The NAPABA Law Foundation Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition National Planning Committee has announced it is now looking for practicing attorneys (ideally with 5 years + experience) to serve as brief graders for the New York City and Zoom regionals held on October 17, 2025 and October 18, 2025 respectively. Interested attorneys can sign up at Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition: 2025 Tang Moot Court Brief Grading for Regionals. Graders will be given briefs, rules, the case problem, briefs and score sheets. Those who sign up will be assigned a number of briefs depending on the attorney’s capacity on or around October 10, 2025 and expected to return the score sheet on October 15, 2025.
The Committee is also looking to enlist current law students/young attorneys (less than 5 years experience) local to the New York City area to serve as in-person bailiffs/volunteers for the October 17, 2025 in-person regionals at the U.S Court of International Trade (One Federal Plaza New York, NY 10278) for 1.5 hour shifts from 9AM to 4:45PM. Interested students/young attorneys may sign up at Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition: Tang Moot Court New York Regional Bailiffs. Bailiffs/volunteers will be trained onsite on assisting the Committee on keeping track of each of the competition rounds, collecting judge’s score sheets, and reporting any technology and/or trial related issues.
Announcing the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award Honorees
The Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award is NAPABA’s highest honor, celebrating the outstanding achievements of lawyers whose leadership and dedication have left a profound mark on both the legal profession and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. This lifetime achievement award recognizes those whose vision, courage, and commitment have opened doors and paved the way for future generations of attorneys.
Trailblazers are leaders who have not only excelled in their practice but have also made enduring contributions to advancing equity, opportunity, and justice within the legal community and beyond.
We are honored to celebrate the 2025 Trailblazer Award recipients and their extraordinary impact at this year’s NAPABA Convention in Denver.
Rose Cuison-Villazor Professor of Law and Chancellor’s Social Justice Scholar at Rutgers Law School Rose Cuison-Villazor is Professor of Law and Chancellor’s Social Justice Scholar at Rutgers Law School where she previously served as Interim Co-Dean (2021-2023) and Vice Dean (2019-2021). She is also Director of the Center for Immigrant Justice, which conducts publicly engaged research and policy work on progressive immigration and citizenship laws. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute.
Marvin S. C. Dang Managing Member, Law Offices of Marvin S.C. Dang, LLLC & Partner, Nelson & Kennard, LLP An attorney in Honolulu since 1978, Marvin Dang is the Managing Member of the Law Offices of Marvin S. C. Dang, LLLC. Separately, Marvin is also a partner in Nelson & Kennard, which is a California law firm doing business in 8 states; he co-manages the Hawaii office, which focuses on civil litigation. In 2023, he was elected ABA Secretary, the first Asian American attorney and the first Hawaii attorney to serve as an ABA officer in the organization’s history.
Daniel D. Hu Chief, Civil Division, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas Daniel David Hu is a career prosecutor who currently serves as Chief, Civil Division, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. He joined the office in 1992 and was promoted to Civil Chief in 2016. In 1995, he founded the Asian Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas and later served as the first APA minority director on the State Bar of Texas Board.
Lily Yan Hughes Assistant Dean at Syracuse University College of Law; Former SVP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Fortune 500 Arrow Electronics and S&P 500 Public Storage Lily is Assistant Dean at Syracuse University College of Law, overseeing strategy and operations for the Admissions & Financial Aid Office, the Marketing & Communications Office, the Office of Career Services, and SU Abroad. She has also been appointed by the Chancellor as a member of the University Leadership Team. Lily is currently Chair and has served on the board of directors of DirectWomen since October 2021.
Sandra Leung Independent Board Member/Former F500 EVP, General Counsel Sandy Leung retired in 2025 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Bristol Myers Squibb Company. Sandy joined Bristol Myers Squibb in 1992 as a staff attorney in the litigation department. She began her legal career as Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York City, where she was an original member of the Child Abuse Bureau. She served as NAPABA President from 2020-2022. Currently, she is on the Board of Directors of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as the board of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.
Alan Tse Global Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc Alan Tse is Global Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at JLL. Before joining JLL, Alan was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Petco. Alan is deeply involved in the legal community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Corporate Counsel, where he previously chaired its Advocacy Committee. He is also a co-founder and board member of the Asian American Legal Foundation, advocating for greater representation and equity in the legal profession.
