Tag: 2025

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AABANY Holds its 2025 Annual Meeting of Members at King & Spalding on February 11th

On Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, AABANY held its Annual Meeting of Members at King & Spalding. President Joseph Eng called the meeting to order and established a quorum. The main order of business was conducting the election for the 2026 Fiscal Year Board of Directors and Officers. 

Once all ballots were collected, President Eng called up President-Elect Ben Hsing and Immediate Past President Karen Kim to receive them as the Tellers. They departed to a separate room to count up the votes cast, both at the Annual Meeting and via electronic voting prior to the Annual Meeting.

While the votes were being tallied, President Eng invited the Membership Director, Alysha Naik, to present the Membership Director’s report. He then invited Treasurer Jasmine Ball to give the Treasurer’s Report, sharing information about AABANY’s financial performance during the past fiscal year.

President Eng then gave the Annual Report of the Board, summarizing AABANY’s major events for the past fiscal year, covering April 1, 2024, to date.  He thanked the Board members for their service during the past year and asked those present in the room to stand and be recognized.

Executive Director Yang Chen then gave the Annual Report of the Committees, giving thanks to the Vice Presidents of Programs and Operations Ashley Shan and Jeffrey Mok, and the Committee Chairs for their hard work. Yang also went over a few highlights from committee events over the past year. Yang then presented the Awards for Committees of the Year, Program of the Year, and Member of the Year. 

Committee of the Year: Professional Development Committee

The Committee of the Year Award was presented to the Professional Development Committee for their many years of volunteer service to the association, accreditation of numerous continuing legal education programs over the years that benefited our members and the profession, and making sure that the association complies with New York State CLE board rules, along with other programming to support professional development.

Program of the Year: Pre-Holiday Multi-Association Gathering

The Program of the Year Award was presented to the Pre-Holiday Multi-Association Gathering for bringing together numerous bar and judicial associations to promote wellness and well-being in the legal profession during a time of the year that may prove challenging for many.

Member of the Year: Gary Yeung 

The Member of the Year Award was presented to Gary Yeung for his many years of active and dedicated involvement, participation, and leadership in service to the association, to its members, and to the wider community.


After the presentation of the awards, Joseph announced the election results. The following officers were elected to serve a one-year term for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2025, and ending March 31, 2026 (the “2026 Fiscal Year”):

Varuna Bhattacharyya

President-Elect

Pei Pei Cheng de Castro

Vice President, Programs and Operations

Tai Chien

Vice President, Programs and Operations

P. Bartlett Wu

Treasurer

David Mou

Secretary

Alysha Naik

Membership Director

Beatrice Leong

Development Director

The following candidates were elected as Directors to serve two-year terms beginning on the first day of the 2026 Fiscal Year:

Glenn D. Magpantay
Katherine Loanzon
Jeffery Mok

The night concluded with a bittersweet goodbye to Deputy Executive Director, Alice Biagini. February 11 was Alice’s last day at AABANY. She accepted a position as a business development and marketing manager at a law firm. During her eight months with us, she made a great impact on our operations and activities and supported our Board members and Committee Chairs as well as our membership. Alice will be missed by everyone she has touched. Yang presented her with some parting gifts from AABANY, which included a cookbook entitled The Woks of Life as well as a personalized apron with the AABANY logo. We wish her well in her future endeavors and hope to continue seeing her at AABANY events, as a participant.  

We thank everyone who attended the Annual Meeting and everyone who voted, whether by proxy or in person. Congratulations to all the award recipients and the newly elected Officers and Directors.

Special thank you goes out to AABANY President Joseph Eng and the wonderful staff at King & Spalding for hosting AABANY’s 2025 Annual Meeting.

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2025 NAPABA Convention Call for Programs

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2025 NAPABA Convention Call for Programs

Deadline to Submit: March 14, 2025 at 8:00 pm ET

Beyond our outstanding CLE sessions, the NAPABA Convention offers specialty programming designed to provide hands-on, in-depth learning from top experts. These immersive workshops go beyond the basics, equipping participants with practical skills and actionable insights to advance their careers.

