Tag: aapi

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AABANY Joins the Fight for Fair Redistricting in New York

AABANY has been closely following the current redistricting cycle for drawing of New York State Assembly, Senate and Congressional districts.  On January 31, 2022, AABANY members Marilyn Go and Rocky Chin joined approximately 50 other demonstrators assembled outside the offices of the New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) to demand that public hearings be held before any vote by the State Legislature on redistricting maps for Assembly, Senate and Congressional districts.  The rally, which was organized by APA VOICE Redistricting Task Force (“APA VOICE”), was supported by various Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)  and other minority community and civil rights groups, including AALDEF, Caribbean Equality Project, Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, Chinese-American Planning Council, Chinese Progressive Association, Common Cause – NY, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY, Latino Justice PRLDEF, MinKwon Center for Community Action, OCA-NY, South Queens Women’s March, and Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus.  

The speakers at the rally expressed concern that AAPI and other minority groups would have no input into the redistricting process.  As Marilyn Go noted, the New York State Constitution contemplated that the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) would have the primary responsibility to draw new redistricting maps, but only after extensive public hearings.  However, due to a partisan split with commissioners deadlocked, the IRC submitted two sets of redistricting maps to the Legislature on January 3, 2022 and, notwithstanding a directive from the Legislature, did not redraw maps by the January 25th deadline set.  The following day, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins issued a joint statement to announce that the Legislature would draw its own maps and vote on the maps by the end of the following week.  

At the time of the rally, LATFOR had neither issued any maps nor scheduled any hearings, despite three letters sent by APA VOICE, the last letter of which AABANY and about 60 other organizations had endorsed.  Later on January 31, the Legislature issued a set of redistricting maps for proposed Congressional districts and maps for Assembly and Senate districts the following day.  The Legislature then proceeded to vote to approve maps on the third day after their issuance and Governor Hochul signed the bill setting Congressional districts on February 1, 2022 and State Senate and Assembly districts on February 2, 2022.  

Current redistricting efforts are of particular significance to the AAPI community in New York, because of the substantial growth of the AAPI population since the last census — from 1,038,388 in 2010 to 1,385,144 in 2020.  The increase in the number of AAPIs accounted for 42.1% of the population growth in New York State and the AAPI community now constitutes 15.8% of the population in New York City and 9.5% in New York State.  See https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=New%20York%20State%20population%202010&tid=DECENNIALCD1132010.P1.  

Despite their increasing numbers, few AAPIs have been elected to state office in New York State.  There are only three AAPI State Senators out of 63 in New York Senate (Senators Jeremy Cooney, John Liu and Kevin Thomas, the latter two being the first AAPIs elected Senators in 2018) and four AAPI Assembly Members serving in the 150-person State Assembly (Assembly Members Ron Kim, Zohran Mamdani, Yuh- Line Niou and Jennifer Rajkumar).  Congresswoman Grace Meng became the first AAPI representative from New York to serve in Congress when she was elected in 2013.   

Although the redistricting maps will set political boundaries for voters for the next decade, the New York State legislature drew and approved map lines in one week.  The experience in New York, as well as what has been reported as occurring in many other states, have led to much cynicism about the politicization of redistricting in this current cycle.  However, voters do matter and the redistricting process is vital for groups such as AAPIs and other groups that lack political clout.  In fact, AAPI groups were among the most vocal in hearings before the IRC to express their dissatisfaction over proposed lines.  Even though they ultimately did not have a say in the final drawing of districts, AAPIs let their concerns be known.  For example, community groups advocated for the vibrant South Asian community in the Richmond Hill/South Ozone park area not be divided into seven different Assembly districts, as it is currently.  The IRC drew districts similar to that proposed by APA VOICE and other groups in a Unity Map to have this community wholly within one assembly district.  However, under the bills passed, this community is now divided into three assembly districts.   Much remains to be done.

The redistricting process will soon begin for New York City.  AAPIs have exercised and should again exercise their opportunity to inform politicians that they are involved and their interests cannot be ignored. If you want to know how you can work with AABANY on this issue, reach out to the Issues Committee here: https://www.aabany.org/page/154

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NAPABA Mourns Passing of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Rosa Mroz

Released February 7, 2022

Contact: Mary Tablante, Associate Strategic Communications & Marketing Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) mourns the passing of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Rosa Mroz, who died Saturday morning from injuries sustained after a driver struck her while she was walking in a crosswalk.

