Tax Club Dinner Returns to a Great Turnout on February 7th

The Tax Committee rebooted the Tax Club Dinner series on February 7, 2023, with a great turnout for dinner at Tang Pavilion.  It was the first in person dinner since the pandemic and the Tax Committee was happy to welcome old and new faces. 

Shiukay Hung presented an overview of domestically-controlled REITs, the typical structuring of such REITs, and recent proposed Treasury Regulations that may affect structuring of this kind. 

 It was great to be reunited, and the Tax Committee looks forward to regular dinners going forward.

Click here to learn more about the Tax Committee.

NAPABA Endorses Julie Ann Su to Become Next Secretary of Labor 

For Immediate Release: 
February 9, 2023
Contact Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – February 9. NAPABA endorsed Julie Ann Su to be the next Secretary of Labor. Currently, Ms. Su is Deputy Secretary of Labor.

“Julie Su is the most qualified candidate for U.S. Labor Secretary and is the best choice to advance the policies of the Biden Administration. As Deputy Secretary of Labor, she was instrumental in working with Secretary Walsh to avert a nationwide railroad strike. In addition, she has partnered with federal agencies to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act with a focus on good-paying, accessible jobs. Prior to her confirmation as Deputy Secretary, Ms. Su was Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency – the country’s largest in a state that ranks as the fifth largest economy in the world, makes her extraordinarily well-prepared to serve as our next Secretary of Labor,” said Sandy Leung, President of NAPABA.

In 2014, NAPABA honored Ms. Su with its prestigious Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award, which recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of lawyers who have paved the way for the advancement of other Asian Pacific American attorneys. Ms. Su was recognized for her advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable, poor, and disenfranchised workers, including for her efforts to hold garment manufacturers liable for exploiting slave labor.

Prior to her role as California Labor Secretary, Ms. Su was California Labor Commissioner, Litigation Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, and has taught at UCLA Law School and Northeastern Law School. Ms. Su was a recipient of the 2019 American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Award and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Stanford University.

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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 APA 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.

Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel Applications Now Open for US Court of Appeals, 2d Cir.

The Criminal Justice Act Committee of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is accepting applications for service on the Court’s Criminal Justice Act Panel. CJA Panel Members represent indigent criminal defendants and petitioners for habeas corpus.


Admission to practice before this Court is a necessary qualification for membership on the Panel. The Court seeks attorneys of superior experience and proven competence in federal appellate criminal defense work. The qualifications of attorneys applying for service on the Panel will be examined by the CJA Committee’s Attorney Advisory Group, which will make recommendations for membership on the Panel. Membership on the Panel will be for a term of one to three years, at the discretion of the Court. Attorneys currently serving on the panel need not reapply until the expiration of their present term.


Application forms for membership on the Criminal Justice Act Panel are available at the Court’s website, or by calling 212-857-8702.


A signed original application, one copy of each of your appellate briefs, and three paper copies of the completed application and your resumé, along with a CD containing both your completed applications and resumé, must be received by the Clerk of Court by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2023.


Please check the Court’s website periodically for CJA developments.

Apply for US Magistrate Judge SDNY by Feb. 28, 2023

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is accepting applications for full-time Magistrate Judge positions at New York, NY. The duties of the position are demanding and wide ranging and will include: (1) conduct of preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters, including settlement proceedings, and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court; (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; (5) inquests and reports and recommendations on dispositive
motions and evidentiary matters on reference from the judges of the district court; and (6) assignment of additional duties not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.

Candidates should submit hard copies of the applications to the physical address below and email a copy to: [email protected].

Edward A. Friedland
District Court Executive
United States Courthouse
500 Pearl Street, Room 820
New York, NY 10007-1312
Tel: 212-805-0500

An original plus fifteen (15) copies of a cover letter, resume and application must be received by February 28, 2023. Application forms are available on the Court’s web site: ww.nysd.uscourts.gov.
(Subject to funding, multiple vacancies may be filled from this posting.)

For more details, including the application form, click here. 