We’re seeking proposals for these dynamic specialty tracks:

  • International Law Symposium – Dive into global legal topics like IP, national security, and dispute resolution with diplomats, judges, and business leaders. Presented by the International Law Committee on Thursday.
  • Young Lawyers Workshop – Designed for early to mid-career attorneys, tackling real-world challenges like work-life balance and career growth. Presented by the Young Lawyers Network on Thursday.
  • Solo & Small Firm Boot Camp – Tailored for solo and small firm practitioners, covering business development, firm expansion, and legal strategy. Presented by the Solo & Small Firm Committee on Thursday.
  • Law Student Workshop – A two-day boot camp helping law students develop essential career skills through interactive sessions and expert-led discussions.

Have an idea? Submit a proposal and bring your expertise to Denver! Learn more, check out FAQs, and review a model proposal.

Review Requirements & Submission Instructions for All Programs

Download Our Submission Criteria Quick Reference Guide

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NAPABA | Taking Action in 2025

Dear NAPABA Community,

Before the start of this new year, I wrote to you and shared not only my gratitude for an incredible 2024, but also our commitment to advance NAPABA’s mission heading into 2025. Though we are merely two months into the new year, we have already witnessed several developments that impact NAPABA’s work and the broader Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community.

On his first day in office on January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued executive orders that jeopardized the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for all persons born in the United States, the right to seek asylum, the refugee resettlement system, and the LGBTQ+ community, among others. NAPABA swiftly condemned these actions, which ran counter to our values. Since then, the federal government has enacted a slew of policies, which have already drawn significant concern for the rule of law, in addition to attacks on lawful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives both within the federal government and the private sector.  

When it comes to our values, our words of disagreement are not enough. NAPABA is charged to promote justice and equity for the AANHPI community. My team is closely monitoring developments from the federal government, and we are working with stakeholders, coalition partners, policymakers, and others to respond appropriately.

NAPABA is prepared to act. I have outlined below, in broad strokes, our intended course of action and how you can get involved. In the coming weeks and months, and with your partnership, we plan to meaningfully support our community and actively counter policies that detrimentally affect the AANHPI community.

I. Direct Support for NAPABA Affiliates and National Associates

NAPABA stands ready to deliver financial support to our affiliates and national associates for their work in the community. As leaders in their respective regions, affiliates and national associates can act as trusted messengers delivering pivotal information and services to their members and broader AANHPI communities. We will prioritize projects that speak to the challenges today: for example, educational seminars on the state of immigration, pro bono initiatives to support heightened immigration needs of the Asian American population, funding language translations for educational materials and resources, and local and state advocacy efforts that align with NAPABA values and positions. To apply for funding, please visit our website.

Building on the work of the NAPABA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, we plan to create toolkits for our affiliates and national associates. They will include resources to advance the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and immigration resources such as hosting naturalization clinics and the creation of attorney directories that address priority areas like immigration law.

II. NAPABA Engagement with Policymakers

The NAPABA Policy Team leads our engagement with stakeholders and policymakers at the federal and state levels. We advance our policy priorities, whether it be in our opposition to anti-Asian hate and discriminatory alien land law policies to our support for voting rights. Now, as our engagement will necessarily go deeper, we are investing in an expansion of our Policy Team.  

Plus, the planning is well underway for our upcoming Lobby Day, which is scheduled for May 20-21, 2025, in Washington, DC. As the largest AANHPI advocacy effort on Capitol Hill, NAPABA Lobby Day will bring our members from across the Nation to the halls of Congress to demonstrate not only the strength of our community, but also to advance the critical issues facing the AANHPI community. Our members will meet with Congressional offices on both sides of the aisle to highlight the causes important to us and our communities. Your voice is pivotal. For more information on Lobby Day and to register, please visit our website.

