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Aug 3 Kicks Off the 45th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF), Running through Aug 13.

AABANY is longtime community partner to the AAIFF, and AABANY members are invited to attend the film festival with the special 20% discount code: AAIFF45BAR. 

Our own Francis Chin, AABANY’s professional development committee chair will also be speaking on the 72 Hour Shootout post-screening panel, a special part of the AAIFF.

About the Festival

The Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) proudly known as “The First Home to Asian American Cinema,” is the first and longest running festival to premier and showcase independent Asian, Asian diaspora and Pacific Islander cinema. With its origins at the Henry Street Settlement in New York City’s Lower East Side, the AAIFF brings together audiences from all over New York City, the tri-state region, and around the world. The 45th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF45) will take place from August 3 – 13, and combines in-person screenings and events with online programs. 

This year, AAIFF will feature FREE CHOL SOO LEE, a documentary which excavates the essential story of 1970s San Francisco, when 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. In the past, AABANY featured Chol Soo Lee’s case in a trial reenactment titled, Alice in Chinatown: Chol Soo Lee and His Fight for Freedom. Five decades later, this documentary by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi revisits Chol Soo Lee’s story and serves as an urgent reminder that his legacy is more relevant than ever.  

On August 13th, the festival will showcase its Closing Night Presentations. Features include DEAR CORKY, directed by Curtis Chin illustrating an intimate look at the legendary photographer Corky Lee. A long-time friend of AABANY, we have hosted various events honoring Corky’s legacy, including the photo exhibit “Photographic Justice: A Tribute to Corky Lee,” currently showing at the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York. Passionate about activism, documenting history, and combatting Asian hate crimes through his camera, Dear Corky is a film revealing the man behind the iconic pictures that mobilized the Asian American community. 

To learn more about the other films and see the full schedule of the festival, click here. For more information about ticketing, click here.

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Congratulations to AABANY Student Outreach Committee Co-Chair William Lee on Being Honored as Mayer Brown’s Pro Bono Associate of the Year

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates William Lee on being honored as Mayer Brown’s Pro Bono Associate of the Year on July 12, 2022. Mayer Brown is an international law firm specializing in the global financial services industry with approximately 200 lawyers in each of the world’s three largest financial centers: New York, London and Hong Kong. William was the sole “Pro Bono Associate of the Year” of the Americas out of three international recipients.

William has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. His experience includes volunteering for AABANY’s pro bono clinic, overseeing Columbia Law School’s Pro Bono Caravan, and supervising a postering campaign to provide AAPI neighborhoods in New York with COVID relief information. He is also Co-Chair of the AABANY Student Outreach Committee.

William, an associate in Banking & Finance, emphasized the importance of pro bono work during these trying times. To William, pro bono work means urgency. He noted how right now is the most important time to engage in pro bono, and if we do not fight, nothing will ever change.

William spoke about his experience with AABANY: “Before COVID, I wasn’t really involved with AABANY. I got involved by raising my hand to help the pro bono clinic as a translator. I’m not smarter or more qualified than anyone else in any other way. All I did was raise my hand, continue to say yes, and always try to do the right thing. A lot of law firm associates think they have no time to do pro bono, but I am a walking example that you can do both.”

How does he make time for Pro Bono work as a BigLaw associate? William highlighted the importance of time management: “Sometimes, you have to sacrifice an hour with family or while on vacation for a meeting, but it is worth it in the end.”

William said that while this award was completely unexpected, he is extremely grateful for this honor. He also emphasized that this award is a big win for AABANY.

Please join AABANY in congratulating William Lee on being honored as Mayer Brown’s Pro Bono Associate of the Year!

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Possible Expansion of Program for Guardian Ad Litem Appointments in Landlord-Tenant Matters in the 9th J.D.

9th Judicial District Administrative Judge Ann E. Minihan has issued a Memorandum pertaining to the possible expansion of a program for Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Appointments in Landlord-Tenant matters in the 9th Judicial District and seeks input from AABANY members who handle landlord-tenant matters within the 9th Judicial District to provide the projected number of GAL appointments that they would seek in each of the counties of the 9th J.D. if such a program were available. We ask that those interested in responding return the Memorandum with the bottom portion completed by August 31, 2022 to 9jd-JudgeHyer@nycourts.gov. 

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Commission on Judicial Nomination is Seeking Applications for Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals and State of New York

July 29, 2022

Contact: Henry M. Greenberg, Counsel

Phone: (518) 689-1492

e-mail: greenbergh@gtlaw.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Yesterday, the Commission on Judicial Nomination was formally notified by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York of the coming vacancy on the Court created by the resignation of Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, effective August 31, 2022.  Accordingly, the Commission is taking up the task of seeking recommendations and applications of persons who may be qualified to serve as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, as well as Chief Judge of the State of New York. 