**Deadline extended from the October 26, 2022 posting.

**If you applied to the previous posting, you do not need to reapply.

Congratulations to Kathy Hirata Chin on Being Named to the City & State 2023 50 Over 50 List

On January 30, City & State published their 2023 power list of the 50 Over 50 in New York. As stated in the article:

The feature, which has become one of our most popular lists each year, recognizes the legacies of 50 accomplished individuals who are 50 or older. While many of our lists regularly track the rise and fall of politicians within different power structures, this annual undertaking has allowed us to take the longer view – and offer well-deserved accolades for leaders who have amassed a long list of accomplishments over the course of their entire careers. 

AABANY is pleased to announce that its longtime member Kathy Hirata Chin has been named one of City & State‘s 50 Over 50. See:

https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2023/01/2023-50-over-50/382192/#kathy-hirata-chin

Please join us in congratulating Kathy on this well-deserved honor and recognition. 

To see the full list, go to:

https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2023/01/2023-50-over-50/382192/

IP Committee Hosts First “Dumplings & Discussion” Fireside Chat with Andy Yoo

On February 1, 2023, the IP Committee hosted its inaugural “Dumplings & Discussion” fireside chat series, with Andy Yoo, SVP & General Counsel at Savvas Learning Company as the guest. 

Over a sumptuous spread of dumplings and other Chinese dishes, Andy shared his insights on intellectual property in the education industry, reflected on his career path, discussed his responsibilities as General Counsel, and offered advice to young attorneys.   Andy also discussed how he leads his team, and his views on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).  The attendees were made up of in-house counsel attorneys in private practice and law students, and represented a wide range of experience levels. 

Andy talked about his start at a prominent law firm and his move in-house to a media company. His next in-house move was to another media company that was also prominent in producing educational materials, and his current company focuses on those products. Andy enjoys the variety of challenging work he does as an in-house counsel and noted that nearly a third of his work involves IP, because the company manages a portfolio of hundreds of trademarks and thousands of copyrighted materials.

Andy has been deeply involved with DEI as an in-house counsel and reflected on changes in DEI over the past three decades. Compared to when he started as an associate to present day, he has observed a shift from the legal profession barely talking about DEI to robust efforts driven by the corporate sector to increase DEI across the board. The change, noted Andy, “is like night and day.” Yet, Andy recognizes that much still needs to be done and laments that during times of economic downturn, corporate DEI budgets tend to shrink, leading to cycles of advancement and retreat that make lasting progress hard to maintain.

After the in-depth discussion and lively Q&A that followed, attendees continued to enjoy drinks and food in a networking reception. 

Thanks to Jeff Mok, Co-Chair of the IP Committee for moderating an insightful conversation, and to Fish & Richardson for being such gracious hosts. Thanks to Andy Yoo for sharing his time, experiences and knowledge with us.

Look out for the next IP Committee “Dumplings & Discussion” fireside chat. To learn more about the IP Committee, go to https://www.aabany.org/page/145.

Save the Date for NAPABA’s Lobby Day | May 22-23
Make Your Voice Heard on Issues of Importance to the AAPI Communities

Mark your calendars and save the date for NAPABA’s 12th annual Lobby Day, May 22-23, taking place in Washington, DC.

Lobby Day is an opportunity for NAPABA members from across the country to educate members of Congress and Congressional staffers on issues of importance to the AAPI community. NAPABA’s Lobby Day is not only about supporting important legislation, but ensuring that your voices and advocacy for justice, equity, and opportunity for all AAPIs are heard from your home districts to the halls of Congress!

Learn more about Lobby Day, including schedule details and FAQs. Registration will open in February. Should you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

QBE North America 2023 Summer Legal Internship Program: Applications Now Being Accepted

QBE North America is an international insurer and reinsurer offering a diverse portfolio of commercial, personal and specialty products, as well as risk management solutions. Their product portfolio includes property, motor, crop, energy, marine and aviation. QBE North America employs a team of more than 11,800 people, in 27 countries around the world.

QBE is encouraging talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply for QBE’s 2023 Summer Legal Internship Program. The internship will run 10 weeks from May 30th through August 4th, and students are expected to commit to 5 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program is designed so that interns will work on a wide range of assignments with the various sub-units of QBE’s Legal, Regulatory and Compliance team, such as Business Unit Support, Corporate Shared Services, Regulatory and Litigation. The internship will be hybrid, with interns working remotely as well as in-person at the New York office, located at 55 Water Street.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Law students are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. QBE will be selecting 2 law school students to join the program. Please follow this link for full details.

Joint Statement on the Shooting
in Half Moon Bay

The Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA Bay Area), the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (APABA Silicon Valley), the Asian American Prosecutors Association (AAPA), the California Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Cal-APABA), the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC), the Korean American Bar Association of Northern California (KABANC), the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), and the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) stand united to grieve the victims and support the families and communities devastated by another tragic act of mass violence visited upon the AAPI community—this time in Half Moon Bay. While law enforcement continues its investigation and details continue to emerge, we understand that the victims were all farmworkers of Asian and Hispanic origin, and our thoughts remain with the families of those lost and recovering.

“As we mourned and stood together with our sister Asian Pacific American bar organizations in southern California in the wake of their loss over the Lunar New Year, we are shocked and saddened by how suddenly mass violence has now struck our community here in the Bay Area,” said Lin Y. Chan, President of AABA Bay Area. “We must stand up and support the victims, their families, and our communities at this time of sorrow.”

“APABA Silicon Valley extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. We share in the sorrow felt by the AAPI and Latino migrant farmworkers who live and work here and who we are proud to call our friends and neighbors,” said Thomas Mathew, President of APABA Silicon Valley. “These tragedies demonstrate that our own AAPI communities continue to have urgent unmet needs, including for mental health resources, which we must embrace and encourage, not stigmatize.”

“The Asian American Prosecutors Association joins our fellow Bay Area AAPI bar associations bound in grief for the victims of this senseless criminal act,” said Annie Saadi, President of AAPA. “We must ensure that justice and support and compassion for the victims and for the communities affected go hand in hand.”

“The New Year is a time to hope and dream. Instead, we mourn the loss of lives.” Asit Panwala, President of Cal-APABA, stated. “Our condolences go to the families and friends of those who were killed in this tragic incident.”

“As we come to grips with yet another horrific loss of life to violence, FBANC offers love, support, and compassion as well as whatever legal and advocacy resources we can harness to serve our beloved Bay Area community recover from this appalling tragedy,” said Raymond R. Rollan, President of FBANC.

“The Korean American Bar Association of Northern California joins in grieving for the victims of heartbreaking and shocking violence,” said Stephan Choo, President of KABANC. “We extend our condolences to the families of the victims, and offer our love, compassion and prayer for our community.”

“NAPABA is overcome with grief and sadness as yet another episode of violence has wrought suffering and heartbreak to so many in the AAPI and Hispanic communities in California,” said Sandy Leung, President of NAPABA. “We offer our deepest sympathies for the victims, and I know that our members and affiliates in the Bay Area, anguished as they are and still reeling from tragedy over the Lunar Year, stand ready to support the communities affected with care and humanity.”

“Another instance of mass violence has inflicted pain on the AAPI community in California,” said Jennifer Liem, President of VABANC, “as we process and grieve through our pain and anguish, we stand ready to assist the families and communities in any way our members can.”

Please visit the Half Moon Bay Fund, supported by a number of our partner organizations, to see how you can assist the families and communities who have lost so much in Half Moon Bay. 100% of proceeds will be donated to directly-impacted individuals.

Please visit Stop AAPI Hate’s toolkit for resources to help those affected by trauma and violence in the aftermath of this incident. Please also see their digital toolkit for organizations and advocates.

If you have any information relating to the ongoing investigation, please contact Detective Deschler with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office at: 1-800-547-2700

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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 APA 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.

AABANY Celebrates Lunar New Year at MSG with the Knicks

On Tuesday, January 24, forty AABANY members, family and friends celebrated Lunar New Year at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks took on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The night was filled with memorable moments: The New Asia Chamber Music Society performed the national anthem and there was a special lion dance performance during halftime. Two of our members caught t-shirts that were fired into the crowd by cannons and during the third quarter AABANY even got a shoutout on the Garden Vision big screen. And to cap it all off, the Knicks won a nail biter by a score of 105-103.

Thanks to the Membership Committee for organizing another successful event and shoutout to the Asia Practice, Bankruptcy, Career Placement, Mentorship, Military & Veterans Affairs, Women’s, and Young Lawyers Committees for co-sponsoring.