Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Volunteer Opportunity

Special Events Volunteer

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans.  By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.  For more information about AALDEF, please visit our website at www.aaldef.org.

The Special Events Volunteer will assist in the planning, preparation and execution of our annual dinner gala and silent auction in February 2015.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
· Assisting with sponsorship development and outreach, writing materials, managing and following up on reservations, ticket sales, and donations.
· Maintaining databases and files.
· Preparing and maintaining sponsor/donor solicitations and acknowledgments, mailings, and emails.
· Coordinating silent auction/raffle donations, including developing prospects, solicitations and acknowledgment, brochure and silent auction planning, and production.

Some fundraising experience is preferable. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required. Experience using Filemaker is a plus. Volunteers should be able to work 20-30 hours per week.  Flexibility with extra hours around the time of special events is necessary.  Volunteers must be available to work during AALDEF office hours (9:30AM – 5:30PM).  Position starts immediately and will conclude in March 2015.

Interested volunteers should submit a resume by Tuesday, September 30th, 2014.

Please send to:
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12 fl, New York, NY 10013-2815
Attn: J. Weng
Or Email to: jweng@aaldef.org (write “Special Events Volunteer” in the subject line)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO DEFEND ASIAN AMERICAN VOTING RIGHTS NY • NJ • MA • PA • NV • MI • TX • GA • LA • VA • MD • DC Asian American Poll Monitoring for Mid-Term — Tuesday, November 4, 2014

In past elections, Asian Americans have faced a series of barriers in exercising their right to vote.  When the news media reported on election results, Asian Americans were overlooked.  In response, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund along with several partners will monitor the elections for bilingual ballots under the federal Voting Rights Act and to document instances of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement.

We need your help.  In the 2012 elections, 850 volunteers polled 9,096 Asian American voters in 14 states and Washington, DC.  Volunteers work in 3-hour shifts.  There will be a 90-minute training session for all volunteers.  (Attorneys can receive 1.5 CLE credits including 0.5 ethics credit.)  Sign up online here.  Thank you!

For more information, contact: AALDEF Staff Attorney Jerry Vattamala or Voting Rights Organizer Judy Lei at 800-966-5946 or votingrights@aaldef.org

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AALDEF 2014 Poll Monitoring Trainings
Lite Lunch/ Dinner will be provided.  
Advanced Registration required.  Sign up here.

Tues., Oct. 14 – Boston
8:30 a.m. – Mintz Levin, 1 Financial Center, Boston, MA 02110
12 noon – Ropes & Gray, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
6 p.m. – Edwards Wildman, 111 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02199

Wed, Oct. 15 – New York City
12 noon – Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022

Thurs, Oct. 16 – New York City
12 noon – Weil Gotshal, 767 5th Ave, New York, NY 10153
6 p.m. – Wilson Elser, 150 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017

Fri, Oct. 17 – Las Vegas
12:30 p.m. – Ballard Spahr,  100 North City Parkway, Suite 1750, Las Vegas, NV 89106
6 p.m. – Location TBD

Mon, Oct. 20- Washington DC
12 p.m. – Finnegan, I St NW # 700, Washington, DC 20005
6 p.m. – Crowell & Moring, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

Tues, Oct. 21 – Atlanta
12 noon – Ballard Spahr, 999 Peachtree Street, Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 30309
6 p.m. – CPACS, 3510 Shallowford Rd NE, Chamblee, GA 30341

Wed, Oct. 22 – Houston
12 noon – Fullbright & Jaworski, 1301 McKinney St #5100, Houston, TX 77010
6 p.m. – OCA-Greater Houston, 9800 Town Park #142, Houston TX 77036

Thurs, Oct. 23- New Orleans
2 p.m. – Cotton, Schmidt & Abbot, 650 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130
6 p.m. – VAYLA, 13235 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

Thurs., Oct, 23 – Ann Arbor/Detroit
12 noon – Detroit, location TBD
6 p.m. –  University of Michigan Law School, 625 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (tentative location)

Mon, Oct. 27 – Newark, NJ
12 noon – McCarter & English, 100 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ 07102

 Tues, Oct. 28 – Manhattan
12 noon – Baker Hostetler, 45 Rockefeller Plaza #10, New York, NY 10111
6 p.m. – Debevoise & Plimpton, 919 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022

Wed, Oct. 29 – Philadelphia
12 noon – Ballard Spahr, 1735 Market St #5100, Philadelphia, PA 19103
6 p.m. – BPSOS – South Philly, 600 Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (tentative location)

Wed, Oct. 29 – Brooklyn
12:45pm – Brooklyn Law School, 250 Joralemon St, Room 500, New York, NY 11201

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AALDEF 2014 Poll Monitoring Co-Sponsors
List as of September 17, 2014.

NATIONAL CO-SPONSORS
Alliance of South Asian American Labor
APIAVote
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
North American South Asian Bar Association
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates
South Asian Americans Leading Together

LOCAL CO-SPONSORS
APIA Vote – Michigan
Asian American Society of Central Virginia
Boat People SOS Delaware Valley – PA
Center for Pan Asian Community Services – GA
Chhaya CDC – NY
Chinese Community Federation of Atlanta – GA
Chinese Progressive Association – MA
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia
Hunter College/CUNY, Asian American Studies Program – NY
Korean American Civic Empowerment of NY/NJ
MinKwon Center for Community Action – NY
OCA Georgia Chapter
OCA Greater Houston Chapter
OCA Las Vegas Chapter
Princeton Asian American Students Association – NJ
University of Maryland, College Park, Asian American Studies Program
University of Massachusetts Boston, Asian American Studies Program
Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association of New Orleans – LA

LEGAL CO-SPONSORS
Asian American Bar Association of Houston
Asian American Bar Association of New York
Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
Asian American Legal Advocacy Center of Georgia
Asian Bar Association of Las Vegas – NV
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Washington, DC
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Assoc. of New Jersey
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center – DC
Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Greater Boston Legal Services: Asian Outreach Unit – MA
Korean Amer. Bar Assoc. of the Washington DC Area
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater NY
Louisiana Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Pace Law School, Public Interest Law Center – NY
Suffolk U. Law School, Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service – MA
and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association chapters across the country.