Honorable Sue Pai Yang Retired Judge of Compensation, New Jersey The Honorable Sue Pai Yang was the first Chinese American appointed as a judge in New Jersey. She served on the Workers’ Compensation Court in Newark, where she heard cases involving workplace injuries. Her most memorable trials and decisions concerned individuals who alleged psychological disabilities due to harassment/workplace bullying. Upon retirement, Judge Yang became a founding member of the National Workplace Bullying Coalition (NWBC). She was a founding member of NAPABA and the first Asian American elected to the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
On September 11, 2025, AABANY’s Judiciary Committee hosted the inaugural Breakfast with the Bench Event with the Honorable Rena Malik (New York City Civil Court, Kings County) at Junior’s Cheesecake in Brooklyn. AABANY members and non-members alike, including current law students and working professionals, came together to discuss with Judge Malik her path to the bench and the challenges she overcame to become a judge. Judge Malik, a former Co-Chair of the Judiciary Committee, shared how AABANY can assist those who are interested in becoming a judge a reality.
The Judiciary Committee aims to host regular events to allow members to engage and connect with the judiciary. The Committee encourages those interested in the courts, becoming a judge, or vetting potential judicial candidates to attend future events and to visit the Committee’s subpage on the AABANY website for more information.
NAPABA is committed to having a governing board that reflects the breadth of the AANHPI legal community and brings together the right blend of skills, expertise, and community connections. We value a culture that welcomes a wide range of perspectives and empowers leaders to engage with each other and the community in meaningful ways—building trust, increasing transparency, and maximizing impact.
The NAPABA membership elected the following individuals to serve on the 2025-26 NAPABA Board of Governors. Join us in welcoming these leaders.
NAPABA Congratulates John Truong on Nomination to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the nomination of John Truong to serve as Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
“John Truong is an experienced litigator and long-time NAPABA member, including being honored with the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award in 2009,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “His distinguished career, commitment to public service, and deep ties to the D.C. legal community, including his leadership with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington, D.C. Area (APABA-DC), make him exceptionally qualified to serve on the Superior Court. His confirmation would not only add a fair and experienced jurist to the bench, but also further the representation of AANHPI judges in our courts.”
Truong is Deputy Chief in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where he prosecutes fraud and misconduct cases. He has previously represented federal officials and agencies in civil litigation, prosecuted criminal offenses, and practiced at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Truong also teaches as an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University Law School. He clerked for Judge Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court for D.C. and holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California, an M.A. from American University, and a J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law.
“John embodies the best of our legal community. His professional achievements and commitment to justice reflect the values that NAPABA works to advance every day,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “We are proud to support his nomination and confident he will serve with distinction on the Superior Court.”
NAPABA thanks President Trump for the nomination and urges the U.S. Senate to consider the nomination swiftly.
Deadline: September 26, 2025 at 10:00am What: $2,000 Scholarship (4 winners)
We invite all immigrant students between the ages of 16-28 to apply for the MinKwon DREAM Scholarship! MinKwon Center for Community Action was founded on the commitment and people power of young immigrants who wanted to build a more democratic world for themselves and their communities. As an organization, we believe that immigrants are a critical part of our society—whether or not they are citizens. The MinKwon DREAM Scholarship honors the legacy of youth and immigrant power by providing support for young people who hold aspirations for building a better world with the hopes of supporting our collective futures.
There will be two categories of scholarship, each with two winners.
Lee Kyoung Hui Scholarship: The Lee Kyoung Hui Scholarship is open to all immigrants who demonstrate commitment to building and serving their communities through volunteering and community service.
MinKwon Youth Scholarship: The MinKwon Youth Scholarship is open to all immigrants who have participated as a youth member of the MinKwon Center.
Winners will be contacted about their awards within two weeks of the application deadline. For any questions, concerns, or accommodations please contact Ju-Bum Cha at jubum.cha@minkwon.org.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, AAFE, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Manhattan on August 20, 2025.
During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 13 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. 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.
Thanks again to all the volunteers at the August 20th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:
Volunteer attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Marcus Cheung
Francis Chin
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Lily Li
Andrew Sun
Peter Wei
Cecilia Yang
Gary Yeung
Interpreters/shadowers:
Sam Hou
Emily Kam
Xiaofei (Lucy) Liu
Dazhen Lu
Albert Tong
Shang Zhai
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
September 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
Join us in honoring the 2025 Best Under 40 honorees—remarkable leaders who are making their mark in law, business, academia, public service, and beyond. These rising stars have distinguished themselves in their fields and demonstrated a strong commitment to uplifting the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community.
Celebrate their achievements at the NAPABA Convention, November 6-8.
