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In the News: AABANY and Paul, Weiss’ Report on Anti-Asian Violence Continues to Garner Widespread Press Attention

AABANY and Paul, Weiss’ report, A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions, has continued garnering widespread press attention in print and on air following its release on February 11. There has been an increase in news outlets summarizing and citing the report’s findings since our previous account, including not just across the United States but Asia and Europe as well.

Here are some news stories about recent incidents of anti-Asian violence, where they mention AABANY’s report:

“Asian Americans face increased hate crimes amid COVID-19 pandemic” By Megan Schellong, February 19, 2021, WLNS, https://www.wlns.com/news/asian-americans-face-increased-hate-crimes-amid-covid-19-pandemic/

“Violence contre les asiatiques aux USA : Nancy Pelosi s’insurge” By Rodrigue Gozoa, February 19, 2021, La Nouvelle Tribune, https://lanouvelletribune.info/2021/02/violence-contre-les-asiatiques-aux-usa-nancy-pelosi-sinsurge/?cn-reloaded=1 

“House Dems renew call for hate crime law after anti-Asian attacks” By Michael Macagnone, February 19, 2021, Roll Call, https://www.rollcall.com/2021/02/19/house-dems-renew-call-for-hate-crime-law-after-anti-asian-attacks/

“Olivia Munn laments spiking hate crimes against Asian Americans as friend’s mother is attacked” By Clémence Michallon, February 19, 2021, The Independent, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/olivia-munn-man-shove-asian-woman-new-york-b1804739.html 

“Asian Americans Express Alarm Over Recent Acts of Violence And Demand Action” By Arun Venugopal, February 20, 2021, Gothamist, https://gothamist.com/news/asian-americans-express-alarm-over-recent-acts-violence-and-demand-action 

“Civil rights advocates, officials denounce recent violence against Asian New Yorkers” By News 12 Staff, February 21, 2021, News 12 The Bronx, https://bronx.news12.com/civil-rights-advocates-officials-denounce-recent-violence-against-asian-new-yorkers

“COLUMN: Policing is not an appropriate response to the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans” By Ellie Lin, February 21, 2021, The Maneater, https://themaneater.com/stories/opinion/column-policing-is-not-an-appropriate-response-to-the-increase-in-hate-crimes-against-asian-americans- 

“Xenofobia. La caccia all’«untore» asiatico adesso spaventa San Francisco” By Mariangela Mistretta, February 21, 2021, Avvenire, https://www.avvenire.it/mondo/pagine/la-caccia-alluntore-asiatico-adesso-spaventa-san-francisco 

“新冠疫情掀仇恨！美屢傳攻擊亞裔族群事件 犯罪激增8倍” February 22, 2021, Yahoo!, https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E6%96%B0%E5%86%A0%E7%96%AB%E6%83%85%E6%8E%80%E4%BB%87%E6%81%A8%E7%BE%8E%E5%B1%A2%E5%82%B3%E6%94%BB%E6%93%8A%E4%BA%9E%E8%A3%94%E6%97%8F%E7%BE%A4%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6-%E7%8A%AF%E7%BD%AA%E6%BF%80%E5%A2%9E-8-%E5%80%8D-034544295.html 

“It takes all of us to fight racial violence against Asian Americans” By Yahaira Galvez, February 23, 2021, The Diamondback, https://dbknews.com/2021/02/23/asian-american-racial-violence-coronavirus-aapi/ 

“Local View: Don’t brush off COVID-fueled anti-Asian hate” By Betty Casazza, Belissa Ho, Laura Judd, Julie Kim, Sharon Kwong, Jennifer Lien, Pakou Ly, and Sharon Yung, February 23, 2021, Duluth News Tribune, https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/6899246-Local-View-Dont-brush-off-COVID-fueled-anti-Asian-hate 

“METROFOCUS: February 23, 2021” https://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/2021/02/metrofocus-february-23-2021-7x8abz/ 