III. Narrative Change and Education
In the coming weeks and months, NAPABA will highlight how recent actions from the federal government not only impact our communities, but also the critical role that the AANHPI communities played in the development of the rights that we cherish today. Whether it be on birthright citizenship, the right to asylum and the refugee resettlement program, or the barriers that our community faces in the legal profession, NAPABA will uplift those stories and our history, which are intertwined with the fabric of American life today. Please be on the lookout through our social media channels, our website, and email for additional educational resources and programming. These efforts will be on top of the multitude of informative programs during the Nation’s largest convening of legal professionals: the NAPABA Convention in Denver, Colorado, on November 6-8, 2025.

NAPABA has an exceptionally talented and enthusiastic full-time staff, but we cannot carry out our work without you. The strength of NAPABA is comprised of passionate and energetic volunteers like you. As I mentioned above, here are some ways where you can get involved:

  1. Submit a CLE Program Proposal for the 2025 NAPABA Convention. Submission. deadline is March 14, 2025.
  2. Register and participate in NAPABA Lobby Day on May 20-21, 2025.
  3. Join a NAPABA Committee and Network to engage with professionals in your practice area or who share your affinity.
  4. Register and attend the 2025 NAPABA Convention. Registration opens in June 2025.

Lastly, we want to hear from you with any suggestions. Please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected] with your thoughts.

Regardless of the challenges, NAPABA remains focused on the work ahead, and I hope that you will join us in the journey.

Very truly yours,


Priya Purandare
Executive Director

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AABANY IP Committee Hosts Super Smash Brothers & Sake Night

On January 9, 2025, the AABANY Intellectual Property (IP) Committee kicked off the new year with a fun and interactive event: the Super Smash Brothers & Sake Night, hosted at Fish & Richardson. The IP Committee fired up retro N64 gaming consoles, a Nintendo Switch, and a PlayStation 5 for this event, with attendees ranging from experienced gamers to first-time players.

The event included a tasty dinner menu with crowd favorites like pizza, wings, meatballs, and chicken tenders. For sake enthusiasts, a curated tasting session gave participants the chance to sample and compare five different types of sake from Japan and the United States.

Despite the chilly weather, on one of the coldest nights in New York City in recent memory, the event saw a great turnout. Guests enjoyed networking in a relaxed atmosphere, friendly competition, and a few cups of sake.

A big thank you to everyone who braved the cold to make this event a success! Based on the positive feedback, the IP Committee is already planning similar events for the future. 

Stay tuned for more retro gaming nights, sake tastings, IP Committee dinner series, and other exciting activities in 2025. Visit the IP Committee’s page on the AABANY website to join.

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A Farewell to 2024: AABANY IP Committee’s End-of-Year Dinner

On December 17, 2024, the AABANY Intellectual Property (IP) Committee held its final dinner of the year at Dhaba Indian Cuisine, a cozy spot perfect for a cold winter evening. Members, both new and returning, gathered to enjoy flavorful and spicy dishes, while sharing career updates and holiday plans. The Committee was also happy to welcome a guest from out of town.

The dinner provided an excellent opportunity for members to connect, reflect on the past year, and look forward to the opportunities that 2025 holds.

The IP Committee is excited to continue its dinner series in the new year, creating additional chances for members to network, learn from each other, and engage with professionals in the IP community.

A big thank you to everyone who attended! The IP Committee always welcomes new members to join our growing and dynamic community.

To learn more about the IP Committee and how you can get involved, visit the IP Committee’s page on the AABANY website.

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Revisit #NAPABA24 with our Photo Gallery

The 2024 NAPABA Convention in Seattle was a record-breaking event—over 3,400 attendees and 1,100 first-timers! Ours was the largest gathering of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) lawyers ever and remains cause for celebration and an achievement that will inspire us as we head into 2025.

During Convention, NAPABA members came together to connect, learn, grow, and celebrate the strength of our vibrant AANHPI community. Your presence, engagement, and enthusiasm were truly inspiring and left a lasting impact.

View the full gallery, and if you haven’t already, please read and share our full 2024 Convention recap.

We look forward to connecting with you in the coming year through our various programs and hope to see you in Denver, November 6-8, 2025!

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