“Judge Mroz’s tragic passing is an immense loss for the Arizona community and the legal community at large,” said NAPABA President A.B. Cruz III. “Judge Mroz made history as the first Asian American female judge of the Superior Court of Arizona and served in the role for nearly two decades. She was someone who not only had an outstanding list of accomplishments but was also a role model and mentor for others. We will remember and honor her for always fighting for justice and leading with great compassion. We send condolences to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Arizona Asian American Bar Association President John Gray states, “For decades, Judge Mroz was a pillar of the Asian American community and of the legal community more generally. Yet, we still lost her far too soon. She showed countless women and people of color what is possible—that anyone can ascend to the highest and most respected positions of our profession with integrity and grace. Since Judge Mroz took the bench, fortunately, many more Asian Americans and women have held the gavel in our state, which is a testament to her pioneering spirit, mentorship, and leadership.”

Judge Curtis Kin, President of the NAPABA Judicial Council, states, “We are saddened by the news of Judge Mroz’s tragic death. She was a true trailblazer for APAs in the legal profession, and our Judicial Council family expresses its deep condolences and sympathies to Judge Mroz’s family.”

Judge Mroz served as Superior Court judge for the fourth largest court system in the nation and presided over more than one thousand family, civil, and criminal cases. She was a member of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association for three decades and was active in several professional and community activities.

NAPABA honored Judge Mroz with the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award in 2020, a lifetime achievement award that recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of lawyers who have paved the way for the advancement of other AAPI attorneys. In her awardee video, Judge Mroz described being a first-generation immigrant and offered advice for young lawyers.

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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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NAPABA Applauds the Nominations of Nusrat Choudhury, Robert S. Huie and Nina Y. Wang to U.S. District Courts

WASHINGTON –Today [January 19th], the Biden administration announced the nominations of three AAPIs to the following U.S. District Courts: Nusrat Choudhury to the Eastern District of New York, Robert S. Huie to the Southern District of California, and Judge Nina Wang to the District of Colorado.

“NAPABA applauds the Biden administration for honoring its commitment to nominate a more representative judiciary,” said A.B. Cruz III, Acting President of NAPABA. “To date, there are a total 45 AAPI Article III judges, ten of whom were confirmed within President Biden’s first year in office.

“Ms. Choudhury, Mr. Huie and Judge Wang have impeccable careers, serving our nation in government and civil rights. We thank Senators Schumer, Feinstein, Bennet, Gillibrand, Padilla and Hickenlooper for recommending them and NAPABA urges the Senate to quickly confirm them.”

Nusrat Choudhury is the Roger Pascal Legal Director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois where she oversees a team advancing civil rights and civil liberties. She has more than a decade of experience advocating for underserved communities in her previous roles at the ACLU Foundation in New York. Choudhury clerked for the Honorable Barrington D. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for the Honorable Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She received her B.A. from Columbia University, M.P.A. from Princeton University and J.D. from Yale Law School. If confirmed, Choudhury would be the first Bangladeshi American to serve as an Article III judge.

Robert S. Huie is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California where he served as deputy chief of the Major Frauds and Public Corruption Section. He has also served in the U.S. Department of Justice as a resident legal advisor and diplomat in the U.S. Embassies in North Africa and Eastern Europe. He currently serves as counsel at Jones Day San Diego. Huie clerked for the Honorable José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is a graduate of Calvin College and Yale Law School.

Judge Nina Y. Wang is a U.S. magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Previously, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Colorado and was a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. Judge Wang clerked for the Honorable Peter J. Messitte of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and is a graduate of Washington University and Harvard Law School. Active in the AAPI community, Judge Wang is a recipient of NAPABA’s Best Under 40 Award and served as president of NAPABA’s Colorado affiliate APABA Colorado.

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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 Former Board Member Kevin Kim on His Appointments to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and as the New Commissioner of New York City Small Businesses

On December 31st, 2021 former AABANY Board Member Kevin Kim was selected as the first Korean American  to hold the position of Commissioner of New York City Small Businesses where he will be responsible for running a dynamic City agency focused on connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a thriving economy. Kevin also was selected on December 20th, 2021 to be a Commissioner to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders which has been tasked with advancing equity, justice, and opportunity for AANHPI communities.

Kevin is a graduate of Stanford University and Columbia Law School where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a Senior Editor of the Columbia Law Review. After graduating law school Kevin began his legal career as a law clerk for then United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York, Hon. Denny Chin. He then worked as an Associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell where he practiced corporate law. 