Empire Justice Center Diversity Clerkship Program – Rochester, New York

This program seeks to increase diversity in the legal profession in the Rochester area by attracting qualified second-year law students from historically under-represented groups, including racial and ethnic minorities or those who grew up in low income households, to work in a paid position with our organization. By providing a Rochester-based work experience to law students of diverse backgrounds, we believe we are moving toward the long-term goal of increasing diversity in the legal community.

Empire Justice Center strongly believes that a diverse work force results in better service to clients and a better work environment for attorneys and staff. We are committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting attorneys who contribute to the overall diversity of the legal community in Rochester.

The summer clerkship is expected to run for no longer than ten weeks in total and will include a $6,650 stipend.

Program Specifics (subject to change):

1. Application: Eligible second year law students are required to submit a formal application, current resume, law school transcripts, a personal statement and the designated writing sample on or before the submission deadline of Thursday October 30, 2014 to diversityclerkship@empirejustice.org.

2. Interview: Based on the application materials submitted, qualified candidates will be invited to Rochester for an interview conducted by members of the Diversity Clerkship Hiring Committee and various staff attorneys of the organization, on Saturday November 22, 2014.

Students must secure their own transportation to Rochester for the interviews; however, students facing challenges traveling to Rochester should contact Rebecah Corcoran for potential assistance or to discuss alternatives.

3. Selection Process: After the interviews, the Diversity Clerkship Hiring Committee will rank students based on the following criteria (being an agent for social and economic change, commitment to and interest in legal services, writing skills and interview/interpersonal skills) and then will select the student who will be offered the Clerkship, along with alternates.

4. Offers: The selected student will be given three days to accept the initial offer. If the offer is declined, the position will be extended to an alternate until the position is filled.

TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION ON PLEASE VISIT

www.empirejustice.org, Your Career Placement Office or Symplicity.

From Lawyer To Novelist: An Interview With Helen Wan, Author Of The Partner Track

From Lawyer To Novelist: An Interview With Helen Wan, Author Of The Partner Track

PRESS RELEASE: Perkins Coie LLP to Receive Inaugural Law Firm Diversity Award from Asian American Bar Association of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2014                              

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

NEW YORK – September 18, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Perkins Coie LLP will receive its inaugural Law Firm Diversity Award at the Fifth Annual AABANY Fall Conference, which will take place at the New York office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP on September 20, 2014.

AABANY established this award to recognize a law firm with an extraordinary commitment to diversity, evidenced in part by a formal diversity plan that has achieved demonstrable success in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of women and minority attorneys, and also by a firm’s active participation in minority bar associations and other external diversity initiatives.  

According to AABANY President, Clara Ohr, “We selected Perkins Coie LLP to receive our Law Firm Diversity Award from a field of very strong candidates because of their (i) strong numbers of women and minority partners; (ii) goal-oriented and systematic diversity plan, which not only monitors the hours and assignments of women and minority attorneys on a monthly basis to ensure their continued development, but also considers individual diversity and inclusion efforts with respect to partner compensation; and (iii) consistent financial and personnel support of multiple minority bar associations.  Perkins Coie’s innovative practices have left an impressive footprint in establishing a broad pipeline of diverse talent that could serve as a useful roadmap for other law firms to consider.  AABANY congratulates and thanks Perkins Coie for its impressive efforts.”

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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).

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Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org

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JUDGE MARILYN D. GO TO RECEIVE INAUGURAL NORMAN LAU KEE TRAILBLAZER AWARD FROM ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2014 

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

NEW YORK – September 15, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that United States District Court Magistrate Judge Marilyn D. Go, Eastern District New York, will receive the inaugural Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award. Judge Go will be honored at AABANY’s Fifth Annual Fall Conference held at the law firm Morgan Lewis Bockius on September 20, 2014.

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.

Marilyn D. Go, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York, was the first Asian American woman to serve as a judge in a federal court.  After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1977, she clerked for the late Honorable William M. Marutani in Philadelphia, who was the only Asian American judge on the East Coast at the time. She then served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNY and was later a partner at Baden Kramer Huffman Brodsky & Go, P.C.  Committed to promoting diversity and professionalism in the bar, Judge Go was a founding member, officer and director of the Asian American Bar Association of New York; chair of the Voting Rights Committee of NAPABA; Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary of the American Bar Association; and a member of Governor Cuomo’s Task Force on Minority Representation on the Bench.

 “Judge Go is a true trailblazer in our community,” Yang Chen, AABANY’s Executive Director, states. “She rose to the top of the legal profession as an attorney and judge at a time when women leaders, particularly APA women, were few and far between. Through her achievements, accomplishments and leadership, she has paved the way for future generations of lawyers to succeed and attain prominence. As one of the founding Board members of AABANY, she helped to lay the foundation for future leaders to grow the organization into the great bar association it is today. Because of the trails she has blazed, Judge Go has made a real difference for APA attorneys and the legal profession. We are proud to count her as a leading member of our association and our community.”

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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).

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