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AABANY Hosts Panel on How to Succeed in Virtual Summer Programs

On June 15, 2020, the Student Outreach Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) hosted a webinar discussing how to succeed in virtual summer programs. Moderated by James Cho, an Assistant United States Attorney with the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn and past president of AABANY, the panel featured: Luna Barrington, Partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; Jeeho Lee, Hiring Partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP; Andrew T. Hahn, Sr., General Counsel at Hawkins, Delafield & Wood; and Irene Han, Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan Chase.

The panel first addressed what their current firms and organizations were offering for their summer programs, given the challenges of COVID-19. Jeeho Lee explained that the summer programs at O’Melveny & Myers LLP were shortened to six weeks and will be all virtual, but the firm guaranteed offers to all 2L summer associates, and that 1L summer associates were guaranteed positions for the summer of their second year. She emphasized that the staff wants to ensure that the summer program remains an opportunity for the firm to set up a platform for students to build a network with other lawyers. Luna Barrington’s firm, Weil, offered a 10-week program, which featured virtual social events, encouraged students to network, and extended offers to 1L and 2L summer associates. James Cho stated that all of his interns were assigned an Assistant U.S. Attorney to work with and that the program was completely virtual.

Andrew Hahn Sr., who also previously served as President of AABANY and NAPABA, encouraged summer associates and interns to have strong core competencies–reading, writing, and speaking skills–and to also practice their soft skills, especially in regards to social interactions and leadership. Luna Barrington encouraged individuals partaking in summer programs to make an extra effort to go out and meet people at the firm through virtual programs and to be proactive in seeking assignments as a way to distinguish themselves. Irene Han highlighted the importance of demonstrating a learning mindset, active engagement during virtual events (including turning on your video and microphone during meetings), and leadership. Jeeho Lee warned the audience to not take a guaranteed offer for granted, but to remain engaged and build a strong reputation. She also stressed that individuals should make relationships that expand their horizons. Finally, James Cho advised summer associates and interns to be heard, proactive, and present.

Irene Han gave the audience a few basic presentation tips, including dressing in business casual and meeting the cultural expectations of the firm. Jeeho Lee added that individuals should always try to dress professionally, even if others are dressed in casual attire.

When asked how to respond when an attorney is very busy and does not respond to emails and set hard deadlines, the panel suggested that the individual find another person that works with the assigned partner and ask through them. The panel also advised summer associates and interns not to ask to work in person unless the firm announces that it is opening up. They also encouraged individuals to schedule coffee chats with other members of the firm and attend company social events. The panel advised individuals to avoid excessively apologizing for mistakes or not knowing the answers to questions, but rather, to only apologize when it is appropriate and to be direct. Finally, the panelists explained that there may likely be many firms that do not give returning offers to many summer associates due to external factors, but that individuals should ask the HR manager or the director of the summer program for advice for the following summer.

We thank the panelists for their time and the Student Outreach Committee for organizing this informative discussion. For more information on the Student Outreach Committee, see https://www.aabany.org/page/121.

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NAPABA Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Protecting DREAMers

For Immediate Release: 
Date: June 18, 2020

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director
Email: ppurandare@napaba.org

Today, in a 5-4 landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s decision in 2017 to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) violated federal law in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California. The DACA program, whose beneficiaries are also known as DREAMers, protects eligible undocumented youth from deportation and provides them with work permits. Approximately 650,000 individuals, including more than 16,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), benefit from this program and about 120,000 AAPIs are eligible for DACA. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the Court for its decision, which will protect these individuals, many of whom are the sole providers in their families.

“The Court’s decision ensures the protection of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. These DREAMers now know they are currently safe from being suddenly deported from the country in which they grew up, went to school, and now work,” said Bonnie Lee Wolf, President of NAPABA. “There has been strong bipartisan support in Congress to protect DREAMers, who significantly contribute to their communities in the United States. The Court’s decision is not a permanent fix and Congress needs to act. NAPABA remains committed to protecting DREAMers.”

NAPABA’s policy resolution to support the continuation of DACA recipients can be found here and the original resolution to support DACA recipients can be found here. The Supreme Court decision can be found here. 

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NAPABA Law Foundation Presents the Sharon and Ivan Fong Scholarship

Sharon and Ivan Fong recently began a scholarship fund for rising 2L law students who demonstrate outstanding professional promise, community service, and commitment to the APA community. 

