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September 11, 2015

Press Release: AABANY Presents Kicking Glass, Video About Asian American Women Attorneys, at Annual Fall Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2015

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(718) 228-7206

NEW YORK – September 11, 2015 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that their 6th Annual Fall Conference: Charting New Frontiers, taking place on Saturday, September 19th at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, features Kicking Glass: Two Decades and Counting during the luncheon plenary session. Addressing the important question of what it means to be an Asian American female attorney, Kicking Glass: Two Decades and Counting is a groundbreaking follow-up program to AABANY’s video first presented twenty years ago at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”) Convention in 1995.

The first Kicking Glass video in 1995 discussed the position of Asian American women in the legal profession and featured several Asian American women lawyers who discussed the hurdles they faced, the successes they achieved, and what success meant to them. Among the issues addressed in the video were the “Asian woman” stereotype, how to get recognition for one’s work, parity in the workplace, and achieving a work/life balance. Kicking Glass: Two Decades and Counting examines those same questions twenty years later, exploring both how far Asian American female attorneys have advanced and how much more progress needs to be made. Kicking Glass: Two Decades and Counting features both women from the 1995 video and other Asian American women attorneys in different stages of their legal careers.

Following the video will be a panel discussion to elaborate on the perspectives of those attorneys and identify what challenges remain. Sapna Palla, Esq., AABANY Women’s Committee Co-Chair and Partner, Wiggin and Dana, LLP, will moderate. Scheduled to appear as speakers for this panel are:

Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, New York State Supreme Court Judge, Appellate Term, First Department
Sandra Leung, General Counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb & Co.
Clara Ohr, Legal & Compliance Officer, LUKOIL Pan Americas LLC
Ryan Park, Associate, Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP
Saira Haider, Associate, Axinn, Veltop & Harkrider LLP

“AABANY commends our Women’s Committee for undertaking this important project,” states William Wang, AABANY President. “It brings to the fore persistent issues affecting Asian American women lawyers in New York. While recognizing that some positive change has occurred over time, it forces us to confront the lack of progress since the first Kicking Glass video was produced over two decades ago. The serious discussion that the present video inspires may provide the first steps towards making further progress so that in the near future we can be celebrating the glass being shattered rather just being kicked.”

“The AABANY Fall Conference’s theme of charting new frontiers is the perfect backdrop for addressing how Asian American women lawyers can chart their own new frontiers,” states Sapna Palla. “We look forward to a stimulating discussion on concrete ideas for advancement so that the shattered ceiling is the norm, not the exception.”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

September 11, 2015

Press Release: AABANY Honors Rockwell ‘Rocky’ Chin with Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2015

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(718) 228-7206

NEW YORK – September 11, 2015 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) is proud to announce that Rockwell ‘Rocky’ Chin will receive the Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award this year at AABANY’s Sixth Annual Fall Conference on September 19, 2015, to be held at the offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.

Named for Norman Lau Kee, a revered legal and community pillar of New York City’s Chinatown for decades, this Trailblazer Award honors an accomplished leader in the legal profession of Asian Pacific American (APA) descent or dedicated to APA issues who has carved a path for others to follow, served the community as a mentor and role model, and has made a lasting impact on the APA community through his or her dedication and commitment.

Rocky is an attorney and a community activist. He has extensive experience working with the Asian American community and civil rights issues.

His work in the Asian American community has included: creating and teaching some of the first Asian American studies courses in the country; creating a bilingual childcare program for immigrant families; and coordinating the Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival in New York City. Rocky was a founding member of AABANY’s Board of Directors in 1989. He has also played an integral part in the early formation of organizations such as Asian American Law Fund of New York and Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. Rocky also served as President of the Asian American Arts Alliance.

Rocky’s experience in civil rights spans decades. He has held several leadership positions, such as Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Community Relations at the New York City Commission on Human Rights. He has helped New York City make significant strides in the areas of immigration, labor, and disability rights.

Rocky served as Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity at the New York State Division of Human Rights from April 2007 through April 2015. He is currently the EEO investigator at the New York State Insurance Fund.

“In the more than quarter century since AABANY was founded, very few who are still active in AABANY today can claim that they were there at the beginning. Rocky Chin is one of those rare individuals,” says William Wang, President of AABANY. “Through his community activism and involvement, Rocky has not only blazed a trail for us; he reminds us of AABANY’s roots in the community and continues to promote AABANY’s community ties. Rocky will never let us forget that we must continue to advocate for APAs and other under-represented groups in New York. With the Trailblazer Award we honor and recognize Rocky’s leadership, achievements and lasting legacy.”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.