Candidates for Chief Judge DiFiore’s vacancy may download an application from the Commission’s website (www.nysegov.com/cjn) or contact the Commission’s Counsel, Henry M. Greenberg, c/o Greenberg Traurig, LLP, 54 State Street, 6th Floor, Albany, New York 12208 [Tel.: (518) 689-1492; e-mail: greenbergh@gtlaw.com; Fax: (518) 689-1499].  Applications may be filed electronically by e-mailing them to CJN_Applications@gtlaw.com or submitted by mail to the Commission’s Counsel.  Applications must be submitted to the Commission no later than August 29, 2022.

The Commission was created by Article 6, § 2 of the New York State Constitution.  Consistent with its mandate, the Commission is entrusted with responsibility for evaluating, and then recommending to the Governor, candidates to fill vacancies on the Court of Appeals.  The Commission vigorously seeks out, carefully evaluates and then shall nominate to the Governor seven well-qualified candidates for the office of Chief Judge from the extraordinary, diverse community of lawyers admitted to practice in New York State for at least ten years.  The Governor’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the New York State Senate.

To fill past judicial vacancies on the Court, the Commission has nominated to the Governor a wide variety of lawyers, including private practitioners, public interest attorneys, law professors, government officials and sitting Federal and State judges. While prospective candidates must file an application with the Commission, recommendations may be made by anyone who believes that a prospective candidate could be an excellent Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York.  Recommendations of qualified candidates for a vacancy are encouraged and may be made to the Commission’s Counsel.  

If any person or organization wishes to receive copies of future Commission press releases, please provide an e-mail or mailing address to the Commission’s Counsel.  The Commission will register the address and make every effort to distribute future press releases in the designated manner.  Persons interested in learning more about the Commission are encouraged to visit its website: www.nysegov.com/cjn.

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NAPABA Applauds the Nominations of Justice Myong J. Joun and Judge Rita F. Lin to the U.S. District Court

For Immediate Release: 
Date: July 29, 2022

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON—Today, President Joe Biden nominated Justice Myong J. Joun to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and Judge Rita F. Lin to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If confirmed, Justice Joun would be the first Asian American male to serve on the federal bench in Massachusetts and Judge Lin would be the first Chinese American female to serve on a district that includes San Francisco and San Jose.

“NAPABA congratulates its members, Justice Myong Joun and Judge Rita Lin,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Justice Joun is the second former Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts president to be nominated to an Article III judgeship and Judge Lin is a past NAPABA Best Under 40 awardee. Both are exceptionally well qualified. We applaud President Biden for nominating them and we urge the Senate to swiftly confirm them.”

Justice Myong J. Joun
In 2014, Justice Joun was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to the Boston Municipal Court. Previously, he was in private practice where he specialized in criminal defense and plaintiff’s civil rights litigation in state and federal courts. A former president of NAPABA’s affiliate, the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, Justice Joun is active in the greater legal community. He currently serves as treasurer of the Harry J. Elam Judicial Conference and has served on the Executive Management Board of the Massachusetts Bar, the board of directors for the National Lawyers Guild and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association. Justice Joun is a veteran of the United States Army and the Massachusetts National Guard. He received his J.D. from Suffolk Law School and his B.A. from the University of Massachusetts.

Judge Rita F. Lin
In 2018, Judge Rita Lin was appointed by Governor Edmund Brown, Jr. to the Superior Court of San Francisco. Previously, she was an assistant U.S. attorney of the Northern District of California and a partner at Morrison and Foerster, where she focused on complex civil cases and financial services. At the firm, she had an active pro bono practice, including successfully challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Judge Lin clerked for the Honorable Sandra Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In 2017, NAPABA honored her with its Best Under 40 award. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Harvard College.

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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.

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AABANY Congratulates Margaret Ling on her New York State Bar Association Member Profile

AABANY congratulates Margaret Ling on her New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) member profile published on July 25, 2022. Focusing on her career path and the importance of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, the member profile speaks to the necessity of making progress against discrimination in the legal profession. 

Margaret noted that “women and people of color are [still] not making partner and leaving prestigious firms after 20 years of service.” Discussing her personal experiences with racism and sexism in the field, Margaret stated, “now I mentor young lawyers because there was no one there to help me. I tell them that you have to speak up for your work and fight to be recognized for it.” Read more here.

NYSBA was founded in 1876 and currently has a membership base of over 70,000 individuals, with its headquarters in Albany, NY.

Outside of her work for the NYSBA, Margaret Ling is also a former AABANY Board member, most recently serving as Director of Development. She is the founding Co-Chair of the AABANY Real Estate Committee and continues to co-chair it today. Upcoming events featuring AABANY’s Real Estate Committee include AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents: “Emoticons, Emojis, Smileys and Stickers” CLE on August 3, 2022, and AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents: “Representing Foreign Purchasers & Foreign Sellers” CLE on August 10, 2022.

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The Asian American Law Journal at Berkeley Law is Accepting Submissions for its 2022-2023 Volume!

