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Solo and Small Law Practice Committee Hosts Second Solo Small Firm Support Group Covering Technology and Your Practice

On June 27th, 2023, AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee held its second Solo Small Firm Support Group, covering the topic of “Technology and Your Practice.” Kicking off this event, eight attorneys gathered to recount both positive and negative stories about technology in their practices. They proceeded to share helpful tips on cost-friendly legal databases, social media marketing strategies, and the progression of AI in the legal field.

The group discussed various legal database alternatives to Westlaw, sharing knowledge on which platforms are the most cost-effective, user-friendly, and provide useful promotional incentives. While the transition can be initially intimidating, members agreed that other platforms can be just as effective after the initial learning curve. Next, the group exchanged views on outsourcing legal research and accounting outline, and exchanged recommendations for case-management platforms.

Furthermore, the support group shared valuable recommendations regarding social media marketing. Considering the recent surge in the popularity of TikTok and video content, the members discussed their concerns regarding information privacy and the ethical concerns related to cultivating a social media presence, and distinguishing the personal from the professional online.

Lastly, members discussed the practicality of incorporating AI into their law practices, but also the threat that it may pose to job opportunities available to small firms. The group debated the threats and limitations of AI technology, sharing useful readings on the topic as well as potential avenues for usage within their own firms.

Overall, the meeting was productive, and the friendly and inclusive environment left members with smiles on their faces as they concluded the session, eagerly looking forward to next month’s discussion. For upcoming events, please check AABANY’s calendar and update your email preference in your account to receive the Committee’s emails. To learn more about the committee, please click here.

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AABANY Membership Committee Hosts Meet the Board Series Event Featuring President Karen Kim and Board Director Won Shin

On Thursday, July 20th, 2023, the AABANY Membership Committee held the first event of the Meet the Board Series this year, at which attendees heard from AABANY President Karen Kim and AABANY Board Director Won Shin about their respective careers. The event was hosted by FTI Consulting in Midtown Manhattan, and co-sponsored by AABANY’s Women’s, Government Service & Public Interest, and Prosecutors’ Committees.

At the beginning of the night, attendees chatted and mingled over dinner before sitting down to participate in a Q&A session with Karen Kim and Won Shin moderated by Membership Director Christopher Bae. Christopher started by asking how the two became involved with AABANY, their most memorable cases, and how working with AABANY has changed their careers.

Won talked about his early career, starting with his work as a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz for six years, his position as Assistant Solicitor General at the New York State Attorney General’s office and his stint in complex frauds and cybercrime in the United States Attorney’s Office. Finally, Won described his entrance into his office’s appeals unit, where he now serves as Chief of Appeals of the Criminal Division. 

Karen spoke about her work at a small firm doing mainly litigation, residential real estate, and construction law, before serving as Vice President of Operations and Strategic Development at Minority Corporate Counsel Association in D.C. and finally landing a position at QBE Insurance through former AABANY president Linda Lin. Karen believes her experience at the small firm she first worked at prepared her for her presidency at AABANY, because she worked on “a hodgepodge of everything” in both positions. 

Christopher turned to the guests for one last question before taking inquiries from the audience. “So how do mentees make themselves stand out so that you would want to mentor them? What can younger attorneys be doing to find more than a mentorship in name and instead build an actual relationship with you?”

Karen paused to think of an answer. “Well, I like chocolate.”

After around half an hour of audience questions, Christopher concluded with a round of rapid fire questions for Karen and Won. We learned that Won’s favorite legal show is “Jury Duty,” and Karen’s favorite judge, past or present, is Judge Judy (the TV judge, not Hon. Judy Kim). The evening wrapped up with more mingling and enjoying food and drinks in FTI’s stylish and modern space.

Thank you to Karen Kim and Won Shin for sharing your experience and wisdom with us, and Christopher Bae for moderating an insightful conversation. We look forward to hosting more Board Members in the Meet the Board Series. To learn more about the Membership Committee, go here.

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AABANY Student Outreach Committee Presents: Students Meet Firms- Groombridge, Wu

On July 11th, 2023, AABANY’s Students Outreach Committee organized a Students Meet Firms event, connecting law students with attorneys from Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone. (Groombridge, Wu) The panelists included Josephine Young, Partner at Groombridge, Wu; Karen King, Partner at Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC; Ben Hsu, Associate at Groombridge, Wu; and Chih-Wei Wu, Associate at Groombridge, Wu. Serving as the moderator was Jennifer Wu, Partner at the firm and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Women’s Committee. The event took place at the Groombridge, Wu office located in New York City and online via Zoom.

The setting was intimate and informal, with Jennifer fielding questions from attendees, which included sharing personal stories and discussing the significance of being assertive in the legal profession. Jennifer emphasized learning to recognize your own voice and not allow others to walk over you. The conversation also delved into topics such as workplace racism, the advantages and disadvantages of owning a firm versus working for one, the training process, the life of an associate, and the value of learning from mistakes.

One notable piece of advice from Jennifer was to seek out a firm that allows for mistakes and provides opportunities for growth through learning from them. The attendees shared insightful questions, such as when does making mistakes become unacceptable, the experiences of being an Asian American woman while climbing the corporate ladder and making partnership, and the pros and cons of practicing law in a post-COVID world.

Overall, the panel provided comprehensive responses to a range of attendee questions, spanning from the experiences of litigation lawyers to insights into achieving partnership status at a major law firm or running one’s own.

Thank you to our speakers for sharing their insights and to the Student Outreach Committee for organizing this wonderful and informative event. To read more about other Students Meet Firms events, including Cleary Gottlieb and Kirkland & Ellis, click on the links to the blog posts. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee, please click here.

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Eumi K. Lee to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

For Immediate Release:
Corrected
Date: August 3, 2023

Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden nominated Judge Eumi K. Lee to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Eumi K. Lee on her nomination. She is exceptionally well qualified, with experience on the bench, private practice, and academia,” said Sandra Leung, President of NAPABA. “Judge Lee is active in the AANHPI community. She was the first Korean American woman to serve as president of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, and she was a recipient of the 2011 NAPABA Best Under 40 Award. Judge Lee also served as pro bono counsel to Fred T. Korematsu in his brief before the Supreme Court of the United States in Rumsfeld v. Padilla. We applaud President Biden for nominating Judge Lee and urge the Senate to confirm her swiftly.”

Judge Lee has served as a judge on the Superior Court of California in Alameda County since 2018. She was the first Korean American judge ever appointed to the court in Alameda County. Previously, Judge Lee was a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, and co-founded and co-directed the Hastings Institute for Criminal Justice. Earlier in her career, she was an associate at Keker & Van Nest LLP and Thelen, Reid & Priest LLP. Judge Lee clerked for Judge Warren J. Ferguson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Jerome Turner on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Pomona College.

NAPABA thanks United States Senators Feinstein and Padilla for recommending and supporting Judge Lee’s nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic in July

On Wednesday, July 19th, 2023, AABANY hosted a highly successful Manhattan Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the AAFE (Asian American for Equality) Community Center, at 111 Norfolk Street, where compassionate volunteers offered their time and expertise to provide invaluable free legal services to the community. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, AAFE, our community partners, and our dedicated volunteers! Throughout the evening, we had the privilege of meeting with 22 clients, engaging in discussions of various legal issues, including immigration, housing, and family law. This was a vast increase from last month’s clinic when we had 8 clients.

In partnership with AAFE Community Center and other community partners, we recognize that the success of the Pro Bono Clinic would not be possible without our volunteers’ unwavering dedication to serving the community. By offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese, we aim to continue to provide support for those who may face linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking access to legal services. Together, we continue to make a difference in the lives of our community members. 

Volunteer Attorneys:

  • Beatrice Leong
  • Pang-Mei (P.M.) Natasha Chang
  • Tiffany Ngeo
  • Yen-Yi Anderson
  • David Mou
  • Menglong (Anthony) Zhu
  • Yan Sin
  • Yuanyuan Li

Interpreters and Shadowers:

  • Daphne Mei
  • Anna Bao
  • Ruo Yang
  • Wendy Zeng
  • MengXi (Claire) Xiong
  • I-Kai Lee
  • Doh Yun (John) 
  • Suzie Yu
  • Alex Hwang

AAFE:

  • Ling

Thanks to all the volunteers, AAFE, community partners, and PBCS Committee who made this Pro Bono Clinic possible. Please join the next Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic taking place on August 16th at AAFE Community Center. To volunteer, please register here by August 11th. For more information, please click here.

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Young Lawyers Committee Presents: AABANY’s Annual Central Park Picnic

On July 8, 2023, AABANY’s Young Lawyers Committee (“YLC”) hosted its annual picnic in Central Park’s Heckscher Picnic Area, connecting members from various committees and their families and pets. Alongside family and friends, AABANY members chatted and relaxed over burgers from Shake Shack and fresh fruits and healthy snacks from Whole Foods. Among the attendees were the President, Karen Kim, the Executive Director, Yang Chen, and former President, Terrence Shen. YLC’s Co-chairs, Ada Wang and Kwonsun Jung, organized the event.

While temperatures this summer are breaking record highs, the heat did not inhibit our members’ enjoyment of the event. Throughout the picnic area, members could be found bonding under the eaves of shady pine trees, sharing laughter and making memories. The picnic ran from 11 AM to 3 PM, and the time passed quickly. Unfortunately, thunder clouds loomed in the distance as 3 PM approached. To avoid getting drenched by incoming storms, attendees woefully packed up their snacks and blankets. Thankfully, the festivities continued, with members gathering for an afterparty at the Smith near Lincoln Center, continuing the joy over drinks and light bites. 

Thank you to everyone for spending their Saturday with AABANY and contributing to the warm and vibrant community that makes our organization so special. We look forward to many more memorable events and opportunities to come together in the future. Special thanks to the Young Lawyers Committee, and the Co-Chairs, Kwonsun and Ada, for their hard work planning and organizing this event. To learn more about the Young Lawyers Committee, click here. 

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AABANY Participates in Battle of the Bars Trivia Night

On Thursday July 13, 2023, the Caribbean Attorney Network (CAN) hosted several bar associations in a “Battle of the Bars” Trivia Night at the Hairy Lemon on the Lower East Side.

AABANY joined the following bar associations in this fun trivia contest:

• Haitian American Lawyers Association of NY
• Dominican Bar Association
• Columbian Lawyers Association 1st Dept
• Metropolitan Black Bar Association
• Hispanic National Bar of NY

Six members represented AABANY — Yang Chen, Chris Kwok, Alysha Naik, Kevin Hsi, Beatrice Leong and Amos Kim — and each person was knowledgeable about different topics that came in handy for Team AABANY.

It was a close call for third place, which needed a tiebreaker. The question was “When was the anime character Astro Boy first published?” Chris Kwok got the right answer for Team AABANY and put us solidly in third place, behind the Columbian Lawyers Association (CLA) which finished in second place. (By the way, if you know the answer to the tiebreaker, let us know, and we might tap you for a future trivia team.)

We came in 2nd place amongst all the bar associations and nearly 40 total participants! The prize was pride and a round of shots.

Thanks to CAN for organizing this event and bringing all the bar associations together!

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Boost Your Career at the NAPABA Convention

Application Deadline: Friday, August 18 at 8:00 pm ET

If you are a senior associate or of counsel at a major law firm who is approaching consideration for partnership, the NAPABA Prospective Partners Program (PPP) is designed for you. PPP is hosted on Thursday, November 9 and Friday, November 10 during the 2023 NAPABA Convention and you are invited to apply for this exclusive program.

Here are the top four reasons to apply:

• Meet senior in-house counsel and general counsels.
• Fine tune your pitch and receive real-time feedback from decision-makers who hire attorneys.
• Network and form meaningful connections with similarly situated attorneys on the cusp of partnership.
• Gain mentorship from a partner at a different law firm and get a fresh perspective on your career trajectory.

Are you ready to boost your career? Apply for the PPP by 8:00 pm ET on Friday, August 18.

APPLY NOW

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AABANY Partners with AAIFF to Promote AAPI Short Films at its 46th Film Festival

AABANY is pleased to announce that it will be resuming its long-time partnership with AAIFF, promoting six short films showing online under the title of “Fire & Water: Shorts in Your Element.” These films include:

“Skin Can Breathe” by Chheangkea

Soda, a Cambodian teenager living in America seeks refuge from his volatile surroundings through swimming. Navigating his relationship with his family, as well as the awkward and erotic nature of his swim team, Soda’s story of self-discovery enthralls viewers. “Skin Can Breathe” is an award-winning short film, bound to catch the audience’s attention.

“Inheritance” by Erin Lau

Kelsey Akioka spends his days photographing the Kalapana lava fields, selling his photos in a pop-up tent to apathetic tourists to support his son and elderly father. Upon receiving news that his friend is sacrificing his passion to better his family’s life, Kelsey must balance his inner conflict with his home life. Directed by Erin Lau, a Native Hawaiian filmmaker with experience working with Sundance Institute, Tribeca Studios, MTV, the Points North Institute, Nia Tero, and Film Independent’s Project Involve program and Episodic Directors Intensive, this short film is a must watch.

“Honolulu” by Maya Tanaka

12-year-old Yuki’s Hawai’ian beach vacation is threatened by mundane family tensions that threaten to boil over, leaving unforgettable memories. Supported by the 2021 Tribeca Studios x Chanel Through Her Lens Female Filmmaking Grant, Maya Tanaka tells an intricate tale of family and culture through Honolulu.

“The Ocean Duck” by Huda Razzak, My Anh Ngo

During a flood, a woman’s visit to her ailing grandmother in a hospital triggers nostalgic memories and fantastical visions of an ancient tale coming to life. “The Ocean Duck,” an animated short film by Huda Razzak and My Anh Ngo, beautifully merges ancient poetry with a modern story of family bonds.

“Rooted (防己)” by Yi-Wei Wu

Rescued by a lifeguard who mistook him for drowning, a teenager grapples with newfound desires that have long been suppressed. Wu Yi-Wei, a writer exploring the complexities of gender, body, and family crisis, transitioned to film direction after earning his M.F.A. in RTF from Shih Hsin University, with “ROOTED” marking his debut short film.

“The Roaring of the Carabao” by Angeline Meitzler

A daughter, born in the United States, travels to the Philippines, her mother’s homeland, and is met with a volcanic eruption on the night of her arrival. Enchanted by the turbulent landscape, she embarks on a haunting journey through the past, present, and beyond, illuminated by the glow of an ember. Incorporating elements of hauntology, “The Roaring of the Carabao” explores the Taal Volcano, one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes, and its ongoing activity as a symbol of Filipino Americanism.

To receive a 25% off discount code, exclusive to AABANY members, please register here at least two days prior to the showing. To buy tickets to “Fire & Water: Shorts in Your Element”, click here. To learn more about the other films and events exhibited at this festival, click here.

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