Kevin has devoted his career to public service and specifically promoting greater Asian representation in positions of power. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the City University of New York and was elected to the national Board of Directors for the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club. His past board service includes the American Red Cross in Queens, Friends of Thirteen (public media provider featuring PBS series), Korean American Association of Greater New York, and the Korean American Community Foundation. From 2014-2016, Kevin was the Commissioner of the New York State Liquor Authority, becoming the first Asian American appointed to this position. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Kevin as a Trustee of the City University of New York, making him only the third Asian American and the first Korean American to serve on the CUNY Board of Trustees. In that position, he chaired the Audit Committee and is a member of the Subcommittee on Investments. 

Kevin has received countless awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; Columbia Law School APALSA Hong Yen Chang Award for inspiring civic engagement; KAAGNY, Man of the Year; and City Hall News (“40 Under 40”).

Please join AABANY in congratulating Kevin on his appointments to these important positions.

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AABANY Congratulates Shekar Krishnan and Sandra Ung on Becoming New York City Council Members

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates Shekar Krishnan and Sandra Ung for being elected to the New York City Council. Both have been members of AABANY and continue to serve the AAPI community. The City Council made history by becoming the first New York City council with a majority of seats occupied by women (31 out of 51) and Adrienne Adams became the first black New York City Council Speaker on January 5th. 

Sandra has been elected to represent the 20th District of New York which covers Flushing, Mitchell-Linden, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill and Fresh Meadows. She has committed her entire career to serving the Queens community. Sandra was most recently the Special Assistant to Congresswoman Grace Meng where she assisted local residents of Queens in navigating the complex government bureaucracy. Sandra also serves in a leadership role on the congresswoman’s re-election campaigns and as the Executive Director of Grace’s At the Table PAC, a political action committee dedicated to expanding women and minority representation in politics. 

Sandra’s government service and public interest experience includes: Special Assistant to the New York State Commissioner on Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation;  Legislative Assistant to former New York City Comptrollers Bill Thompson and John Liu; Chief of Staff to former New York State Assemblyman Jimmy Meng; and staff attorney to Sanctuary for Families, a non-profit organization that assists those impacted by domestic violence. She also worked as an associate attorney at Dorsey & Whitney. Sandra had previously served on the AABANY Board as Treasurer. 

Shekar has been elected to represent the 25th District of New York which covers Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. He made history by becoming one of the first South Asians elected to the New York City Council. Shekar co-founded Friends of Diversity Plaza. Located near Jackson Heights, Diversity Plaza has become a symbol of how public space can bring people together. It now serves a critical function in neighborhood organizing efforts and building solidarity across communities. Shekar has also engaged in inclusive political organizing and grassroots community dialogue in support of progressive causes.

Shekar is the co-founder of Communities Resist, a legal services organization that takes a community-rooted and intersectional approach to housing and racial justice in North Brooklyn and Queens. Shekar represents tenants and neighborhood coalitions in fair housing litigation and anti-displacement advocacy in some of the most gentrified neighborhoods in New York City. Shekar was an AABANY member and spoke on the Fall Conference panel: Fighting for Housing and Community Justice: The Role of Lawyers in the Movement.

Please join AABANY in congratulating both Shekar and Sandra for their election to the City Council. We thank them for their commitment to public service and we wish them every success as they begin their terms as City Council members.

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NAPABA Celebrates the Confirmation of Judge Jinsook Ohta to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and Judge Shalina D. Kumar to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

WASHINGTON – Sid Kanazawa, president of NAPABA, issued the following statement in response to the confirmations of Judge Jinsook Ohta to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and Judge Shalina D. Kumar to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan:

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Ohta on her confirmation to become the first Asian American woman to serve as an Article III judge in the Southern District of California. She has a career in public service, serving as a judge on the California Superior Court and as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in California. Judge Ohta has strong ties to the AAPI community as an active member of NAPABA and the Korean American Bar Association of San Diego. We thank Senators Feinstein and Padilla for recommending Judge Ohta.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Kumar on her historic confirmation to the Eastern District of Michigan. She is the first Asian American to serve as an Article III judge on the federal courts in Michigan. Judge Kumar has extensive experience on the bench, serving as Chief Judge of the Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court in Michigan covering both civil and criminal matters. We thank Senators Stabenow and Peters for recommending Judge Kumar.