“Fil-Ams advised to be very cautious as anti-Asian hate crimes in US spike” By CNN Philippines Staff, February 26, 2021, CNN Philippines, https://cnnphilippines.com/world/2021/2/26/anti-Asian-hate-crimes-US-PH-embassy-cautions-Filipinos.html 

“Attacks on Asian-Americans in New York Stoke Fear, Anxiety and Anger” By Alexandra E. Petri and Daniel E. Slotnik, February 26, 2021, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/nyregion/asian-hate-crimes-attacks-ny.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage 

“Brooklyn Man Charged With Hate Crime In Alleged Stabbing Of Asian Man In Lower Manhattan” By Jake Offenhartz, February 26, 2021, Gothamist, https://gothamist.com/news/brooklyn-man-charged-hate-crime-alleged-stabbing-asian-man-lower-manhattan 

“Demonstrators, Elected Officials Rally After Surge In Anti-Asian Hate And Violence” By Arun Venugopal, February 27, 2021, Gothamist, https://gothamist.com/news/demonstrators-elected-officials-rally-after-surge-anti-asian-hate-and-violence 

“环球深观察丨系统性种族歧视“系列剧”仍在美国上演” By 李鹏, February 27, 2021, Yznews.com.cn, http://news.yznews.com.cn/2021-02/27/content_7241226.htm 

“疫情下美國歧視亞裔案急增　針對長者屢見不鮮　辱罵至毆打樣樣來” By 歐敬洛, February 28, 2021, 香港01, https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B/592980/%E7%96%AB%E6%83%85%E4%B8%8B%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B%E6%AD%A7%E8%A6%96%E4%BA%9E%E8%A3%94%E6%A1%88%E6%80%A5%E5%A2%9E-%E9%87%9D%E5%B0%8D%E9%95%B7%E8%80%85%E5%B1%A2%E8%A6%8B%E4%B8%8D%E9%AE%AE-%E8%BE%B1%E7%BD%B5%E8%87%B3%E6%AF%86%E6%89%93%E6%A8%A3%E6%A8%A3%E4%BE%86 

“Hundreds in New York rally against anti-Asian hate” By Xinhua, March 1, 2021, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1216832.shtml 

If you have come across a news report or article about our report that is not listed above, please let us know at main@aabany.org.

More public awareness about our report and the rise in anti-Asian violence is needed. Please share our report widely. If you have ideas or thoughts about how we can combat anti-Asian violence, please share them with us at main@aabany.org.

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AABANY Celebrates 2021 Virtual Gala

On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, AABANY hosted its 2021 Virtual Gala: Uniting for Justice and Equity. 

The event kicked off at 6 pm with a Pre-Gala Virtual Cocktail Reception on Remo attended by sponsors and special guests, including prominent General Counsels and judges. At 6:30 pm, all Virtual Gala attendees were invited to enjoy a piano concert featuring AABANY Member Renee Yao.

The Virtual Gala started at 7 pm and Kate Siahaan-Riggs, NYC-based actor, stand up comic, and writer, served as emcee. Throughout the gala, AABANY held a text-to-donate fundraiser to support Portrait Project 2.0, the second phase of the Portrait Project study which is researching why Asian Americans are underrepresented in top leadership positions across all sectors of the legal profession and how it can be addressed.

This year AABANY was proud to honor:

Frank H. Wu, President of Queens College, the City University of New York, with the AABANY Impact Award

Sneha Desai, Deputy General Counsel Litigation of BASF Corporation, with the AABANY Women’s Leadership Award

Kirkland & Ellis LLP with the AABANY Law Firm Diversity Award

Ed Lee, AABANY Board Director and Partner at Kirkland & Ellis, accepted the Law Firm Diversity Award on behalf of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Honoree Sneha Desai delivered an acceptance speech, stressing the importance of individuals in leadership and influential positions to make positive change in diversity and inclusion. The Honorable Denny Chin, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, hosted a fireside chat with honoree Frank H,. Wu to discuss his career and the work he has accomplished.

