming of the magical moment when a determined young man did what seemed impossible, and took everyone to the heights with him.
We are now offering to AABANY Members only the exclusive opportunity to bid on these tickets. In addition to admission to the screening of “Linsanity,” the Opening Night Presentation tickets also come with the following benefits:
* Gala Reception featuring open bar with specialty cocktails sponsored by Remy Martin and beer sponsored by Grolsch Beer;
* Chef’s Tasting Tables from local restaurant supporters; and
* Gala Gift Bag valued at $50+.
In order to bid on these LINSANITY tickets, please email [email protected] with the words “Linsanity” in the subject line and with the following information:
1. Number of tickets requested (please note: we’re limiting each member to bid for a maximum of 6 tickets; not all persons in the party need to be AABANY members but only an AABANY member can submit the bid).
2. Your bid on a price per ticket basis (please note, bids must start at $65 per ticket)
3. Your contact information (email address and telephone number) so that we can contact you if you win the bid.
The bidding window has opened and will end on July 18, 2013. During the bidding window, we will periodically provide updates as to the lowest bid amount necessary to secure a ticket based on submitted bids. We will notify winning bidders on July 19, 2013.
Please note that all proceeds in excess of cost of the tickets will be donated by AABANY to the Asian American Law Fund of New York, a 501©(3) not-for-profit affiliate of AABANY that funds scholarships for law students working in community organizations serving Asian Americans in New York City and the Joint Minority Bar Judicial Internship Program, providing judicial internships for law students of color.
From the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs: Host a Community Conversation on Immigration
Receive $200 for hosting a conversation
Community-based groups and organizations are eligible to receive a $200 stipend from the Council for hosting a Community Conversation by registering to be a featured site. Featured sites must register their event in advance and complete a final evaluation, including attendance information. Facilitators at featured sites are required to attend a free 60-minute facilitator-training webinar. Training webinars will be offered at the following throughout the summer and fall; see the Council’s webinars page to learn more and sign up.
For more information about hosting a Community Conversation, contact Senior Program Officer Erika Halstead ([email protected] / 212.233.1131).
New Community Conversations Toolkits on Immigration
From New Netherland to New York, immigrants from every part of the world have made their home in our state. Community Conversations invites New Yorkers to explore our shared history as immigrants and the descendants of immigrants, and to discuss the ways that immigration continues to shape the experience of being American today. Each conversation uses a short text as a starting point for discussions about cultural understanding and our roles as active citizens in a diverse and democratic society.
There are community conversation toolkits for children, young adults, and adults. All of the toolkits contain everything you need to host these “do-it-yourself” discussions, including: texts suitable for each audience; a set of sample questions; guidelines for starting and sustaining good conversations; tips for hosting a conversation; and a sample participant evaluation. Anyone can register and download the toolkits for free from our website.
Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association Expresses Disappointment with the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Opinion
(NEW YORK, June 28, 2013) This week the Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling, rendered its opinion in Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. __ (Jun. 25, 2013). The Shelby decision involved Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.* Section 4 of the Act established a “coverage formula” to determine which states and local governments properly fall under Section 5 of the Act, and thus were required to get approval before changing their voting laws. The justices ruled that Section 4 of the Act is unconstitutional, and that the formula, which has been used for decades, can no longer be used to establish preclearance requirements. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, who delivered the Court’s opinion stated: “Our country has changed, and while any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions.” In her dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated “the Court today terminates the remedy that proved to be best suited to block that discrimination.” Justice Ginsburg’s dissent articulates the continued need for Section 5 preclearance for those states with poor voting rights records, and noted that in July 2006, the House and Senate passed the reauthorization of preclearance by overwhelming margins (House 390 to 33; Senate 98 to 0).
The ruling has already had potentially adverse consequences. Shortly after the decision, Texas announced that a voter identification law that had previously been blocked is now free to take effect immediately. Also, redistricting maps will no longer need federal approval, and “changes in voting procedures in places that had been covered by the law, including those concerning restrictions on early voting, will now be subject only to ‘after-the-fact’ litigation.” See “Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act,” New York Times, June 25, 2013.
Attorney General Eric Holder expressed his disappointment in the decision and stated: “Let me be very clear: we will not hesitate to take swift enforcement action – using every legal tool that remains available to us – against any jurisdiction that seeks to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s ruling by hindering eligible citizens’ full and free exercise of the [voting] franchise."
Amistad echoes the disappointment of the nation’s leaders with the Supreme Court’s decision.
Considering that Long Island is the home of the seminal voting rights decision Goosby v. Town of Hempstead, the organization would be remiss if we did not declare our opposition to rulings that potentially marginalize voters of color. In Goosby, a federal judge ordered the Town of Hempstead to replace its at-large voting system with six geographic districts, stating that the system then in place “invidiously excludes Blacks from effective participation in political life.” The Goosby Second Circuit decision is available at this link: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1437220.html.
Amistad, an affiliate of the National Bar Association (the “NBA”) fully intends to stand alongside the NBA in its efforts to bear pressure on policy makers and on Congress to enact a viable Section 5 coverage mechanism that deals with continuing impediments to the fundamental right to vote. We stand in solidarity with organizations committed to ensuring that the right to vote is not impeded for anyone, particularly various members of communities in our backyard.
Submitted on behalf of the
Amistad Institute of the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association
*The Court’s complete opinion is available at this link: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/717250-supreme-courts-voting-rights-act-decision.html
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The Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association was founded in 1996. Formerly, the organization was known as the Amistad Suffolk Black Bar Association before it expanded to both the Nassau and Suffolk regions. Amistad was created to foster community, professional development, and growth among attorneys of color in the Long Island area.
Amistad is an affiliate of the National Bar Association.
STATEMENT OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK REGARDING THE SUPREME COURT’S RECENT VOTING RIGHTS ACT DECISION
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) urges the United States Congress to reinstate the enforcement provisions of the Voting Rights Act, Section 4, that were invalidated this past Tuesday, June 25, 2013 by the United States Supreme Court in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder.
Shelby eliminates the preclearance requirement for certain states or areas in which discrimination had historically been found to exist. Preclearance required covered states and jurisdictions to submit all changes affecting voting and elections for preapproval by the U.S. Department of Justice. The decision in Shelby will likely lead to legal sanctioning of efforts to undermine voting rights.
This ruling hits home. Certain New York counties including New York, Kings and the Bronx were areas for which preclearance had been required, based on a prior history of voter discrimination. The Shelby ruling clears the way for the reinstatement of discriminatory practices, such as efforts to restrict access to voting sites or attempts to gerrymander voting districts to dilute the voting power of Asian Americans in New York’s Chinatown or African Americans in Harlem. The profound impact of such practices on the voting rights and electoral aspirations of the affected minority voters in those areas cannot be overstated.
The record the Supreme Court considered contains ample evidence that voting rights discrimination is alive and well in 2013 as it was in 1964. Justice Ginsburg’s dissenting opinion chronicles that evidence.
The unfettered right to vote is a precondition of representative democracy. Retrenchment on that right undermines many other rights such as the right to free speech. Until Shelby, the necessity of a strong Voting Rights Act was universally recognized.
Congress must act and exercise its power to provide the checks and balances that our Constitution established when the Founders formed our union to ensure a balanced government. Voting rights are under attack and we urge Congress and the Administration to take prompt action to defend this most fundamental civil right.
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AABANY was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students. The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.