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September 10, 2015

Prospective Partners Program

The 2015 NAPABA Convention will mark the sixth year that the Prospective Partners Program (PPP) will be taking place during the convention. The principal objective of PPP is to help increase the number of Asian and Pacific American partners at major law firms through introduction, mentorship, and relationship building. The PPP seeks to identify senior associates or of counsel from major law firms who are approaching consideration for partnership, provide them with mentorship, and connect them with senior in-house counsel to whom they will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and the services of their firms during sessions to be held at the convention.

Senior associates who might be interested in the Program are encouraged to apply for this unique opportunity. Priority will be given to candidates based in the New Orleans metropolitan area. Information about the program is available on the NAPABA website. Applications should be returned no later than Sept. 15, 2015. The program sessions will take place during the NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, La., from Nov. 5-8. Specific dates and times will be announced as the convention approaches.

September 9, 2015

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Urges Attorney General to Examine DOJ Investigations Targeting Asian Americans

For Immediate Release
Sept. 2, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) joined the Committee of 100 and five other professional and community Asian Pacific American (APA) organizations in sending a letter calling upon U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to examine whether racial animus has had a role in a growing number of criminal prosecutions brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against certain Asian Americans, who are primarily of Chinese descent. The letter raises concerns about the use of law enforcement practices that are inconsistent with the guidance that DOJ issued in December 2014 that declared that racial profiling practices were ineffective and should no longer be used by law enforcement.

“The majority of prosecutors in this country perform their duties fairly and without bias,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “But I am deeply concerned about the possibility that race and ethnicity are being used by certain overzealous prosecutors in cases that unfairly question the loyalty and patriotism of Asian Pacific Americans, promote negative racial stereotypes, and use racial profiling practices. I urge the Department of Justice to work with us to find better ways to safeguard U.S. national interests while protecting civil liberties.”

The joint letter urges Attorney General Lynch to take action by overseeing the investigations and prosecutions where Chinese Americans are being targeted in cases brought under the U.S. export control, economic espionage, or computer crime statutes. Disconcertingly, an alarming number of these cases appear to have involved instances of inflammatory rhetoric and unfounded accusations based on race.

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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 40,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American 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).

September 8, 2015

Letter from AABANY President Will Wang

Dear AABANY Members:

I hope you all have been enjoying your summer as well as enjoying AABANY’s 2015-16 year-to-date. AABANY has been very busy charting new frontiers and I know many of you have been along for the ride. Our spring and summer have been jam-packed months full of events, networking opportunities, and continuing legal education.

AABANY has sponsored or co-sponsored numerous events throughout the year thus far and I will attempt to highlight some of our most prominent achievements.

In April, AABANY co-sponsored, with the Korean American League for Civil Action (“KALCA”), a forum on the Specialized High School Admissions Test to discuss and weigh-in on efforts to change the way admissions to specialized New York City high schools are administered. AABANY also organized weekend cultural tours of the New-York Historical Society exhibit called “Chinese-American: Exclusion-Inclusion.”

The month of May, which is APA Heritage Month, was certainly an exciting and historic month. Our Women’s Committee held its New York premiere of “Kicking Glass From the Courtroom to the Boardroom: Two Decades and Counting,” a video project followed by a panel discussion covering the hurdles women have faced in the legal profession, the successes they have achieved, and what success means to them.

Kathy Chin and Judge Denny Chin continued their extremely successful trial re-enactments series with “Justice Denied: Ward’s Cove Packing Co., Inc. v. Atonio,” which was performed at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.

Also in May, New York City welcomed two new judges to the bench who made history with their appointments. Judge Raja Rajeswari became the first India-born woman to be appointed to the bench in New York City. Judge Kathryn Paek became the first Korean-American woman judge on the bench in New York State. Both women were appointed to the New York City Criminal Court by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

In June, AABANY hosted its annual In-House Counsel & Corporate Law Wine Tasting & Networking Reception at STK Downtown. Our Prosecutors’ Committee hosted its 7th Annual Reception, at Brooklyn Law School, honoring Joon Kim, Deputy United Sates Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and the family of the late Detective Wenjian Liu.

We also welcomed two new Board members to our AABANY family: Diane Gujarati (Deputy Chief, Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York) and Emily Kim (Chief Policy and Legal Officer, Success Academy Charter Schools).

Finally, our Past President and current Board member, Jean Lee, was honored with the Trailblazer Award at KALAGNY’s 29th Anniversary Gala. Our In-House Counsel Committee Co-chair Austin So was honored with the Corporate Leadership Award at APALA-NJ’s 18th Anniversary Gala.

