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NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of BJay Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Byung J. “BJay” Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Pak is the first Asian Pacific American to hold this position.

“We congratulate BJay Pak on his confirmation to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “A respected community leader and attorney, Mr. Pak’s confirmation is an inspiration for young Asian Pacific American attorneys across the country.”

A longtime member of the Asian Pacific American legal community, Pak has served on the board of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a NAPABA affiliate, and was a former chair of the NAPABA Government Enforcement and Compliance Committee. He has also spoken on legal education courses sponsored by NAPABA and is a recipient of the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award.

An experienced litigator and former prosecutor, Pak is currently a partner at Chambers Pak Burch & Adams LLC, where he focuses on complex litigation. Previously, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia for six years, a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP and Schiff Harding LLP, and an associate at Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Pak also served in the Georgia House or Representatives.

Pak clerked for Judge Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. He received his B.B.A. from Stetson University in 1995 and his J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Illinois College of Law in 1998.

NAPABA is proud to have supported Pak during his nomination and thanks President Trump for nominating him to the position.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

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 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services 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.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of James C. Ho to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated James C. Ho to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. If confirmed, Ho would be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and would be the sixth active Asian Pacific American federal appellate judge in the nation.

“Jim is one of the foremost appellate litigators in the nation and we strongly support and applaud his nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Jim has been a leader in NAPABA for close to a decade. He is widely respected throughout the NAPABA membership and he is consulted by both sides of the aisle.”

NAPABA recommended Ho to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit earlier this year.

He is co-chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. He has presented over 45 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including 16 arguments before the Fifth Circuit. He has argued and won cases before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the entire Fifth Circuit en banc.

Ho has extensive experience in all three branches of government: as former chief counsel for Senator Cornyn, as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, he was the first Asian Pacific American ever appointed to serve as the solicitor general of Texas, the state’s chief appellate and Supreme Court litigator, responsible for defending the state’s most important programs and policies against legal attack.

Born in Taiwan, Ho arrived in the U.S. at the age of 1, and became a U.S. citizen at age 9. He is an active member of the Asian Pacific American community. He is co-chair of the NAPABA Judiciary & Executive Nominations & Appointments Committee, and he has written and spoken on a variety of occasions about the role of Asian Pacific Americans in the law. Ho has been recognized for his leadership and honored by organizations throughout the Asian Pacific American community, both nationally and in Texas, including the President’s Award from NAPABA, the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Asian Pacific American Leadership from the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, the Justice David Wellington Chew Award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Community Leader Award from the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the SMU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Ho has also received numerous other awards and recognitions, including the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service from the Secretary of Defense. He is a three-time recipient of the Supreme Court Best Brief Award from the National Association of Attorneys General. He has also been named as a leading appellate lawyer by Chambers, Benchmark, Law360, The Best Lawyers in America®, The Legal 500, Texas Super Lawyers, and D Magazine.

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Ho to the bench, and thanks Senators Cornyn and Cruz of Texas for recommending him to the White House. NAPABA also urges the Senate to quickly confirm Ho to the bench.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

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 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services 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.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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Volunteer Lawyers Are Needed

From our friends at the Puerto Rican Bar Association:

After this disaster, the Puerto Rican Bar Association in conjunction with the New York State Chief Judge Task Force on New York Emergency Relief Legal, the New York City Bar Association and the American Bar Association will organize lawyer and legal assistant volunteers and will provide training on FEMA and disaster relief for lawyers.  INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.  

Legal assistance provides the calm after the storm. After the storm subsides and the water recedes the exhaustion of survival will be met by the harrowing realization that their journey back to normalcy is only just beginning.  The daunting work of putting their lives back together will require interaction with myriad governmental agencies and private businesses in order to interpret their rights to services and financial assistance. After this disaster, the PRBA in conjunction with the New York State Chief Judge Task Force on Hurricane Relief and American Bar Association will organize lawyer and legal assistant volunteers to help by providing:

· Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors

· Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims

· Help with home repair contracts and contractors

· Replacing wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster

· Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures

· Assisting with mortgage/foreclosure and landlord/tenant problems

You can help make a difference in assisting victims of the flood regain their homes, their financial stability, and their lives. Please donate to the to assist Puerto Ricans in need of these essential services.

Where to Donate to Help Puerto Rico with Disaster Relief and Recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria

Puerto Rican community leaders and elected officials in the diaspora are calling for a renewed effort to assist Puerto Rico with disaster relief and recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Many families have lost their homes and need assistance with basic needs.

You can help by donating to charities in Puerto Rico that are leading the effort to mitigate the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Here are some proven organizations with direct access to the victims of these hurricanes. You can visit their online donations or send a check to the enclosed address.

Caritas Puerto Rico, (Catholic Relief Services)

(DESIGNATE A TOWN IN PUERTO RICO)

201 Calle San Jorge, Esquina Baldorioty de Castro

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902
P.O. Box 8812, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00910-0812
787 300-4953
www.caritas.pr

Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico,

http://www.fondosunidos.org/

Puerto Rican Family Institute (Cordillera, Ciales)

DESIGNATE CORDILLERA, CIALES AS RECIPIENT TO INCLUDE, MOROVIS, COROZAL, UTUADO, JAYUYA, AND OTHER CENTRAL PUEBLOS IN PUERTO RICO

Carr 849 Km 1.5 Calle Juan Baiz Barrio Santo Domingo
San Juan PR 00924

Contact Phone

(787) 701-0200

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Hurricane Maria Relief Latin Dance Party Fundraiser

From our friends at the Puerto Rican Bar Association:

On October 15, 2017, Puerto Rican Bar Association, Kasowitz Benson Torres, and Long Island Hispanic Bar Association, Latino Lawyers of Queens, HNBA, and Dominican Bar Association will host: Hurricane Maria Relief Latin Dance Party Fundraiser. The event will take place at Copacabana located at 268 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036. The event will last from 6 pm to 10 pm and feature a special guest, J.W. Cortes, MC. 

