Tag: aalfny

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the November Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

AABANY extends a heartfelt thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service, Issues and Immigration Law Committees, as well as all the dedicated volunteers who contributed their time and expertise at the November 19th Pro Bono Clinic held in Manhattan. We were able to make a significant difference in the community by offering essential legal assistance to those in need.

Prior to the Clinic, Vishal Chander (AABANY Board Member and Issues Committee Co-Chair), presented “Immigration Basics for Pro Bono Clinic Lawyers” (Part 1, NTA, Detention & Bond). This valuable training equipped attendees with important practice tips, such as how to assist a pro bono client who receives a Notice to Appear, how to locate a detained individual through immigration enforcement authorities, and how to obtain or request an immigration bond hearing. Vishal’s expertise was further demonstrated as he remained available to help address complex questions related to immigration issues, offering additional support to our community members.

In the training session, Vishal offered an engaging and informative introduction to the complexities of U.S. immigration proceedings, all while reminding us that knowledge can make a powerful difference for vulnerable communities. While he noted that removal defense is not his primary area of practice, his commitment to sharing essential tools spoke to a deeper truth of pro bono work: sometimes, the most meaningful contributions come not from being an expert, but from being willing to show up, learn, and guide others. He emphasized that even being able to recognize a Notice to Appear (NTA) and understanding what it means is often the first step in helping clients regain a sense of control, dignity, and direction in a system that can feel overwhelmingly confusing and intimidating.

His session also brought forward the human side of the law. When he spoke about frantic family members trying to locate loved ones across detention facilities, or clients unknowingly waiving important rights by signing English-only forms under pressure, it became clear that pro bono assistance is not just about legal procedure; it is also about compassion, advocacy, and being present for people at their most vulnerable. Volunteers do not need to solve every legal question to have an impact; even helping a client understand their A-number, guiding them to check the EOIR system, or knowing when to challenge errors in an NTA can prevent irreversible consequences. These small interventions protect not only legal rights, but also hope and humanity.

Vishal reminded us that pro bono work is about restoring access to information, to justice, and to basic fairness. The training reaffirmed that volunteers play a vital role in bridging the gap between complex legal systems and civilians, who are often confused, scared, and navigating language, cultural, and legal barriers all at once. Even a minimal understanding can open the door to critical support, and that is sometimes all it takes to change the course of someone’s life.

After Vishal’s presentation, the regular Pro Bono Clinic took place. At the clinic, our volunteers met with 15 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing questions, fraud concerns, and civil litigation matters. The collective efforts of our volunteers ensured that each client received personalized support and answers to their pressing legal questions.  As one seasoned volunteer shared with AABANY staff, “sometimes it’s not solely about the legal issues, but about being here to listen.”

Here are some of the clients’ comments:

“Very satisfied (with the service), hope to have more of these (events/services) for me! Thanks!”

“Hope to be able to receive help again.”

“Mr. Justin was excellent.”

We are deeply grateful for everyone’s contributions and look forward to continuing this important work together!  

Volunteer attorneys:

Vishal Chander
Gloria D’Souza
Kevin Hsi
Jack (Zixu) Hsia
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Meng (Stella) Li
Arthur Lin
Bich-Nga Nguyen
Jie Shi
Anthony Wong
Carrey Wong
Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers:

Kaleah Haddock
Nandar Win Kerr
Nikita Kohli
Carrie Nie
Shang Zhai
Wendy Zeng

To learn more about AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, visit https://probono.aabany.org/.

Please join us at Part 2 of Immigration Basics for Pro Bono Clinic Lawyers: Navigating Immigration Court & Relief and future Pro Bono Clinics on December 3rd. The training will be from 6-6:30pm, followed by the Pro Bono Clinic. It will take place in Queens, at AAFE One Flushing Community Center. This training will continue the series that will prepare lawyers and law students on the fundamentals of advising Pro Bono Clinic clients who are or have family in removal (deportation) proceedings. Part 2 will focus on 1) What to expect in an immigration proceeding and 2) what kinds of relief are available in immigration court. Note: NY CLE Credit Available. Attorneys seeking CLE credits must attend both sessions to earn 1 CLE credit hour. No partial credit is available.

Upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

  • December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
  • December 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
  • January 10th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Posted on

Kwok Kei Ng Honored as Community Leader at 2025 Brooklyn Democratic Gala

AABANY is proud to celebrate Kwok Kei Ng, who was recognized as a Community Leader at the 2025 Brooklyn Democratic Gala on October 30, 2025 for his outstanding dedication to public service and community engagement.

A cornerstone of AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee since 2019, Kwok has been instrumental in the success of the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic. In his role as Co-Chair, he has cultivated strong, trusting relationships with local community-based organizations and mobilized volunteer attorneys to serve the community. Furthermore, his commitment to justice extends to his service on the board of the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), where he supports scholarships and community-focused initiatives that help expand access to justice.

Kwok’s career is marked by a deep commitment to the justice system. Beginning as a court interpreter, he now serves as a court attorney and remains a strong advocate for language access within the courts. In addition, as the Deputy Vice President of the High School Division for the Sonia and Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program, he has facilitated summer internships with federal and state judges for over a hundred high school students.

Please join AABANY in offering Kwok our heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved honor. We always welcome more volunteer attorneys, law students, and interpreters to support our vital efforts. To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, please visit probono.aabany.org.  

Posted on

AABANY and AALFNY Partner with CMP to Empower Entrepreneurs Through Legal Know-How

On October 18th, 2025, the Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP) held its Annual Entrepreneurship Training.  The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) partnered with CMP to deliver a legal workshop on Business Entity Formation and Partnership Agreements, designed to assist small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Thanks to May Wong, former Co-Chair of the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and Nandar Win Kerr, Treasurer and Consultant to the PBCS Committee for providing invaluable insights on the crucial topics of business entity formation and partnership agreements, equipping aspiring and current entrepreneurs with the foundational legal knowledge necessary for success.

The engaging training covered essential aspects of choosing the right business structure, including understanding the implications of diverse entity classification and the critical components of strong partnership agreements. Attendees gained a clearer picture of how to protect their businesses, navigate legal complexities, cultivate productive collaborations and promote a sustainable business model.

Many immigrants arrive in the United States seeking better economic prospects and face barriers to traditional employment, such as language barriers and lack of local networks. CMP offers employment support to people from all walks of life, including immigrants and second-generation immigrants. CMP also hosts comprehensive entrepreneurial workshops and seminars, provides one-on-one consulting services to small business clients, and refers clients to partnering resource organizations for government assistance, legal consultation, financial literacy, and micro-lending. 

Wong and Kerr also highlighted the availability of free 30-minute legal consultations through the PBCS Committee’s legal clinics in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. These clinics, co-sponsored by AABANY and AALFNY offer accessible legal guidance to the community. The PBCS Committee encourages pro bono legal service from AABANY members, informs the community of their legal rights, and works with other not-for-profits to bring free or low-cost legal services to the AAPI, immigrant, and other New York communities. AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (“LRIS”) connects members of the New York community with qualified legal counsel, overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers and increasing the accessibility of legal referral services in the Greater New York area for an underserved demographic.

We believe that empowering entrepreneurs with legal education is vital for fostering thriving businesses and communities. As a gesture of our appreciation and support, all attendees were presented with special Pro Bono Clinic items at the conclusion of the training, a small token to remind them of the resources available to them and the importance of legal guidance in their entrepreneurial journey.

AABANY collaborates with CMP to create this legal workshop to help small business owners and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. AABANY also helps provide legal advice to small business owners and young entrepreneurs at our upcoming legal clinics. We invite you to join AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics taking place on: 

November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

A big thank you to CMP for their continued dedication to fostering entrepreneurship, and to all the attendees for their enthusiasm and engagement. We look forward to future collaborations that uplift and empower our community.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the October 15th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

We extend our sincere gratitude to AAFE, AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on October 15th, 2025.

During the clinic, our volunteers provided free legal services and information to 16 clients, addressing a range of matters including housing, immigration, family and matrimonial, estate and property. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

We thank all the volunteers at the October 15th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and dedication:

Volunteer Attorneys:

  • Yen Yi Anderson
  • Jack (Zixu) Hsia
  • Justin Lee
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Arthur Lin
  • Jieman Tan
  • Anthony Wong
  • Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers:

  • Kaleah Haddock
  • Emily Kam
  • Nikita Kohli
  • Qi (Ellie) Wang
  • Ruixuan Yi
  • Shang Zhai
  • Wendy Zeng

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:

November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.

December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! To learn more about how you can get involved with AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers and Speakers at the October Queens Pro Bono Clinic

We thank our volunteers and partners for their invaluable contributions to the Queens Pro Bono Legal Clinic on October 1st, 2025. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Asian American for Equity (AAFE), AALFNY, AABANY, all of our dedicated volunteers and the MOIA immigration resource workshop participants.

We especially thank Commissioner Manuel Castro, Lily Liang, Community Liaison, and Shaina Torres, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) for their insightful community education training and for sharing MOIA resources with us to help create a better and safer New York City for everyone.

Thanks to our volunteers’ dedication, we were able to assist 15 clients with a wide range of legal concerns, including housing, immigration, matrimonial and family law, employment, and criminal cases.

Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated exceptional patience and commitment in addressing client questions, offering guidance, and connecting them with further legal support through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are proud to offer our services in both Mandarin and Cantonese, allowing us to continue our mission of providing crucial support to individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers in accessing quality legal care.

Too often, those who face language barriers find themselves overwhelmed and powerless in the face of a complex legal system. Without access to interpretation or culturally informed advocacy, they may not fully understand their rights or the options available to them. Seeing the fear and uncertainty in their eyes is a stark reminder of the urgent need for accessible legal aid.

For many of the AABANY volunteers, this mission is deeply personal. As children or descendants of immigrants, our attorneys and interpreters understand firsthand the struggles that accompany language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and systemic inequities. Helping these clients is, in many ways, like helping our own parents, neighbors, and communities – a way to honor those who paved the way before us and ensure that others today do not face the same struggles alone. 

AABANY remains steadfast in its commitment to give back to AAPI communities, advancing access to justice and empowerment to those who have been marginalized by the barriers of language, culture, or circumstance.

Here are some of the clients’ comments from this evening’s pro bono clinic:

“I felt truly listened to; the attorneys explained everything clearly and patiently.”

“Very wonderful legal service.”

“Made me feel less alone in my situation.”

We thank the following volunteer attorneys:

  • Wendy (Wen-Hsien) Cheng
  • Richard In
  • Johnny Thach
  • Yilan Wang
  • Anthony Wong
  • May Wong
  • Helen Wu
  • Gary Yeung

Our sincere appreciation also goes to our dedicated interpreters and shadowers:

  • Nandar Win Kerr
  • Ruixuan Yi
  • Wendy Zeng
  • Shang Zhai
  • Jessie Zhou

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:

November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Future Community Education Speaker and Topic Announcement

In collaboration with the Issue Committee, Vishal Chander, one of PBCS Committee’s incredible volunteers and Issues Committee Co-Chair, will provide 30-minutes Basic Immigration training Part 1 on November 19th at Manhattan Clinic and Part 2 on December 3rd at Queens Clinic from 6 – 6:30pm. 

This training series will prepare lawyers and law students the fundamentals of advising pro bono clients who are or have family in removal (deportation) proceedings. CLE credits will be given to attorneys who attend both trainings.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on September 17

Many thanks to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, AAFE, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Manhattan on September 17th, 2025.


During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 20 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, estate and property, personal injury, fraud and theft. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

We thank again all the volunteers at the September 17th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution.


Volunteer attorneys:

  • Yen-Yi Anderson
  • Sam (Ming-Sheng) Hou
  • Jack (Zixu) Hsia
  • Justin Lee
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Lily Li
  • Arthur Lin
  • Zixuan  Luo
  • Jie Shi
  • Jieman Tan
  • Jameson Xu
  • Cecilia Yang

Interpreters/shadowers:

  • Nandar Win Kerr
  • Carrie Nie
  • Shang Zhai
  • Wendy Zeng

Please join us at our next Pro Bono Clinics:

November 8th [Brooklyn link here] from 12:30pm – 2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, NY, NY 11232

November 19 [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

December 3 [Queens link here] from 6:30 – 8:30 PM, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, NY, NY 11355

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! To learn more about how you can get involved with AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You for Volunteering at the AABANY Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic and RaisingHealth’s Community Outreach on Sept. 20

We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, CPC, RaisingHealth and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic and our community outreach activity at RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration 
in Brooklyn on September 20th, 2025.

Kwok Kei Ng (Co-Chair), May Wong (former Co-Chair) and Nandar Win Kerr (Treasurer and Impact Consultant) of the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted a community outreach table at the RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration event. We effectively referred guests with legal questions to the pro bono legal clinic in real-time and distributed “Know-Your-Rights” brochures on immigration law in Chinese and Spanish, upcoming pro bono clinic flyers, and information about AABANY’s legal referral and information service. Our participation highlights our commitment to community lawyering and addressing current immigration rights issues, including constitutional rights and fraudulent schemes targeting vulnerable immigrants. By utilizing our legal knowledge, language skills, and resources, we aim to build relationships with local communities and advocate for policy and social changes.

During the clinic, our small but mighty team of volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 28 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

We especially want to thank all the volunteers at the September 20th Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and invaluable contributions. Your dedication, including staying later than necessary to ensure no guest was turned away, is truly admirable.

Volunteer attorneys:

Ben Choi

Arthur Lin

Kwok Kei Ng

May Wong

Jameson Xu

Karen Yau


Interpreters/shadowers:
Elaine Ou Yang

Qi (Ellie) Wang

Francisco Yau-Smith

Wendy Zeng

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355 (We have guest speakers from NYC MOIA regarding immigration resources. Please join us!)

October 15th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to our Volunteers at the August Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, AAFE, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Manhattan on August 20, 2025.

During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 13 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

Thanks again to all the volunteers at the August 20th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:

Volunteer attorneys:

Vishal Chander

Marcus Cheung

Francis Chin

Justin Lee

Beatrice Leong

Lily Li

Andrew Sun

Peter Wei

Cecilia Yang

Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers:

Sam Hou

Emily Kam

Xiaofei (Lucy) Liu

Dazhen Lu

Albert Tong

Shang Zhai

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

September 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the August 6 Pro Bono Clinic in Queens

We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Queens on August 6th, 2025. 

The clinic began with an orientation by Gary Yeung, Co-Chair of the PBCS committee, where volunteers were instructed on how to fill out intake forms and interact professionally with the clients.

At the clinic, our volunteers offered essential support to clients facing challenges in housing, worker’s compensation, finance, and immigration. Seasoned volunteer attorneys, along with student observers and interpreters, helped alleviate client stress by providing legal insights, language assistance, and access to a broad range of legal resources including referrals to AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

College and law students gained legal knowledge and experience through shadowing, notetaking, and asking intake questions. Many clients had limited proficiency in English, and volunteers who spoke Mandarin and Cantonese aided both attorneys and clients by acting as interpreters.

Clients most frequently encountered housing-related issues and immigration issues. These included problems such as co‑op boards neglecting to hold their required annual shareholder meetings and landlords breaching leases. Clients also brought concerns about their loved ones’ immigration status, for example, asking if they would be let back into the country if they were to travel outside the United States. Volunteers helped clients understand their circumstances and outlined general next steps should they choose to pursue further legal action.

Many volunteers stayed afterwards to connect. Law students were able to converse with experienced lawyers about the types of problems encountered during the client consultations and asked them further questions about their various legal fields. Afterwards, some remaining volunteers went to grab dessert at Yuan Yang, located on Prince Street nearby.

We thank again all the volunteers at the August 6th Queens Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:

Lawyers

Wendy Cheng

Richard In

Lord Chester So

Wendell Y. Tong

May Wong

Meng Zhang

Shadowers

Katelyn Hai

Cindy Huang

Nikita Kohli

Haau-Yi Li

Zhibiao Peng

Albert Tong

Shang Zhai

Haoyue Wang

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

August 20th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

September 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

AALFNY and AABANY Host Summer Reception at FTI Consulting, Congratulating AALFNY 2025 Public Interest Scholarship Recipients

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) and the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) hosted their Summer Reception at FTI Consulting in mid-town Manhattan. The reception also recognized the 2025 AALFNY Public Interest Scholarship recipients. The event featured Judge Denny Chin, Co-Director of the Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham Law School, as the event’s distinguished guest speaker. 