Of course, the biggest legal news of June was the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision on marriage equality. It was a watershed moment that AABANY was proud to bask in along with the community at-large.

Our annual Fall Conference will take place on September 19th, hosted by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. The website for the conference is up (conference2015.aabany.org) and I encourage you to mark your calendars, register, and attend.

Finally, the NAPABA National Convention is in New Orleans this November 5-8, 2015. Join us in N’awlins and Po’Boys are on me.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2015, Volume XVI, Issue III of The AABANY Advocate, which can be read in its entirety here. To see all past versions of The AABANY Advocate, click here. To learn more about AABANY’s newsletter, you can email naf.kwun@aabany.org.

Will Wang is AABANY’s President 2015-2016. To read his bio, you can click here. You can reach him at william.wang@aabany.org.

September 8, 2015

CKA National Summit & Gala 2015 | Council of Korean Americans

The Council of Korean
Americans (CKA) is pleased to announce the addition of new speakers to the lineup
at its National Summit & Gala on October 23-24.

SHI International is our
country’s largest woman-owned business, and it is owned by Thai Lee, a
Korean American, who will be honored at our gala and will speak at our National
Summit. Another great entrepreneur, Brian Lee, who gave us brands like
Honest Tea, ShoeDazzle, and LegalZoom, will also speak. UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki
Moon is unable to join in person but will send his remarks via video. His
Under Secretary-General, Ambassador Kim Won-Soo will participate in our
Summit and discuss the important topic of global nuclear disarmament and the
future of North Korea.

Visit ckasummit.org for more on
CKA’s speakers, honorees, and program. You’ll also find links to the
registration site and the room block site courtesy of the JW Marriott Hotel.

Help CKA spread the word
as it continues to add and confirm more dynamic speakers and leaders. Go to ckasummit.org and register
today!

September 8, 2015

:: International Association of Korean Lawyers(IAKL)::

The International Association of Korean Lawyers will hold its 23rd annual conference at Yonsei University’s Law School in Seoul, South Korea, from September 17-20. Register now, and book your plane and hotel reservations today. For more information, follow the link the title.

September 8, 2015

Thomas J. Byrne Joins The Korea Society as President

(New York, NY) The Korea Society is pleased to announce that Thomas J. Byrne has accepted the Board of Directors’ nomination as President of The Korea Society, and began his term on August 17, 2015. With his long financial market experience and proactive leadership, President Byrne aims to guide the Society as the premier forum in the United States for issues concerning Korea.

“Many of us know Tom primarily for his perceptive political and economic analysis. Deep down, Tom is a true Korean at heart, who became deeply committed to Korea and its culture as a Peace Corp volunteer,” said The Korea Society Chairman Thomas Hubbard in welcoming President Byrne. “We will benefit greatly from his expertise and dedication to our mission.”

Under his leadership, the Korea Society will highlight U.S.-Korea economic and policy priorities and bolster the Society’s corporate programs. This will help to nurture further the close alliance through The Korea Society’s well-established cultural, educational, and policy programs.

President Byrne has longstanding connections with Korea, dating back to his three-year service as a US Peace Corps volunteer. Prior to joining the Society, he was a Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service, serving as its spokesperson, director of analysis, and manager of the Sovereign Risk teams in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. Before moving to Moody’s in 1996, he was the Senior Economist in the Asia Department of The Institute of International Finance in Washington, DC. President Byrne holds a Master of Arts degree in International Relations with an emphasis on economics from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

The Korea Society is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501©(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea. In pursuit of its mission, the Society arranges programs that facilitate discussion, exchanges, and research on topics of vital interest to both countries in the areas of public policy, business, education, intercultural relations, and the arts.

September 4, 2015

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Names McManis Faulkner as its 2015 Pro Bono Award Winner

For Immediate Release
Sept. 2, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the 2015 Pro Bono Award to James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami of McManis Faulkner. This award recognizes a team of attorneys for outstanding achievements in pro bono service that: (1) involved impact litigation to advance or protect civil rights, (2) provided direct legal services to individuals in the furtherance of the administration of justice. The McManis Faulkner team’s historic victory in Ibrahim v. Department of Homeland Security is exemplary.

The 2015 Pro Bono Award will be presented at the 2015 NAPABA Convention on Nov. 7, 2015, in New Orleans, La.