In addition, we were also pleased to present the 2021 class of Don H. Liu Scholars: Narissa Ganpat, Minji Kim, and Minh Eric Le.

The Gala concluded with a tribute to Asian American photojournalist and historian Corky Lee who passed away in January due to COVID-19. Corky had taken photos of our past Annual Dinners from its earliest days until 2020.

We thank all of the AABANY Virtual Gala Planning Committee members and volunteers for their hard work in making this year’s celebration a huge success. 

We extend sincere thanks to all of our sponsors. Their generous sponsorships make it possible for us to pursue our mission to advance the interests of the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal community and the communities we serve and support our many activities and signature events throughout the year. 

Lastly, we thank everyone that attended the 2021 Virtual Gala and celebrated with us. Our Virtual Gala was streamed on Vimeo which reports that the gala drew 1,400 views. To watch the gala on You Tube, click here or on the image at the top of this blog. To view the Virtual Gala program book, click here.

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AABANY Hosts Weekly Membership Mixer on February 19, 2021

On February 19, 2021, the Membership Committee hosted their weekly virtual Membership Mixer, with 19 participants in attendance. AABANY met members through Remo.

The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars, ballparks, stadiums, operas, etc, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but many often stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups.

Membership Committee will continue to host weekly virtual mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person. 

Please join us this week in the Remo room, for smaller group breakouts on February 26, 2021. To register for this week’s mixer, please sign up online by February 25 at https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1468896.

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In the News: AABANY and Paul, Weiss’ Report on Anti-Asian Violence Receives Widespread Press Attention

On February 11, AABANY held a press conference to discuss the release of its report co-authored with Paul, Weiss, A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions. Since the report’s release, news media across the country and around the world have summarized and cited its findings. 

Here are some news stories that discuss the report:

“Study Shows Rise of Hate Crimes, Violence Against Asian Americans During the Pandemic” By Zijia Eleanor Song and Jennifer Vázquez, February 11, 2021, NBC New York, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/study-shows-rise-of-hate-crimes-violence-against-asian-americans-in-nyc-during-covid/2883215/

“지난해 뉴욕 아시안 대상 혐오·폭력 사건 급증” By Shim Jongmin, February 12, 2021, The Korea Daily, http://www.koreadaily.com/news/read.asp?art_id=9086440 

“Greater Asian-American representation in leadership ranks needed to stem hate crimes in the US, says report” By Mark Magnier and Owen Churchill, February 12, 2021, South China Morning Post, https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3121518/greater-asian-american-representation-leadership-ranks-needed-stem-hate

“歧視亞裔 紐約市全美第2多 亞裔律師協會籲政府採取行動” By 顏潔恩, February 13, 2021, World Journal, https://www.worldjournal.com/wj/story/121381/5249694

“【武漢肺炎】紐約巿針對亞裔仇恨罪案大增7倍　分析指受害人不願報案問題被低估” February 13, 2021, Apple Daily, https://tw.appledaily.com/international/20210213/SRL5UCFZUZBJXAEQOKN42SY6I4/

“Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Anti-Asian Violence Spikes Across the U.S.” February 15, 2021, NPR The Takeaway, https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/amid-covid-19-pandemic-anti-asian-violence-spikes-across-us 

“NY Bar Group Tackles Pandemic-Fueled Anti-Asian Crimes” By Marco Poggio, February 16, 2021, Law360, https://www.law360.com/pulse/articles/1354591 (subscription required)

Here are some news stories about recent incidents of anti-Asian violence, where they mention AABANY’s report:

“Anti-Asian Hate Crime Surge Fuels Demands for Systemic and Sensitive Responses” By Christine Chung, February 11, 2021, The City, https://www.thecity.nyc/2021/2/11/22279407/anti-asian-hate-crime-surge-fuels-demands-for-systemic-and-sensitive-responses 