Applicants will be evaluated for (a) academic excellence in their undergraduate school years and first year of law school, (b) leadership experience, (c) volunteerism or service in the public interest, (d) knowledge of social and cultural issues of any one or more AAPI communities or commitment to making a significant impact on issues affecting one or more AAPI communities, or both, and (e) commitment to “pay it forward.”

The NAPABA Law Foundation will award from the Sharon and Ivan Fong Scholarship Fund at least one $5,000 scholarship each year, half of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her second year of law school and the remainder of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her third year of law school.

Applicants must apply by June 30, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET. However, if applicants submit all but the reference letters by the deadline (and commit to getting the references in soon thereafter), applications will not be considered late. 

For more information, please visit the Scholarship page on the NAPABA Law Foundation website.

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AABANY Hosts Weekly Membership Mixer June 19

On June 19, 2020, the Membership Committee hosted their weekly Zoom Membership Mixer, with 15 participants in attendance.  The icebreaker question posed to the participants was: “Which historical figure, living or deceased, would you most like to meet?” Members wanted to meet Cleopatra, Yuri Kochiyama, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Robin Williams, Michelangelo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Isaac Asimov, Harriet Tubman, and Ben Franklin.

The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars and various locations, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but feel free to stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups.

Membership Committee will continue to host weekly Zoom mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person. 

This week, after the main mixer, a breakout group of 4 members stayed behind to play “Cards Against Humanity.” We will feature this game in future Mixers!

We are giving away door prizes in some weeks. In order to win, you must be a member and must RSVP on the calendar entry at aabany.org to get a raffle number. Non-members can join the Zoom mixer but won’t be eligible to win a prize. 

Mixers are not recorded, and are LIVE, so don’t miss out. Join us this week June 26, as we host our friends from SABANY. Register by June 25 at https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1366641.

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In The News: Ryan D. Budhu’s Op-Ed on Police Brutality And George Floyd Published in USA Today

On June 19, 2020, USA Today published an Op-Ed written by Ryan D. Budhu, a member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and past president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY).

In the article, Budhu recounts his personal experience with police brutality, when his brother died in the custody of the NYPD. He also reflects on this tragedy in relation to the death of George Floyd, and the need for allyship between South Asian and Black communities. He writes: “I have a duty to listen to and help address inequities, especially those that affect Black lives within the circles that I occupy.”

To read the full article, click here.

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NAPABA Events Update: 2020 Convention Going Virtual

Dear NAPABA Community,

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in consideration of the safety and well-being of our members and attendees, NAPABA has postponed all in-person events for the remainder of 2020—the Regional Conference in Charlotte, NC and the NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles, CA. 

NAPABA is planning a dynamic virtual conference in place of the 2020 NAPABA Convention scheduled for Nov. 5-8. We know that the need to connect is powerful, even more so during these unprecedented times. We pledge to use this opportunity to expand the breadth of our reach and explore new ways to keep you informed, engaged, and connected on a global scale.

You will have an exceptional opportunity to visit with old friends and meet new ones, hear recognized experts share insights, identify new business opportunities, and further propel your career trajectory—all from the safety and comfort of your home. The NAPABA virtual experience will be a unique and engaging forum that will bring our community together and serve to touch and inspire each one of us—a NAPABA FOR ALL!

More information about NAPABA’s virtual conference in November will roll out over the summer as we finalize the details. Please make plans to join us for the largest virtual gathering of Asian Pacific Americans attorneys and law students—without the airfare add-ons and travel-sized toiletries.

Thank you for your commitment and support of NAPABA.

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AABANY Commemorates Juneteenth

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) commemorates Juneteenth, the unofficial holiday marking the declaration of legal freedom for African Americans from slavery. On June 19, 1865, news of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued over two and a half years prior, finally reached African Americans in Texas, which was then the outermost reaches of the Confederacy. Since then, Juneteenth has been dedicated to honoring the bravery and history of African Americans, who continue to fight for social, political, and economic equality. As Asian Americans continue to struggle alongside African Americans to assert common voices for equality and civil rights, we build bridges that bring our two communities together in the shared fight towards greater equity. AABANY celebrates Juneteenth in the spirit of our theme this year: “Stronger Together: Unity in Diversity.”