What is the Asian American Law Journal (AALJ)? AALJ is one of only two law journals in the United States focused on Asian American communities. Since 1993, they have provided a scholarly forum for exploring unique legal concerns of Asian Americans, including but not limited to East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Each annual volume typically contains articles, book reviews, essays, and other contributions from scholars, practitioners, and students.

What topics and issues does AALJ feature? AALJ welcomes commentary, analysis, and research on the diverse experiences of Asian Americans, particularly at the intersections of gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, and race. For example, their recent publications have explored Asian American women in the #MeToo movement, the impact of Supreme Court decisions on citizenship, and Asian Americans and affirmative action. They especially welcome scholarship on timely issues such as critical race theory, recent judicial opinions impacting Asian American communities, and Asian Americans’ roles in advocating for racial justice and BIPOC solidarity. 

Is there a specific format or word limit? AALJ recognizes that the format of traditional law review articles may limit the ability to capture the ways in which the law intersects with lived experience. Therefore, in addition to academic articles, AALJ also welcomes essays and other written formats that reflect Asian American community issues. Consider their archives for references. (Recently, AALJ has enjoyed Professor Carlos Hiraldo’s Arroz Frito with Salsa: Asian Latinos and the Future of the United States, Professor Mari Matsuda’s Planet Asian America, and Professor Robert Chang’s article, AALJ’s inaugural piece, Toward an Asian American Legal Scholarship.)

Is there a deadline? Yes, all submissions are due by Monday, August 15th, 2022, though they make publication offers on a rolling basis. Please send your submissions via email to aalj@berkeley.edu or through Scholastica.

What does the publication process look like? Over the course of the 2022-2023 academic year, the AALJ team will work with you to provide substantive feedback on your piece, in addition to cite-checking and formatting your article for publication.

What if I have more questions? Please send AALJ an email! They would love to connect.

I don’t have anything to submit, but I know someone who might. What can I do? For those in the position to do so, AALJ would appreciate you forwarding this note to your departments, teams, and friends or colleagues who may be interested in publishing with AALJ.

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2022 NAPABA GECC Summit

Registration Now Open
September 9, 2022 | 1:00-3:10 pm ET, Virtual

Are you a government, public interest, or public sector attorney, or thinking about becoming one? Join the NAPABA Government Enforcement & Compliance Committee (GECC) in partnership with the Health Law Committee virtually on Friday, September 9 for the 2022 NAPABA GECC Summit!

This year’s Summit will include a CLE eligible session focused on practical skills training in healthcare fraud and use of data in complex civil and criminal litigation and a second session with tips on how to navigate career transitions.

Registration is now open and is complimentary. The deadline to register is September 9 at 11:00 am ET.

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Learn more about the GECC Summit here. We look forward to connecting with you virtually on September 9!

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AABANY IP Committee Hosts Dinner at Barn Joo Nomad

On July 19, 2022, the IP Committee gathered at Barn Joo Nomad near Koreatown in a cozy, private second-floor dining area. Dishes were ordered family-style, and a seemingly endless stream of food accompanied lively conversations throughout the night. Featured delicacies included Braised Pork Belly, Seafood Krispy Paella, Nomad Bite, and many more. New connections were formed among the diverse group of attendees, which included law firm attorneys, in-house counsel, and students. Over dishes of Silky Tofu and Chili Shrimp, the lively conversations ranged from Post-Grant Reviews (PGR) and International Trade Commission (ITC) Patent Litigation to important considerations when choosing a law school and firm. Thanks to everyone who attended.

Please sign up for the IP Committee mailing list, and look out for the committee’s next event! To learn more about the IP Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/145.

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AABANY Student Outreach Committee Presents – Pre-OCI Series: How to Get a Small/Mid-Sized Firm Job

On July 20, 2022, AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee hosted a virtual panel discussion to provide advice on the On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) process and how to get a small and mid-sized firm job. The event, part of the Student Outreach Committee’s Pre-OCI Series, ran from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Zoom. The panel was moderated by Student Outreach Committee Vice Chair Jay Hawlader (Summer Associate ‘22 – Barasch & McGarry) and featured the following panelists:

  • Carolynn Beck (Partner – Eisner, LLP)
  • Keli Liu (Senior Associate – Greenwald Doherty LLP)
  • Richard Sui (Associate – Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP)
  • James Lee (Associate – Littler Mendelson P.C.)

Panelists discussed the pros and cons of joining a small and mid-sized firm, interview tips, and advice for pivoting into big law. The main takeaways included the increased accountability and resilience built at small and mid-sized firms, networking with associates in addition to partners at law firms to better understand the firm culture, and being proactive in utilizing resources such as mock interviews and the career center. The discussion was followed by a Q&A session, where audience members asked questions about hours, which the panelists stated can vary depending on weekly workload, and recession considerations, to which the panelists mentioned that there exists a demand for a variety of legal services during a recession. 

AABANY thanks the Student Outreach Committee for organizing the event and all panelists, moderators, and students who attended. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/121. 

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