“Remember, Racism Isn’t Just Black And White. Anti Asian Racism Is On the Rise in the Pandemic Era” By Eric Hinton, February 11, 2021, NBC 5 Dallas Fort-Worth, https://www.nbcdfw.com/lx/remember-racism-isnt-just-black-and-white-anti-asian-racism-is-on-the-rise-in-the-pandemic-era/2549631/ 

“VP Harris responds to surge in violent attacks against Asian Americans” By Hannah Miao, February 12, 2021, CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/12/vp-harris-responds-to-surge-in-violent-attacks-against-asian-americans.html 

“38 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities” By The Editors, February 12, 2021, New York Magazine (The Strategist), https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html 

“大门涂粪诅咒！华人幼儿园遭种族仇恨攻击！暴力升级，全美亚裔吁政府采取行动！” By 新西兰中文先驱网, February 15, 2021, Chinese Herald, https://www.chineseherald.co.nz/news/education/racial-hate/ 

“Hundreds of volunteers are escorting elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe” By Austa Somvichian-Clausen, February 16, 2021, The Hill Changing America, https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/539083-attacks-on-elderly-asian-americans-cause-advocates-to-stand

The report has also made the news on WNYC-FM and MSNBC. If you have come across a news report or article about our report that is not listed above, please let us know at main@aabany.org.

More public awareness about our report and the rise in anti-Asian violence is needed. Please share our report widely. If you have ideas or thoughts about how we can combat anti-Asian violence, please share them with us at main@aabany.org.

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AABANY is Proud to Launch The Whole Lawyer Podcast, Hosted by Jane Jeong

AABANY is proud to launch its official podcast series, The Whole Lawyer Project, hosted by Jane Jeong, which showcases Asian American attorneys and leaders throughout the nation and the human stories behind their success. 

For Jane, learning about the human stories  —  and sacrifices  — behind our external success is a personal passion and mission. As a member of AABANY’s Young Lawyers Committee, Jane previously wrote about her pursuit of wellness in the legal profession on the AABANY blog, where she published  The Ten Tips Our Asian Parents Never Told Us, Upside Down, and The (COVID) Days of Our Lives. 

Most recently, Jane shared her story with Law360, in an article entitled The Pursuit Of Wellness In BigLaw: Lessons From My Journey (subscription required). In a heartfelt account, Jane opened up about mental health and wellness issues in Big Law  —  including her personal experiences with the pressures of the industry, the costs of perfectionism, reaching an emotional breaking point and, as a potential blueprint for others, how she has set boundaries and made changes to her daily routine to take care of herself. “I conflated sacrifice with success and exhaustion with excellence. I just continued to reach and reach — demanding that I become the perfect attorney I knew I was not, waiting for the day I could finally stop acting and just be,” she writes. 

Together with Jane, AABANY is proud to further explore the human side of lawyering in The Whole Lawyer Project. The inaugural episodes of the podcast, which feature immediate past AABANY President Brian Song and AboveTheLaw Founder, David Lat, can be found under the tab for The Whole Lawyer Project on the AABANY blog. It can also be found on Spotify and iTunes. For anyone hoping to gain further insight into the human stories behind our external success, it is well worth a listen.


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AABANY Welcomes Professor Carol Izumi and President Frank H. Wu to New York

AABANY’s Academic Committee hosted a reception on February 17 to welcome Professor Carol Izumi, Clinical Professor of Law, UC Hastings College of Law, and Professor of Clinical Law, Emerita, George Washington University Law School, and President Frank H. Wu, President of Queens College, The City University of New York (CUNY) to New York City. Attendees included law professors calling in from the midwest, northeast, New York, southwest, and west coast. Professor Izumi joined in from San Francisco. 