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Call to Action to Assist Law Students in Puerto Rico Law Schools Affected by Hurricane Maria

From our friends at the Puerto Rican Bar Association:

New York, New York – The Puerto Rican Bar Association has obtained the support of various law schools in New York and Florida and others throughout the United States, including Albany Law School, Touro Law School, University of Florida, Barry University, University of Pittsburgh Law school to accept law students from the three law schools in Puerto Rico, University of Puerto Rico Law School, Interamerican University Law School and Catholic University of Puerto Rico Law School.  “The law students have been severely affected by the devastation of hurricane Maria and we want to ensure that their legal education will not be interrupted during these trying times.”  Carmen A. Pacheco, Esq., PRBA President.  We commend the many law schools quickly organizing and responding to the needs of affected law students.  We are currently assisting the Dean of the UPR Law School with placing 33 law students". Betty Lugo, Esq., PRBA Judiciary Chair and Anthony Suarez, President, PRBA FL

We are asking law schools throughout the country to similarly join us in this initiative. Please contact us at puertoricanbarny@gmail.com for more information.

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NAPABA 2017 Officers Election Results

NAPABA congratulates the newly-elected officers of the NAPABA Board of Governors for the 2017-18 board year. They will be sworn into office at the 29th Anniversary Gala during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C.

The following individuals were elected by the NAPABA membership:

  • President-Elect | Daniel Sakaguchi
  • Vice President for Finance and Development | Courtney Fong
  • Vice President for Membership | Tacie H. Yoon
  • Vice President for Communications | Sun E. Choi
  • Vice President for Programs and Operations | Charles H. Jung
  • Treasurer | Eugene Kim
  • Secretary | Bonnie Lee Wolf

In addition to these newly-elected officers, Pankit J. Doshi will serve as President and Cyndie M. Chang will serve as Immediate Past President. Joining the officers on the NAPABA Board of Governors will be 10 regional governors and four at-large board members.

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NAPABA Names Jae Park as Its 2017 Pro Bono Award Winner

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the 2017 Pro Bono Award to Jae Park, senior managing associate, Dentons US LLP, in San Diego, California. The NAPABA Pro Bono Award recognizes attorneys for outstanding achievements in pro bono service that: 1) involved impact litigation to advance or protect civil rights, and 2) provided direct legal services to individuals in the furtherance of the administration of justice.

The 2017 Pro Bono Award will be presented at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala at the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Mr. Park began his legal career with a deep commitment and dedication to providing assistance to the underserved in his community by utilizing his skills and expertise as a lawyer. Over the course of his career, Mr. Park has amassed over 1,000 hours of pro bono service helping countless people and non-profits along the way.

Having spent much of his childhood moving from country-to-country — he was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived in Korea, Australia, and India before he and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 12 — Mr. Park empathized with the plight of refugees who are trying to adjust to a foreign country and culture. Early in his career, he was presented with opportunity to represent an Ethiopian refugee in Immigration Court. Since then, he has represented numerous victims of abuse, torture, political attacks, and other human rights violations from across the globe and helped them to obtain asylum in the United States. For his work on behalf of refugees, Mr. Park was named Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Casa Cornelia Law Center, a non-profit law firm providing pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations.

Additionally, Mr. Park has worked with several non-profit organizations whose mission is to serve the Korean American community in San Diego. He has helped establish the Korean American Community Center of San Diego and Total Youth Productions, a non-profit community group that provides mentoring and counseling to Korean American middle and high school students.

Mr. Park is a litigator at Dentons US LLP where he focuses on complex commercial litigation and construction litigation. He represents businesses in commercial disputes involving commercial torts, breach of contract, trade secrets, fraud, unfair competition, and employment issues from pre-litigation counseling and negotiations through trial. Mr. Park also works with public and private developers and contractors on a wide variety of disputes arising out of public infrastructure projects, as well as private commercial and residential developments.

NAPABA congratulates Jae Park as the 2017 NAPABA Pro Bono Award recipient.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

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 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services 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.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Responds to Revisions to Muslim and Refugee Ban

On Sunday evening, the president announced revisions to the Muslim and Refugee ban, following a review required under the March 6, 2017, Executive Order. North Korea, Venezuela, and Muslim-majority Chad, were added to the list of restricted countries that continues to include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. The restrictions on travel vary from country to country, ranging from limits on the entry of government officials to bars on immigrant and nonimmigrant admission.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has consistently opposed this series of discriminatory executive orders. The addition of new countries does not correct the problems inherent in the original action, including its anti-Muslim underpinnings and statutory deficiencies. NAPABA will continue to oppose discriminatory immigration policies.

Read more about NAPABA’s position on the executive orders and the brief it filed in the Supreme Court here.

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