“December 2021 has been a historic month with a record four AAPI women judges confirmed by the Senate. We applaud Leader Schumer for his leadership and the Senate for swiftly confirming these nominees, and we thank President Biden for his commitment to diversifying the judiciary.”

Judge Ohta served as a Superior Court Judge for the Superior Court in San Diego County. Previously, she worked in the Consumer Protection Section of the California Attorney General’s Office as Supervising Deputy Attorney General. Judge Ohta clerked for the Honorable Barry Ted Moskowitz on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and is a graduate of Yale University and New York University School of Law.

Judge Kumar has been on the bench since 2007, and over the years, has served as a presiding judge of the Adult Treatment Court, the Chairperson of the Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, the bench liaison to the Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, a member of the Michigan State Bar Professionalism Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Michigan Judges’ Association. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law.

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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NAPABA Celebrates the Confirmation of Jennifer Sung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jennifer Sung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Sung is the first AAPI to serve on the Ninth Circuit in Oregon—a state where Asians are the fastest-growing group and now make up six percent of the state’s population.

“NAPABA congratulates Jennifer Sung on her historic confirmation to the Ninth Circuit to become the first AAPI to serve in Oregon,” said Sid Kanazawa, president of NAPABA. “Judge Sung has a long career serving as an advocate for AAPIs and workers across the nation. We are thankful to Leader Schumer for bringing her nomination for a floor vote, Senators Wyden and Merkley for recommending Judge Sung, and President Biden for nominating her.

“Today there are twelve AAPI federal appellate court judges out of 179 and there has never been a AAPI on the U.S. Supreme Court. The confirmation of Judge Sung highlights an important and urgent need for greater representation of our community on the courts.”

Judge Sung is a member of the Oregon Employment Relations Board and was previously an executive board member of the New York chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. She was a partner at McKanna Bishop Joffe, LLP in Portland. Judge Sung is a graduate of Oberlin College and Yale Law School.

Judge Sung’s confirmation follows the confirmation of Judge Lucy H. Koh to the Ninth Circuit on Monday.

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 Andy Hahn on Receiving of the 2021 NAPABA Trailblazer Award

The Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award, NAPABA’s premier lifetime honor, recognizes Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) attorneys who have spent their careers advocating for AAPIs within the legal profession, becoming pioneers in their field of practice.  This year, Andrew (“Andy”) T. Hahn Sr., one of the 2021 Trailblazer Award recipients, will join the ranks of those distinguished for their contributions.  

For Andy Hahn, leadership and service have always been integral components of his career path.  Andy has accumulated a plethora of impressive accolades and achievements over his career spanning more than three decades, such as: US Army JAG officer, successful commercial litigator, and President of NAPABA, AABANY, and KALAGNY.  

Andy has continually had to prove, both to himself and to others, that, as a son of Korean American immigrants, he could succeed in his career and find a place within American society as an Asian American.  

“Growing up as a kid…I stuck out like a sore thumb,” Andy recalls.  “I was subject to a lot of bullying and bigotry.”  

It was this resentment of ostracization (as well as a fascination with guns and explosives in his youth) that motivated Andy to enlist in the military.  He quickly found his niche in the armed forces, graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Cornell University, with ambitions to pursue a full-time military career in the Special Forces.  Andy’s mother, disagreeing with his choice, instead encouraged him to aim for a career in law.  Fortunately, becoming a lawyer was Andy’s additional career interest.  After being granted a deferment from active duty, Andy completed his legal studies at Cornell Law School.

With a desire to meet more Asian lawyers with similar backgrounds as himself, Andy discovered AABANY early in his career.  As an AABANY member, he met Chris Chang, one of the founding members of AABANY and a former chair of the Judiciary Committee.  Chris became a valuable mentor to Andy as he explored the workings of the New York court system.

In the past, many Asian Americans practiced law within the transactional fields, such as corporate law and real estate law, and as Andy noted, “none of [the fields] which involved the adversarial process.”  In Andy’s view, language barriers and improved career prospects in transactional law contributed to the lack of Asian Americans within litigation.  As he gained litigation experience, Andy continued to stand out in becoming one of the first waves of AAPI attorneys to attain partnership at a big law firm in New York City.  

Andy remains a firm believer in the power of mentorship and guidance for those just starting out in their careers.  Recalling his experience meeting and mentoring law school students and graduates, Andy observed that many Asian Americans remain as “first generation Asian lawyers” within their families; these students or graduates could point to no one in their family who had been involved in the legal profession.  At a time when Asian American interest in law is increasing, creating more opportunities for mentorship becomes even more critical. 

Andy believes that anti-Asian hate remains the single greatest threat to the AAPI community and AAPI legal professionals today.  Until the onset of the pandemic Andy has never seen a high prevalence of anti-Asian hate during his decades of involvement with AABANY and NAPABA, but he notes that there always has been an “undercurrent” of perceiving Asian Americans as foreign.  Despite the widespread social movements that have catapulted issues of race and diversity into the national spotlight, Andy feels that big law firm and corporate commitments to diversity and inclusion remain “a lot of lip service.”   

“If you look at … the statistics, [attorneys of color] within law firms have not improved in the last two decades…. By the time you get to the leadership positions, it’s pretty much all white people.”  For Andy, who serves as Chief Diversity Officer at Hawkins, Delafield, and Wood LLP, his formula for maintaining diversity at his own law firm is simple: recruitment, retention, and promotion.  It’s a formula that organizations, such as AABANY, continue to advocate for.

In light of the challenges Asian Americans face, Andy observes positive changes within the Asian American community: “If there is any silver lining with some of this anti-Asian hate, it brings our community together…. We’ve learned … how to stand up for ourselves.”  Certainly, through his career as a litigator, leader, and advocate, Andy has never ceased to stand up for himself, the legal profession, and the Asian American community.  His achievements and accomplishments demonstrate his endless “vision, courage, and tenacity” needed to become a pioneer, as well as his willingness to break barriers and stereotypes in his career path.  

NAPABA will hold a reception on Friday evening, December 10, for all the Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award honorees at the Convention in Washington, D.C., and the awards will be presented at the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening. Please join AABANY in congratulating Andy Hahn on this well-deserved honor and recognition!

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Congratulations to AABANY In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chair Grace Fu on Receiving NAPABA’s 2021 Best Under 40 Award

Every year, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”) presents its Best Under 40 Awards to honor exceptional Asian American Pacific Islanders (“AAPI”) attorneys under the age of 40 from across the country who have excelled in their respective fields and have demonstrated a strong commitment to the AAPI community. Among those being recognized for this year’s award is Grace Fu, General Counsel of KAYAK/OpenTable, and a Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee. Grace has achieved much success as a senior executive and in-house leader in various companies such as Barneys New York, Tiger Management, and KAYAK/OpenTable. 

Grace has also demonstrated an exemplary commitment to the AAPI community. At Skadden, she was a co-lead of the Asian American Affinity Group Steering Committee, and was committed to increasing awareness of the Asian American experience at Skadden and within the legal profession. Additionally, as Co-chair of the In-House Counsel Committee at AABANY, Grace worked hard to recruit new members to the committee and to AABANY. She also currently serves as the UVA School of Law’s Dean’s Alumnae Council and the Alumni Advisory Council, where she has worked on DE&I initiatives, including AAPI recruiting.

Grace personally chose to become more deeply involved with AABANY because she wanted to gain new perspectives and be part of a community of people who have a collective interest in furthering the AAPI legal community. She is thankful for her experiences with AABANY, where she has had the opportunity to meet many talented lawyers and individuals who are passionate about the AAPI legal community. Grace also emphasizes the importance of engaging with organizations that also promote diversity beyond AAPI diversity, because she believes that diversity encompasses much more than simply race or ethnicity. 

When asked to give advice to students and aspiring lawyers, Grace emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and networking with other professionals. Grace also believes that doing excellent work and thus building a solid reputation for oneself is a must. In terms of job searching advice, Grace encourages those still exploring careers to consider their strengths and interests while being open-minded about opportunities that present themselves. 

When asked what being nominated for the Best Under 40 Award means to her, Grace stated that she is truly flattered and surprised to have been recognized given that there are so many other outstanding potential candidates. She feels very honored to be able to represent the AAPI community because it is a community filled with so many accomplished professionals, and she is extraordinarily grateful for being awarded this honor. 

NAPABA’s National Convention takes place in Washington, D.C., this year, and Grace will be honored at a reception for the Best Under 40 honorees on the evening of December 9th, 2021 and she will be presented the award at the Gala Dinner on Saturday night, along with the other BU40 awardees. Please join AABANY in congratulating Grace on this well-deserved recognition and honor.

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