President Wu kicked off the reception by asking two icebreaker questions: 1) Where are you from (literally, figuratively, or however the attendee wanted to interpret the question)? and 2) What new skill or activity did you take up during the pandemic? Special guests, Frank Wu and Carol Izumi, indicated they came from the midwest originally, but have both traveled around the country due to their academic careers. President Wu’s new activity he started was cooking with a donabe, a Japanese clay pot, and Professor Izumi started a virtual mediation clinic during quarantine. Attendees continued taking turns sharing their responses to the icebreakers. 

Elaine Chiu, Academic Committee Co-Chair and Professor of Law at St. John’s University, concluded the reception by remarking that “Carol and Frank together have accomplished so much and are also very accomplished as individual giants. They were shining lights inspiring many to join as clinicians and as doctrinal professors and eventually to become deans too.”  

Thank you to the Academic Committee co-chairs Elaine Chiu, James Cho, Suzanne Kim, and Donna Lee who were all in attendance, for organizing this reception. AABANY is pleased to welcome President Frank H. Wu and Professor Carol Izumi to New York.

Join AABANY in honoring President Frank H. Wu with the AABANY Impact Award at the Virtual Gala on February 24, 2021. Everyone is invited to celebrate with us! To watch the livestream, visit https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1452739 for more details.

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AABANY Student Outreach and Bankruptcy Committees Co-Hosted Successful “What Do Bankruptcy Lawyers Do?” Panel on February 11

The Student Outreach and Bankruptcy Committees co-hosted a panel titled “What Do Bankruptcy Lawyers Do?” on February 11, 2021 as part of the SOC’s Students Meet Mentors series. William Lee, Associate at Alston & Bird, moderated the panel and speakers included William Hao, Counsel at Alston & Bird; Jessica Liou, Partner at Weil; Charlie Liu, Associate at Morgan Lewis; and Geoffrey Williams, Associate at Alston & Bird. The panel provided law student attendees an opportunity to learn about the bankruptcy and restructuring practice area and what being a bankruptcy attorney entails.

William Lee began the event by asking panelists to give an introduction of what bankruptcy and restructuring is. Panelists described bankruptcy as a tool companies are given to reorganize themselves and remove liability pre-bankruptcy. Restructuring encompasses a wide spectrum of processes available to companies, such as filing for court protection, financial restructuring, and operational restructuring. William Hao summarized chapters 7, 11, and 13, the three most common processes used by bankruptcy lawyers.

Next, panelists were asked to describe their experiences working as a bankruptcy and/or restructuring lawyer. Jessica Liou stated that bankruptcy and restructuring is flexible and described it as a hybrid between litigation and transactional work. Some lawyers work in the bankruptcy-litigation niche, while others take the transactional route. When asked what type of student would fit the mold of a bankruptcy lawyer, panelists answered that it would be someone who is interested in a variety of things. Not only can a bankruptcy case be quick-paced, but a bankruptcy lawyer also gets to work with different groups in the firm, such as the tax group, executive compensation group, or litigation group. No two bankruptcy cases are the same, so a bankruptcy lawyer must be willing to do and understand many different things. Jessica Liou also shared how it is extremely rewarding to be a restructuring lawyer as she helps save jobs and helps companies get a second chance. 

The panel concluded with tips and recommendations to students who may be interested in getting involved in the bankruptcy and restructuring practice area. Panelists suggested that students should look for opportunities to get exposure to bankruptcy. These include trying an internship or bankruptcy judicial clerkship, taking a bankruptcy course, talking to bankruptcy lawyers, or participating in the Duberstein Moot Court competition. 

Thank you to the Student Outreach Committee and the Commercial Bankruptcy and Restructuring Committee for organizing this informative panel. And thank you to William Lee for moderating and to William Hao, Jessica Liou, Charlie Liu, and Geoffrey Williams for volunteering their time and sharing their experiences. To learn more about the Commercial Bankruptcy and Restructuring Committee, go to https://www.aabany.org/page/353. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee, go to https://www.aabany.org/page/121.

