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February 11, 2013

NAPABA and AAJC Applaud Nomination of Raymond T. Chen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2013

NAPABA Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555
AAJC Contact: Kimberly Goulart (202) 499-7027

NAPABA AND AAJC APPLAUD NOMINATION OF
RAYMOND T. CHEN TO THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT

WASHINGTON – Today President Obama nominated Raymond T. Chen to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. If confirmed, he will be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the Federal Circuit in over 25 years.

“Raymond Chen will be an excellent addition to the Federal Circuit and we are proud to support his nomination,” said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “His many years of experience at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office together with his temperament and intellect make him an exceptionally well-qualified nominee for this court, and we commend President Obama for nominating him.”

Chen has served as the Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 2008. He first joined the office in 1998 as an Associate Solicitor and has received numerous awards for his service, including: the Gold Medal Award, U.S. Department of Commerce (2011); the Bronze Medal Award, U.S. Department of Commerce (2005); and Attorney of the Year, Office of the Solicitor. He previously worked as a technical assistant at the Federal Circuit from 1996 to 1998, as an associate at the law firm Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear from 1994 to 1996, and as a scientist at Hecker & Harriman (now Hecker Law Group) in Los Angeles. Chen is a graduate of the New York University School of Law and the University of California, Los Angeles.

“I have no doubt that Raymond Chen will make an outstanding judge. We applaud President Obama for nominating him,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. “As an Asian American engineer, career civil servant, and top-notch lawyer, he will make a meaningful contribution to the diversity of the Federal Circuit.”

Asian Pacific Americans continue to be significantly underrepresented in the federal judiciary. Today only 2 out of over 180 federal appellate court judges in the entire nation are of Asian Pacific American heritage. NAPABA and AAJC thank President Obama for his continued commitment to nominating well-qualified, diverse nominees to the federal judiciary. Chen is the fifth Asian Pacific American that President Obama has nominated to the appellate courts.

December 13, 2012

Press Release: NAPABA AND AAJC APPLAUD LORNA SCHOFIELD’S CONFIRMATION TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2012

NAPABA Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555
AAJC Contact: Kimberly Goulart (202) 499-7027

NAPABA AND AAJC APPLAUD LORNA SCHOFIELD’S CONFIRMATION TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

WASHINGTON – Today the United States Senate confirmed Lorna Schofield by a 91-0 vote to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is the first person of Filipino descent to serve as an Article III judge in American history.

“NAPABA congratulates Lorna Schofield on her confirmation as a federal district judge on the Southern District of New York and is proud to have supported her nomination and confirmation,” said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama and Senator Schumer for nominating Judge Schofield to this critical court, and continuing their commitment to nominating well-qualified, diverse candidates to the federal bench.”

Prior to joining the bench, Judge Schofield practiced law at the New York law firm Debevoise & Plimpton for over 20 years. In 1991, she became the firm’s first partner of color and for the past year has served as Of Counsel. Prior to joining Debevoise, she was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (Criminal Division) for four years. Ms. Schofield was the first Asian Pacific American to chair the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, and she previously served as a member of the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary. In 2008, the National Law Journal named Ms. Schofield one of the nation’s 50 most influential minority lawyers.

“We congratulate Lorna Schofield on her confirmation and commend President Obama and Senator Schumer for their commitment to diversifying the bench with exceptionally well-qualified judicial nominees,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. “The community is hopeful that our Senate leaders will work to confirm Pamela Chen, President Obama and Senator Schumer’s nominee to the Eastern District of New York this year. Ms. Chen’s confirmation on the heels of the Judge Schofield’s would be celebrated by all in New York City, as well as Asian Americans across the nation.”

With her confirmation today, Judge Schofield will join Judge Kiyo Matsumoto of the Eastern District of New York as the only judges of Asian descent serving on the federal district courts of New York. While Asian Pacific Americans make up approximately 14 percent of New York City’s population, only two of the over 90 active and senior Article III judges currently serving the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York are Asian Pacific Americans. The nomination of another well-qualified Asian Pacific American, Pamela Ki Mai Chen, awaits a vote on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Schumer recommended Ms. Chen for a seat on the Eastern District of New York, and President Obama nominated her in August 2012.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 64 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

The Asian American Justice Center (www.advancingequality.org), a member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, works closely with its affiliate organizations – the Asian American Institute in Chicago (www.aaichicago.org), the Asian Law Caucus (www.asianlawcaucus.org) in San Francisco and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (www.apalc.org) in Los Angeles – to promote a fair and equitable society for all by working for civil and human rights and empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities.

May 29, 2012

Vincent Chin 30: Standing Up Then and Now

A nationwide Google Hangout with leading civil rights leaders from around the country featuring Congressmember Judy Chu (CA-32), CAIR-SF Executive Director Zahra Billoo, OCA Executive Director Tom Hayashi, Asian American Justice Center Executive Director Mee Moua, and more.