Below is a list of resources for everyone to use to continue learning. Most of these resources are free or discounted, but if you are able to purchase them, please consider doing so as a way to show support for the work of these Black artists, filmmakers, and writers.

FILMS

13th: Netflix (subscription not needed)

I Am Not Your Negro: Amazon Prime (free)

Just Mercy: Amazon Prime (free), Youtube (free)

Selma: Amazon Prime (free), Youtube (free)

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution: Amazon Prime (included with subscription)

Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am: Amazon Prime (available to rent for $0.99)

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975: Amazon Prime (free)

When They See Us: Netflix (included with subscription)

Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland: HBO (included with subscription)
The Hate U Give: Amazon Prime (free), Youtube (free)

ONLINE LIBRARIES

http://www.goldwomyn.com/bilphenasonlinelibrary

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1vJTfZMZvrh3sEpF6unAdi8ZUDYAkgzUt

BOOKS & ESSAYS

The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin

Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin

Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred D. Taylor

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

Stamped from the Beginning, Ibram X. Kendi

A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, Robin DiAngelo

So You Want To Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo

The Burning House: Jim Crow and the Making of Modern America, Anders Walker

The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander

The Condemnation of Blackness, Khalil Gibran Muhammad

How To Be An Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi

A Different Mirror: History of Multicultural America, Ronald Takaki

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AABANY Publishes Flyer with COVID-19 Legal Relief Resources

On June 16, AABANY published a flyer with a comprehensive list of digital resources for those seeking legal relief arising out of COVID-19 related issues.

The flier provides links for resources in multiple areas, including Small Business Labor and Employment, Restructuring and Bankruptcy, and other pages listing more general information, such as knowing your rights if you encounter anti-Asian racism or harassment and frequently asked questions.

Many of the resources are available in other languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Japanese.

Click on the image above to access the flyer as a PDF, which includes embedded links to the resources mentioned above.

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Human Rights Watch Film Festival Presents “Down A Dark Stairwell” Film Screening and Q&A Session

On June 17, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is hosting a digital film screening and discussion for the film, Down a Dark Stairwell. Directed by Ursula Liang, the film follows the events that occurred after November 20, 2014, when a Chinese-American police officer, Peter Liang, killed an innocent, unarmed Black man, Akai Gurley. Liang became the first New York Police Department officer to be convicted of an on-duty shooting in over a decade. His sentence sparked protests in both the Asian-American and African-American communities and highlighted the systemic inequities of our criminal justice system.

Down a Dark Stairwell is available on the Human Rights Watch Film Festival’s website until June 20. On June 17, the Film Festival will host a film screening at 6:30 PM EDT and a live Q&A session at 8:00 PM EDT moderated by Gerry Johnson, Editor & Senior strategist at the Human Rights Watch, and featuring filmmaker Ursula Liang; Brandon D. Anderson, founder of Raheem.ai, a website for reporting police conduct in the United States; and Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigrant Coalition. To register for the Q&A discussion, see https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/register/cjjcedqp.

Chris Kwok, Chair of the Issues Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), also appears in the film and will host an online discussion about the issues it raises on June 25 at 6:00 PM. To register for this event, see https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1391903.

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Model Minority vs Covid-19: Education through Crisis, For Asians in America

Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 | Time: 4PM to 5PM

This event will be broadcasted via Facebook Live on the Queens Memory Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/queensmemory.

Covid-19 has sparked an increase in racism against East Asians in America, whether immigrant or native born. However, racism against all groups of Asian descent has been around for much longer, with racist stereotypes and the model minority myth. Join Queens Memory and partners for an online discussion about the current higher educational experience for Asians in America, who are facing the continuously evolving challenge of racism. Also to be discussed is how Asians in America can provide ally-ship and solidarity to other groups that are experiencing racial oppression.

Moderator

  • Frank Wu, President-Designate, Queens College/CUNY

Panel

  • Joyce Moy, Executive Director, AAARI-CUNY
  • Vivian Louie, Director, Asian American Studies Program & Center, Hunter College/CUNY
  • John Chin, Professor, Urban Policy and Planning, Hunter College/CUNY
  • Madhulika Khandelwal, Director, Asian/American Center, Queens College/CUNY
  • Student Representative from the Student Council, Asian/American Center, Queens College/CUNY

Program sponsored by the Queens Memory COVID-19 Project of Queens College and Queens Public Library, Queens College Asian American Center, and Asian American / Asian Research Institute – City University of New York

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