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Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Presented with Certificate of Commendation at NYS Senators’ Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration

New York State Senators John Liu (11th District, Queens), Andrew Gounardes (22nd District, Brooklyn), Brian Kavanagh (26th District, Manhattan) and Toby Stavisky (16th District, Queens) hosted a Lunar New Year virtual celebration Tuesday evening, February 16, featuring performances from AAPI youth and community honorees. The event was well-attended by city, state and federal elected officials, as well as community leaders and their organizations.

Senator Kavanagh presented May Wong, Esq., and Olympia Moy with a certificate of commendation to recognize the work of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee in providing invaluable legal assistance to the AAPI community during the pandemic. May Wong and Olympia Moy were proud to accept the certificate on behalf of the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. In their acceptance speech, they detailed the committee’s success in creating a one-day “in-person” clinic in July 2020 to assist tenants with paper applications for the COVID Rent Relief Program. When the COVID Rent Relief Program was extended to February 2021, law students volunteered again to establish a two-week remote hotline service to assist non-English speaking tenants apply via telephone. They were able to assist callers in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish with the help of the committee’s community partners, Chinatown CLT and GOLES. May Wong and Olympia Moy concluded their speech by expressing gratitude towards the State for its effort in addressing the State’s housing and poverty crisis and strongly encouraged the State to “direct emergency financial relief to tenants and property owners in meaningful programs that can provide permanent rental assistance and increased access to rental subsidies.”

Thank you to all the attorney volunteers and law students who helped AABANY and the community, especially May Wong, William Lee, Karen Lin, Nicholas Loh, Xinyi Shen, and Olympia Moy.

Congratulations to the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee on this well-deserved recognition! To learn more about the Committee and all its wonderful work, go to probono.aabany.org. They are always looking for more volunteers so email them at clinic.volunteer@aabany.org if you can help.

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AABANY Hosts 2021 Annual Meeting of Members on Remo

On Tuesday, February 9, 2021, AABANY held its Annual Meeting of Members on Remo. President Sapna Palla called the meeting to order and established quorum. Elections were held for the 2021 Board of Directors and Officers.

President Sapna Palla presented the Year in Review and Executive Director, Yang Chen, presented the report of the Committees. Following the reports, awards were presented to honor AABANY leaders and committees for their dedication to AABANY over the past year. While these presentations were occurring, Immediate Past President Brian Song and President-Elect Terrence Shen tallied the votes.

The following officers were elected and will begin their term on April 1, 2021:

William Ng
President-Elect

Cynthia Lam
Vice President, Programs and Operations

Joe Eng
Vice President, Programs and Operations

Margaret Ling
Development Director

William Hao
Treasurer

Christopher Bae
Secretary

Beatrice Leong
Membership Director

The following candidates were elected as Directors to serve two-year terms starting on April 1, 2021:

Jasmine Ball
Jeff Ikejiri
Suzanne Kim
Chris Kwok
David Sohn
Bart Wu
Karen Yau
Andy Yoo

Congratulations to all the Officers and Directors who were elected to the Board.

The following awards were presented:

Committees of the Year: The Pro Bono and Community Service Committee and the Student Outreach Committee

For the numerous initiatives they organized to support the community during COVID-19, including Know Your Rights webinars, COVID Rent Relief Program application drives, and postering and social media campaigns to promote the Remote Pro Bono Legal Clinic and other community programs.

Program of the Year: Weekly Membership Mixers

For hosting more than 30 weekly mixers on Zoom and Remo since April 1, 2020 to provide an open space for members and non-members to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections.

Member of the Year: Bart Wu

For his outstanding work with the Legal Referral and Information Service, which he helped launch, and his work reviving the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee.

Congratulations to all the honorees for the recognition of their achievements and hard work during the 2021 fiscal year.

Congratulations to the Officers and Directors elected to the Board to serve during fiscal year 2022 which commences on April 1, 2021.

We would also like to thank our members for attending and participating in the annual meeting.

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