WHEN:

Saturday, June 23, 2012

1:30 ET/10:30 am PT – doors open

2 pm ET/11 am PT – program begins

In 1982, Vincent Chin was the victim of a hate crime murder in Detroit. Thirty years later, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to face discrimination and bullying. In light of recent tragedies like the suicide of Pvt. Danny Chen and the continuing effects of 9/11, what can Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders do to stand up against racism and discrimination?

Join for a one-hour panel discussion with leading voices from the nonprofit and legal communities as they address these timely issues. Viewing parties have been organized in more than 30 cities and individuals can tweet in questions at #VC30.

Albany • Atlanta • Austin • Boston • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Dallas • Denver • Detroit • Fremont, CA • Gainesville • Grand Rapids • Hartford • Houston • Irvine, CA • Ithaca, NY • Los Angeles • Lowell, MA • Minneapolis • Morgantown, WV • New York • Philadelphia • Raleigh • Sacramento • San Francisco • San Jose • Seattle • St. Louis • Washington • Wichita and more

Presented by Asian Pacific Americans for Progress

National co-sponsors (in formation): Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC), South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

Media Sponsors: 8Asians.com, Angry Asian Man

For more info, go to: www.apaforprogress.org/VC30

May 10, 2012

NAPABA Press Release: Jacqueline Nguyen and John Lee Confirmed

On May 7, NAPABA and AAJC jointly issued the following press release:

Jacqueline Nguyen Confirmed as First-Ever Asian Pacific American Female Federal Appellate Court Judge; John Z. Lee Also Confirmed For Federal District Court in Illinois

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen to be a Circuit Court Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and also confirmed John Z. Lee to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Nguyen is the first-ever Asian Pacific American female to serve as a federal appellate court judge anywhere in the nation. Judge Lee is only the second Asian Pacific American to serve as an Article III judge in Illinois.

For the full text of the press release, click on the title of this entry.

September 23, 2011

NAPABA Press Release: Nomination of Hon. Jacqueline H. Nguyen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAPABA Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

September 23, 2011

AAJC Contact: Leonie Campbell-Williams (443) 803-1465

NAPABA AND AAJC APPLAUD NOMINATION OF
JUDGE JACQUELINE H. NGUYEN TO THE FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) applaud the decision of President Barack Obama to nominate Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. If confirmed, Judge Nguyen would become the first Asian Pacific American woman in the history of the United States to serve as a federal appellate court judge and only the second Asian Pacific American federal appellate court judge currently in active service nationwide.

“Judge Nguyen is an exceptional judge who has a proven track record as a jurist,” said Paul O. Hirose, president of NAPABA. “Moreover, given that there is not one single active Asian Pacific American federal appellate court judge in the Ninth Circuit, where approximately 10 percent of the population is Asian Pacific American, Judge Nguyen’s nomination is even more appropriate.”

It has been more than seven years since there has been an active Asian Pacific American federal appellate court judge in the Ninth Circuit. From 1971 to 2004, there was at least one active Asian Pacific American federal appellate court judge on this Circuit.

“We commend President Obama on the nomination of Judge Nguyen to the Ninth Circuit,” said Karen K. Narasaki, president and executive director of AAJC. “She has been a trailblazer in every step of her career, and we are confident that she will continue to distinguish herself as the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve as a federal appellate court judge.”

Judge Nguyen has served as a federal district court judge for the Central District of California since 2009. Prior to that, she served as a California state court judge for seven years. Judge Nguyen also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, where she argued several appeals before the Ninth Circuit.

Judge Nguyen was born in Dalat, South Vietnam, the daughter of a South Vietnamese Army major who worked closely with U.S. intelligence officers. She escaped the fall of South Vietnam with her family in a harrowing trip, starting with a terrifying toss over a fence, to a plane ride filled wall to wall with people, temporary separation from her father, through a chaotic Saigon, to the Philippines, to Guam, and eventually, to Camp Pendleton, California. Having been born into a life of privilege, then to lose it all to the chaos of war, Judge Nguyen embraced her new life in America with grace, fortitude, determination and cheerful modesty. Growing up, she assisted her mother in cleaning dental offices and earned a four-year full tuition scholarship to Occidental College, eventually graduating from UCLA School of Law, continuing all the while to help her mother in the family donut shop on the weekends.

NAPABA and AAJC congratulate Judge Nguyen on her historic nomination. The organizations thank President Obama for nominating her, and commend Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer for their support of Judge Nguyen’s nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 62 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of minorities in the legal profession.

The Asian American Justice Center (www.advancingequality.org), a member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, works closely with its sister organizations – the Asian American Institute in Chicago (www.aaichicago.org), the Asian Law Caucus (www.asianlawcaucus.org) in San Francisco and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (www.apalc.org) in Los Angeles – to promote a fair and equitable society for all by working for civil and human rights and empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities.