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2026 NAPABA Awards: 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.

NAPABA is honored to celebrate the 2026 Trailblazer Award recipients and their extraordinary impact at this year’s NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles.

Alicia Garrido Limtiaco, Esq.
Former Attorney General of Guam & U.S. Attorney for Guam and NMI, NAPABA At-Large Board Member, ABA Representative to UN ECOSOC

Alicia Limtiaco’s distinguished career in public service has been marked by historic firsts and an enduring commitment to justice, representation, and the communities she serves. She made history as the first woman elected Attorney General of Guam and later as the first woman appointed United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Throughout her career, Alicia has championed protections for vulnerable communities, including efforts addressing family violence, human trafficking, child exploitation, civil rights, and public safety. Her leadership has also brought the experiences and perspectives of Pacific and Indigenous communities to national and international forums. Within the AANHPI legal community, Alicia broke another barrier as the first Pacific Islander and first attorney from Guam to serve on NAPABA’s Board of Governors, helping ensure that Pacific Islander voices have a place in national legal leadership.

The Honorable Elwood Lui
Administrative Presiding Justice, California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District

Justice Elwood Lui’s more than five decades of service have left an enduring mark on California’s judiciary and AANHPI legal community, opening doors and building institutions for generations of attorneys and judges. In 1981, he became the first Chinese American appellate judge in California and later became the first Asian American to serve as Administrative Presiding Justice of any California Court of Appeal. His influence extends well beyond his own historic appointments. Justice Lui co-founded the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association in 1975 and founded the California Asian Pacific American Judges Association in 1981, creating institutions that have supported and connected generations of AANHPI attorneys and judicial officers. Throughout his career on the bench, in private practice, in public service, and as an educator and mentor, Justice Lui has consistently opened doors that were previously closed to Asian American attorneys and judges and helped build the infrastructure for future generations to lead.

Hugh H. Mo
Founder & Principal, The Law Firm of Hugh H. Mo, P.C. (“Mo Law”)
Hugh H. Mo has spent nearly five decades shaping Asian American representation in law, government, and civic life through a career marked by historic firsts, institution-building, and service to his community. He broke significant barriers as the first Asian American Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and later as the first Asian American Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Trials for the New York City Police Department, becoming, at the time, the highest-ranking Asian American official in New York City government. Just as significant has been his commitment to creating opportunities and institutions for those who followed. Hugh co-founded the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the Chinatown Health Clinic, now the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, and the NYPD Asian American Police Executives Council. Throughout his career, he has paired professional achievement with sustained civic leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, leaving an enduring legacy within New York’s AANHPI legal community and beyond.

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NLF Calls for Student Volunteers and Volunteer Judges for Regional 2026 Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court Competition

The NAPABA Law Foundation (NLF) is calling for volunteers for its annual Judge Thomas Tang and Dr. Pearl Tang Moot Court (TTMC) Competition. This competition was founded in 1993 and is named in honor of the late Honorable Thomas Tang, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for more than eighteen years. In honor of Judge Tang and his wife Dr. Pearl Tang, this appellate advocacy competition aims to help law students develop advocacy skills and to foster legal talent of the future.

The in-person regional round will take place at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York City on October 9, 2026. The online regional round will take place on October 17, 2026. Top teams from both regional rounds will advance to the National Competition, held at the NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles, CA, on November 13-14, 2026.

Click here for the bailiff volunteer sign up.

Click here for the general volunteer sign up.

Click here for the judge volunteer sign up (eligible for New York CLE credits).

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Applications for the MinKwon Dream Scholarship Now Open!

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, regardless of immigration status.

MinKwon Center for Community Action’s DREAM Scholarship recognizes immigrant students with a strong record of community involvement, who also demonstrate financial need and a commitment to furthering their education.

Eligibility: We invite immigrant students ages 16–28 residing in New York or New Jersey with a demonstrated track record of volunteerism and civic engagement to apply. Applicants of all backgrounds are welcome to apply – this scholarship is open to students of all immigration statuses.

Deadline: Applications are due by 12:00 p.m. ET on September 30, 2026. 

Award: Four recipients will each receive a $2,000 scholarship.

Notification: Recipients will be notified by October 5, 2026.  

Award Ceremony: Scholarships will be presented at MinKwon Center’s 42nd Anniversary Gala Reception on October 22, 2026. 

For any questions, please contact Ju-Bum Cha at [email protected].

Click here to apply by September 30th!

Two Scholarships, $2,000 Each — Two Winners Per Award

Lee Kyoung Hui Scholarship: This scholarship is open to immigrant students dedicated to building stronger communities through volunteering and service. Special thank you to Ms. Lee Kyoung Hui for providing this scholarship and her continued commitment to supporting MinKwon’s work.

MinKwon Youth Scholarship: The MinKwon Youth Scholarship is open to all immigrant students who have participated in MinKwon’s Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) or Organizing Committee (OC).

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In the News: Law 360 Covers  AABANY Women’s Committee’s Dumpling-Making Class

On September 10, 2026, Law 360 published an article about the Dumpling Making class organized by the AABANY Women’s Committee on September 3.  The Women’s Committee planned and held an evening of dumpling-making, community-building, and cultural connection in Chinatown, hosted by The Dumpling Circle and Welcome to Chinatown.  The event was generously sponsored by Ashurst Perkins Coie. 

Attendees at the event learned to make dumplings completely from scratch and were assigned random seats to foster new friendships. The evening emphasized family traditions of making dumplings and eating them together, as well as the importance of building community and meaningful connections.

To read the full article by Law 360, click here (subscription required).

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In the News: World Journal Reports on AABANY’s Outstanding Pro Bono and Community Service Committee

Reporter Hu Shengqiao for the World Journal, the largest Chinese-language newspaper in the United States, recently featured AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee , highlighting its more than a decade of dedicated service to the community. What began as a single consultation site at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Manhattan has since expanded to Queens and Brooklyn.

Over the past decade, hundreds of pro bono lawyers and law students have served more than 3,000 Asian American residents across the three boroughs, with consultations covering housing, immigration, family law, inheritance, employment, and workers’ compensation. Most clients speak Mandarin or Cantonese, and many of them face systemic hurdles in the U.S. legal system. Each 30-minute session gives a volunteer attorney time to offer legal advice, review documents, and refer clients to more specialized services when needed.

The article showcases the three attorneys who coordinate the Pro Bono Clinics: Beatrice Leong, who manages the Manhattan clinic and specializes in family and divorce law; Kwok Kei Ng, a Court Attorney who manages the Brooklyn Clinic; and Gary Yeung, an attorney at McDermott Will & Schulte, who manages the Queens Clinic. They remarked that when they offered free legal advice, the people sitting across from them often reminded them of their own families—parents and elders who didn’t speak English facing difficulties with nowhere to turn.

Among the cases they recalled memorably was a nine-month-old girl with an inoperable brain tumor, who they helped by connecting with Yen-Yi Anderson, whose firm Anderson and Associates, P.C., provided the family with pro-bono services and established a trust fund for the girl.  PBCS has also held more than ten “Know Your Rights” and community legal education sessions over the years. The Committee currently partners with local elected representatives and various nonprofit organizations, including the Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn (CPC) and the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) in Manhattan and Flushing.

To read the full article, click here (in Chinese).

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Rule of Law Lab and Berkeley Judicial Institute Issue Report on Threats to Federal Judicial Independence

In a democracy, criticism of court decisions is protected by the right to free expression. It can be vital for informing public debate. 

However, in recent years, threats of violence, intimidation, and disinformation directed at federal judges, and defiance of court orders have gone far beyond healthy criticism and are fundamentally threatening judicial independence. The volume, intensity, and character of recent attacks on federal judges is profoundly eroding the rule of law in the United States. 

Drawing on thirty-four interviews with an equal number of federal judges appointed by presidents of both major political parties and research of publicly available materials, this study assesses the four categories of threats identified in Chief Justice John Roberts’ Year End Report (2024) while situating them in historical perspective. It examines the impact of these threats on the federal bench and proposes recommendations for safeguarding the judicial independence that is a foundation of America’s constitutional order. 

To read the full report, click here.

This report was jointly issued by the Rule of Law Lab and the Berkeley Judicial Institute at UC Berkeley School of Law.

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In the News: AABANY’s President Spotlighted as One of the 2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate by the New York Real Estate Journal

On August 25, AABANY’s very own President, Varuna Bhattacharyya was featured as one of the 2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate by the New York Real Estate Journal (NYREJ).

NYREJ asked Varuna questions about her commercial real estate practice, such as her most rewarding project in the past year and what upcoming commercial real estate trends she sees on the horizon. When reflecting on her most important leadership lesson to date, Varuna emphasized authenticity, finding that “the most effective leadership comes from embracing your own values, strengths, and perspective.”

Please join AABANY in congratulating President Varuna Bhattacharyya on being spotlighted in NYREJ.

To read the full article, click here.

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AABANY and AALDEF Present Webinar on TPS in Transition, Offering Options to Assist Affected Immigrants

On August 27, 2026, almost 20 attendees joined AABANY and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) for a critical webinar on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminations. The panelists—Nicole Fink (Ogletree Deakins, AABANY Immigration Law Committee Chair ), Vishal Chander (The Chander Law Firm, AABANY Issues Committee Co-Chair, AABANY Board Director), and Dinesh McCoy (AALDEF)—walked participants through relief pathways for the 1.3 million people losing status: family-based sponsorship, employment-based green cards (EB-2, EB-3), asylum, withholding of removal, cancellation of removal, and special immigrant categories.

The comprehensive panel discussion went beyond individual legal remedies to examine broader systemic impacts. Presenters addressed the severe operational challenges facing employers who must navigate complex workforce transitions as valued employees risk losing their authorization. Furthermore, the speakers explored active federal litigation challenging the administration’s TPS termination decisions, highlighting ongoing legal battles aimed at protecting impacted populations. 

Throughout the webinar, the experts underscored a critical tactical takeaway: affected individuals must proactively file for alternative relief options prior to their official status termination date. Doing so is essential to preserving uninterrupted work authorization while their legal petitions undergo administrative processing. With multiple country designations already terminated or approaching imminent expiration deadlines, the panel warned that time is of the essence and the window to take corrective legal action is rapidly closing.

To mitigate these urgent challenges, attendees were strongly encouraged to get involved directly in community defense efforts. AALDEF is actively recruiting legal volunteers and community advocates for its Rapid Response Task Force. This initiative is designed to provide robust, on-the-ground assistance to vulnerable populations through comprehensive screening clinics, direct legal case representation, individual consultations, and broad community outreach. In parallel, AABANY’s Immigration Law and Issues Committees are expanding their collaborative initiatives by coordinating substantive community education webinars, legal advice clinics, and specialized professional development programs scheduled for later this year.

Whether you are an experienced attorney, a paralegal, a law student, or a dedicated community advocate, your skills are urgently needed. Regardless of whether you can commit one hour a month or ten, there is a vital role for you to make a meaningful difference in the lives of impacted individuals. We invite you to reach out and volunteer your time today to support our ongoing advocacy efforts. Please consider becoming a member of AABANY to support our work in support of vulnerable communities.

–Written by Nicole Fink, Chair of AABANY’s Immigration Law Committee

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AABANY Asia Practice Committee Hosts U.S.–China Legal Elite Dialogue Forum & Dinner

On April 29, 2026, AABANY’s Asia Practice Committee successfully hosted the U.S.–China Legal Elite Dialogue Forum & Dinner in New York City, bringing together approximately 75 attorneys, legal professionals, and business leaders for an afternoon of insightful discussion and cross-border engagement.

Held at Club 135 by Industrious, the forum convened leading practitioners across the U.S. and China to examine the evolving legal and business landscape shaping cross-border transactions and disputes. The program featured keynote presentations and a dynamic panel discussion focused on the theme: “How U.S. and Chinese lawyers can create value for cross-border business under the new global landscape.” 

The panel brought together an accomplished group of practitioners, including Hardy Zhou, Tax Attorney at Cooley LLP and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Asia Practice Committee, and Genny Ngai, Partner at Morrison Cohen LLP and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Litigation Committee. Moderated by Haiyan Tang, Managing Partner at Quinn Emanuel Shanghai, the discussion explored the increasing complexity of cross-border legal work, including heightened regulatory requirements, shifting investment trends, and the need for closer collaboration between U.S. and Chinese counsel. 

Panelists shared practical perspectives on how lawyers can deliver value in this environment—ranging from structuring transactions and managing risk to navigating disputes and aligning multi-jurisdictional strategies. 

The forum also featured keynote remarks from Yang Chen, the Executive Director of AABANY and Chris M. Kwok, Mediator at JAMS and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and other distinguished speakers across corporate, litigation, and dispute resolution practices, providing attendees with a well-rounded view of current developments in U.S.–China legal relations. 

Following the formal program, participants continued their conversations during a networking reception and dinner, fostering meaningful connections and further strengthening the AABANY community.

AABANY extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, organizers, and attendees for contributing to the success of this event. The Asia Practice Committee looks forward to continuing to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among legal professionals engaged in cross-border practice.

-Written by Hardy Zhou, Co-Chair, AABANY’s Asia Practice Committee

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AABANY Goes to Yankee Stadium on KPop Demon Hunters Night

On Tuesday, August 11, AABANY members and their guests met at Yankee Stadium to watch the New York Yankees take on the Seattle Mariners. The evening doubled as KPop Demon Hunters Theme Night, and the ballpark was buzzing with fans decked out for the occasion. The first 18,000 fans to arrive got to take home a free Rumi bobblehead.

The game had a quiet and defensive start, with neither team scoring during the first five innings. In the 6th inning, the Mariners broke the deadlock with a solo home run to go up 1-0. But the Yankees exploded in the 7th, taking advantage of clutch hits to score four unanswered runs. New York’s pitchers shut the door from there for a 4-1 win, handing Seattle its fifth straight loss.

Beyond the game, the night offered exactly what these outings are meant to provide: an easy, low-pressure setting for AABANY members to connect outside the usual office setting. Standing together in the open area by the Toyota Terrace, members swapped stories between innings, cheered the late-game rally, and soaked in a fun summer night at the stadium. Thanks to everyone who came out and made the evening memorable and enjoyable, and a special thanks to the Membership Committee for organizing another great outing!

–Written by Victor Way, AABANY Intern, Summer 2026

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