Qiaojing Ella Zheng Managing Partner of San Francisco and Palo Alto Offices of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP; Chair of Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice
On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, AABANY’s Dumpling & Discussion series hosted Christopher Y. Chan, General Counsel at JLL Technologies, for a night of candid conversation and dumplings. The discussion was held at Fish & Richardson’s office in Times Square and moderated by AABANY Board Director Jeffrey Mok.
Over the course of the evening, Chris shared with us his fascinating legal career that has spanned the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Risk-taking, stereotype-breaking, and finding happiness were some of the key topics of discussion as Chris recounted how his journey to his current position as Global General Counsel for JLL Technologies. Chris also shared his thoughts on the future of the legal industry. During the Q&A session, Chris addressed questions from an avid audience about the importance of building strong communities and relationships and aspiring for success on your own terms.
In a lively networking reception afterwards, attendees enjoyed drinks along with plates of dumplings, siu mai and Singaporean mei fun.
We are deeply grateful to Chris for his generosity in sharing his experiences and insights.
NAPABA proudly celebrates outstanding individuals whose leadership and service make a lasting impact on the legal profession and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. This year’s honorees exemplify excellence, and we are proud to recognize their remarkable contributions that strengthen our profession and uplift our community.
Be part of the celebration, November 6-8, at the NAPABA Convention as we honor these distinguished leaders. Register now to honor our awardees and secure the early bird rate before it ends today.
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of EquiLend
Kazuko Wachter is General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at EquiLend, a technology provider for the global securities finance marketplace, where she oversees global legal and regulatory matters for the company. Previously, she was Chief Legal and Strategy Officer of Prism Financial Products, a hybrid securities brokerage and fintech firm with offices across the UK, Europe, and New York. Kazuko is a leader in the AANHPI legal community, serving in multiple positions with the Asian American Bar Association of New York.
Director, Corporate Strategy at Southern Company Gas
Kasey Chow is the Director of Corporate Strategy for Southern Company Gas. In this role, she is responsible for developing corporate strategy, planning, and engagement connected to policy and programs supporting the Company’s governmental, regulatory, environmental, and commercial/economic development initiatives and opportunities. She joined Southern Company in 2015 as a Regulatory Attorney supporting Southern Linc. Kasey is licensed to practice law in Georgia and currently serves on the boards of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA) and the GAPABA Law Foundation.
Ted W. Lieu represents California’s 36th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Ted is serving in his sixth term in Congress and sits on the House Judiciary Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee. He was elected by his colleagues to serve as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, making him the highest ranking Asian American to have ever served in House Leadership. Ted is a veteran, having served on active duty and then in the Reserves for the Air Force. He retired in 2021 with the rank of Colonel.
Sandy K. Roxas is the founding partner of Roxas Law, APC, where she provides affordable legal services to low-income residents of Los Angeles County, with a special focus on survivors of domestic violence and victims of anti-Asian hate. A tireless community advocate, Sandy has organized rallies, led educational efforts, and provided pro bono representation to uplift and protect marginalized communities. Her leadership extends to scholarship programs, volunteer work, and mentoring the next generation of AANHPI leaders, reflecting her lifelong commitment to service and justice.
Director of Litigation, Asian American Advancing Justice (AAJC)
Niyati Shah is the Director of Litigation at Advancing Justice | AAJC, where she is responsible for overseeing and advancing the organization’s priorities before the courts. This includes cases that impact racial justice and the civil rights of Asian Americans, particularly in the areas of voting, immigration and national security, tech/telecom, census, anti-racial profiling, and education equity. Niyati has served as one of the lead attorneys in Lupe v. Ross, successfully challenging the addition of the citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Prior to joining Advancing Justice | AAJC, Niyati worked as an Election Counsel at Project Vote, where she investigated, litigated, and advocated against violations of federal constitutional and statutory law nationwide.
As an Associate General Counsel in the Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility, Information Security, Legal, and Security department at Verizon Communications Inc., Rippi Karda handles complex contracts for Sourcing involving Human Resources Benefits and Plans, Advertising Agencies, Contact Centers, Contingent Workforce, Executive Recruiting, and Supplier Diversity. Additionally, she works with the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, Pan Asian Corporate Excellence (PACE), and Women’s Alliance of Verizon Employees (WAVE) organizations at Verizon. Karda contributes her time and talents to numerous mentorship and community-building initiatives, including Verizon’s employee resource groups Women’s Alliance of Verizon Employees (WAVE) and Pan Asian Corporate Excellence (PACE), and leads by example through her pro bono work supporting victims of domestic violence across North America and promoting economic empowerment in New Jersey’s Punjabi business community.