Sylvia Chin, President of AALFNY and Chair of the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force delivered opening remarks and invited AALFNY’s directors onstage, where they introduced themselves.

Benjamin Hsing, AABANY President, introduced AABANY, recognized Fordham Law’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law, and urged professionals and students to join AABANY to strengthen the AAPI legal community. Ben also highlighted AALFNY’s public interest scholarships, emphasizing their role in fostering the next generation of legal professionals.

Next, AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Beatrice Leong and Gary Yeung presented on AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics. Gary explained that they take place in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The Clinics provide culturally and linguistically competent attorneys and interpreters for individualized legal assistance, offering free consultations to the community. AABANY is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of its Pro Bono Clinics and is expecting to host a fundraiser soon. Beatrice thanked all the volunteers who contributed to making the Pro Bono Clinics successful. Gary encouraged people to volunteer at clinics, especially in Queens, where there is a greater need for volunteers to assist the large AAPI and immigrant population in that part of Queens.

Sylvia proceeded to honor the recipients of AALFNY’s 2025 Public Interest Scholarships: 

  • Lori Giargias, St. John’s University School of Law, Class of 2027, interning with the Jewish Association Serving the Aging Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens, aims to assist individuals at risk of losing their homes. 
  • Jiaqi Huang, from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Class of 2025, is interning with the Legal Aid Society’s Immigration Law Unit to support efforts serving the Asian American community. 
  • Issalina Sagad, CUNY School of Law, Class of 2027, interning with Catholic Charities Community Services, will learn how legal aid can be made more accessible. 
  • Eqra Muhammad, St. John’s University School of Law, Class of 2025, is interning with the Urban Justice Center’s Domestic Violence Project’s Immigration Team, working to support survivors of domestic violence.

AALFNY annually grants Public Interest Scholarships to law students who have demonstrated a strong dedication to serving the community. Since 1997, AALFNY has awarded over 60 scholarships, supporting  deserving law students financially while motivating them to apply their legal education to benefit the Asian American community in New York. The scholarship aims to encourage law students to have a lasting commitment to public service in New York. 


Rocky Chin, NYC Human Rights Commissioner and AALFNY Board Member, discussed the history of the Center on Asian Americans and Law and thanked its founders: Judge Denny Chin and Professor Thomas H. Lee. Thomas H. Lee, Co-Director of the Center on Asian American and the Law, proceeded to talk about the inspiration behind AABANY’s reenactments, whose scripts can be requested from the AABANY Trial Reenactments website. The trial reenactments cover landmark cases involving Asian Americans and have been performed all over the country by other bar associations, law schools, and community groups.

Judge Denny Chin notably said, “In doing reenactments, I fell in love with Asian American history.” He presented slides depicting the Center’s events and activities, including past Fall Symposiums, screenings, teaching workshops, and reenactments. Currently, teaching materials from the Center are being used at 14 law schools: Albany, Columbia, Cornell, CUNY, Fordham, Harvard, Rutgers-Newark, SMU, Stanford, St. John’s, Touro, UC San Francisco, University of Virginia, and Yale. 

Judge Chin opened the floor for questions after the presentation, during which he discussed the concept of doing trial reenactments of AAPI cases was inspired by historical trial reenactments that had previously been done at the Federal Bar Council. Judge Chin also emphasized how AABANY’s Reenactments about trials involving Asian Americans are becoming increasingly relevant to modern day issues. 

Next, Sylvia recognized the dignitaries present and thanked everyone for their attendance. Rocky encouraged people to take the informative materials available detailing the Center on Asian Americans and Law and the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. He also urged people to continue to work together and to partner with more Asian American community organizations. 

Guests had the opportunity to mingle during the reception afterward, where attendees, from law students to seasoned attorneys, built new connections. Thank you to FTI Consulting for generously providing the space for this event. 

Proudly powered by WordPress