James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami served as trial counsel in the first successful challenge to the U.S. government’s post-9/11 terrorist watch list system. The client, Dr. Rahinah Ibrahim, was a Malaysian scholar who lived in the U.S. for many years while studying for her Ph.D. at Stanford University. Dr. Ibrahim challenged the constitutionality of the Government’s terrorist watch lists after she was arrested at San Francisco International Airport and informed she was on the No-Fly List. More than eight years later, the McManis Faulkner trial team would make the Government admit that Dr. Ibrahim was erroneously placed on terrorist watch lists due to a bureaucratic error.

The five-member McManis trial team, opposing 12 U.S. government lawyers, ultimately forced the Government to concede at trial that Dr. Ibrahim never posed a threat to national security and that she does not meet the reasonable suspicion standard for inclusion in the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). The McManis Faulkner team’s historic victory in Ibrahim laid the foundation for erroneously watch-listed individuals to clear their names by revealing: (1) the Executive Branch had created at least one secret exception to the “reasonable suspicion” standard, (2) the Government asserts absolute and unreviewable discretion in its watch list decisions, and (3) the Government’s redress system deprives individuals of due process of law.

Regrettably however, to date, the Executive Branch has still not allowed Dr. Ibrahim to obtain a visa to return to the U.S.

“NAPABA congratulates the McManis Faulkner team of James McManis, Elizabeth Pipkin, Christine Peek, Ruby Kazi, and Jennifer Murakami on receiving the 2015 NAPABA Pro Bono Award,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “Their remarkable effort in the aide of Dr. Ibrahim truly exemplifies the pro bono spirit, and we are delighted to honor their success in this landmark case.”

A member of the trial bar for more than 40 years, Mr. McManis is an honorary bencher of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, the oldest institution of legal education in Ireland. In addition, he is a Fellow of the Academy of Court Appointed Masters, American College of Trial Lawyers, Litigation Counsel of America, American Bar Foundation, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Ms. Pipkin is one of the youngest members of the Board of Trustees of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, the largest provider of free legal services for those in need in Silicon Valley. She serves on the litigation committee, which manages all impact litigation brought by the Law Foundation. Elizabeth is also a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA) and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association of Northern California.

Ms. Peek is an active member of SCCBA and is currently a member of the High Technology Section. Previously, she was co-chair of the SCCBA’s Rainbow Committee and was a member of the SCCBA’s Board of Trustees, its Appellate Courts Committee and the Conference of Delegates. She also served as managing editor of the Santa Clara Law Review. Christine is also a member of California Women Lawyers and has moderated proceedings examining women lawyers’ relationship to technology and how that relationship can enhance the practice of law.

Ms. Kazi serves as president of the Asian Law Alliance (ALA), a non-profit organization that provides legal services to Santa Clara County’s low income population, particularly within the Asian/Pacific Islander community. She is also the founder of Lady Lawyers for Lunch, an informal group that meets quarterly to allow women attorneys to exchange ideas, discuss balance, and increase their networks.

Ms. Murakami is a member of SCCBA and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley. She was the editor-in-chief of the Asian American Law Journal of Berkeley School of Law and she also frequently hosts Berkeley Law Alumni events in San Jose.

McManis Faulkner, a San Jose, Calif.-based trial firm, provides a full range of services, representing both corporations and individuals through trial and appeal. The firm handles a wide range of litigation, including business, civil rights, class actions, criminal, employment, family, general civil, intellectual property, personal injury, probate, and professional negligence. With experienced, well-trained trial lawyers and staff, McManis Faulkner prides itself on its diversity – beyond ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, women comprise a majority of the firm’s management and staff.

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 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American 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.

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

September 2, 2015

Mediation Settlement Day Kick-Off Event

Please save the date, Tuesday, October 13, 2015, for the annual Mediation Settlement Day Kick-Off Event, which will be held from 4:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m. at New York Law School, 185 West Broadway, New York, NY.

Who Sponsors MSD?
Mediation Settlement Day is sponsored by the New York State Unified Court System, FINRA Dispute Resolution, and over 100 alternative dispute resolution programs, bar associations, community-based programs, schools, public and non-profit organizations.

What Happens at the Kick-Off Event on Oct. 13?
The Mediation Settlement Day Kick-Off Event begins with informal networking. Mediation organizations, law schools and community groups get together and educate the public about their programs and services. It is also a good opportunity to learn about the mediation profession and career path to become a mediator. Next, a Frontline Champion Award is presented. Finally, a keynote address is given by the Honorary Chairperson. This year’s honorary chair will be announced at a later date.

The event is free and RSVP is not required.

Note: Follow the New York State Unified Court System on Twitter – @NYSCourtsNews and Instagram – @nycourts, for court-related news and event information.

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Andrea Garcia

New York State Unified Court System

Office of Public Affairs