2015 NAPABA Convention: Early Bird Deadline, Aug. 28

The early bird catches the worm…

The 2015 NAPABA Convention is right around the corner! With less than three weeks until the early bird deadline, register today and take advantage of maximum savings. Take a seat at the table with the greater legal community and benefit from this opportunity to convene, learn, network, and engage with your peers. Convention attendees leave the meeting with new ideas, greater knowledge, and a long list of new contacts.

Register before Aug. 28 to receive savings up to $150!

We can’t wait to see you in New Orleans!

AABANY’s Annual Summer Picnic

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On August 9th, AABANY members and their family and friends gathered around the Great Lawn in Central Park for the annual AABANY Summer Picnic. The weather was perfect on this Sunday afternoon for everyone to relax, toss around frisbees and baseballs, and enjoy food.

Attendees enjoyed delicious Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, catered by Saigon Sandwiches located on 369 Broome Street in Chinatown. An assortment of drinks and snacks were also provided.

Special thanks to the Young Lawyers Committee, Tax Committee, and Litigation Committee for planning and organizing this fun event!

If you were unable to attend, be sure to look out for this annual picnic next year!


Write-up & collage by Anna Chen.

National Cantonese Language Engagement

與您交流
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you to participate in a national Cantonese language engagement. Agency representatives will be available to share updates and answer your questions about becoming a U.S. citizen.

Date: Wednesday, August 19 2015
Time: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EASTERN

Participation:
• Via teleconference at 1-800-369-1122; Passcode: 9104335
• Via live Web Stream at http://www.uscis.gov/Live/JiaoLiu 

(this link will be live on the day-of the engagement.)

Note:
Submit your questions in advance via Twitter to @USCIS or during the event via email to OPE-Live@uscis.dhs.gov

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email us at public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov and write “Jiao Liu” in the subject line; or to learn more about USCIS resources, please visit us at http://www.uscis.gov/multilingual.

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Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities with MinKwon Center

The MinKwon Center will be hosting several Naturalization Clinics. These clinics are great opportunities to assist low-income community members with immigration law forms. Clinics will be held at different locations.  Please check the location before signing up to volunteer.

No prior experience is necessary, and training will be provided on the day of each clinic. MinKwon Center keeps a log of all volunteer hours and they are glad to certify your pro bono hours for the NY bar admission requirement. If you’re interested in volunteering with MinKwon, please read the following clinic descriptions and sign up using the links below:

MinKwon Center be helping eligible legal permanent residents (i.e., green card holders) complete their applications to become naturalized U.S. citizens. MinKwon could use the assistance of attorneys, students and interpreters. Korean and/or Chinese language ability is especially helpful. Please sign up HERE to join MinKwon on any of these dates:

1. Date and Time: Friday, 08/14/2015, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location:        Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
                    35-56 159th Street
                    Flushing, New York 11358
Volunteer Shifts: 10am-2pm (training from 10am-11am), 1pm-5pm (training from 1pm-2pm)

2. Date and Time: Saturday, 08/15/2015, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location:        MinKwon Center for Community Action
                    136-19 41st Avenue, 3rd Floor
                     Flushing, NY 11355
Volunteer Shifts: 10am-2pm (training from 10am-11am)

3. Date and Time: Sunday, 08/16/2015, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location:        Adhikaar
                    71-7 Woodside Avenue
                    Woodside, NY 11377
Volunteer Shifts: 10am-2pm (training from 10am-11am), 1pm-5pm (training from 1pm-2pm)

4. Date and Time: Saturday, 08/22/2015, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location:        MinKwon Center for Community Action
                    136-19 41st Avenue, 3rd Floor
                    Flushing, NY 11355
Volunteer Shifts: 10am-2pm (training from 10am-11am), 1pm-5pm (training from 1pm-2pm)

5. Date and Time: Sunday, 08/30/2015, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location:        Adhikaar
                    71-7 Woodside Avenue
                    Woodside, NY 11377
Volunteer Shifts: 10am-2pm (training from 10am-11am), 1pm-5pm (training from 1pm-2pm)

2015 OCA-LI Essay Contest, Submit by Aug. 31

Win $500 in Scholarship Awards from OCA-Long Island!

OCA-Long Island is pleased to announce its annual essay competition for high school students during 2014-2015 school year.  Awards of $500 for first place and $300 for second place will be granted to students with the two best original essays and who demonstrate qualities of excellence in academic work.

Essay Question: What does it mean to be an Asian Pacific American today?

Eligibility and Application Process

1.  The scholarship is open to all Asian Americans who are high school students during 2014-2015 school year residing in Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau or Suffolk Counties.

2.  The essay must be between 700 to 1000 words and submitted by August 31, 2015.

3.  A copy of the student’s high school transcript must accompany submission of the essay.

4.  Essays should be submitted by email: 

  • Email submissions must be in MSWord and sent as attachments to kammankwong@gmail.com.  Attn: Kenny Kwong.  Please write “Scholarship Essay” in the subject line.

5.  Scholarship winners must be present to accept the award at the OCA-LI Gala on Friday, October 23, 2015 at the Dae Dong Manor in Flushing, NY. 

6.  OCA Long Island reserves the right to publish submitted essays for promotional purposes.

For questions, please contact Dr. Kenny Kwong via email: kammankwong@gmail.com

Press Release: NAPABA Announces GAPABA Its 2015 Affiliate of the Year

For Immediate Release
Aug. 5, 2015

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association (GAPABA) as its 2015 Affiliate of the Year. This award recognizes outstanding NAPABA affiliates for their best practices and accomplishments in their respective communities. The 2015 Affiliate of the Year Award will be presented on Nov. 7, 2015, during the 2015 NAPABA Convention in New Orleans, La.

NAPABA is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. GAPABA is one of almost 75 national, state, and local bar associations that are affiliated with NAPABA.

“The selection committee appreciated GAPABA’s adoption of a ‘Year of Service’ as its theme for 2015,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “Additionally, GAPABA truly distinguished itself by embodying the motto ‘you make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give’ when it included a discrete community service component in every event this year.”

GAPABA’s membership has more than doubled in the past 14 months, due in part to its adoption of innovative membership management software on its website and its concerted efforts that attracted two dozen general counsels to its annual gala. Its recent creation of a young lawyers division also stood out as a best practice that other affiliates could benefit from following.

NAPABA is pleased to confer its Affiliate of the Year Award to the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association and congratulates its leaders on a successful year serving their members and community.

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 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).

The Legal Outreach Attorney Mentor Program, Apply by Aug. 24

Legal Outreach prepares urban youth from underserved neighborhoods in New York City to compete at high academic levels by using intensive legal and educational programs as a tools for fostering vision, developing skills, enhancing confidence, and facilitating the pursuit of higher education.

Legal Outreach wants you! Volunteer with Legal Outreach as an Attorney Mentor!

CONNECT with a NYC high school student, positively IMPACT their lives, and INSPIRE them to pursue higher heights!

To apply to be a mentor or for more information click here! Applications are due by August 24, 2015!

Special thanks to MBBA (Metropolitan Black Bar Association) for sharing this announcement with us.