Tag: Anushree Bagrodia

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AABANY Shows Up in Force at the 2025 NAPABA Convention in Denver

The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) was a prominent presence at the 37th National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Convention, held at the Sheraton in downtown Denver, CO, from November 6 to 8, 2025. This year’s Convention boasted the second-largest convening in NAPABA history, with nearly 2,900 AANHPI attorneys, judges, law professionals and law students in attendance, including over 800 first-time attendees.

AABANY members presented and led various Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and were recognized during luncheons and social events throughout the three-day convention.  Over 175 people connected with each other on the AABANY@NAPABA WhatsApp group before, during and after the conference.

AABANY Get-Together at Maggiano’s

AABANY’s well-attended gathering at Maggiano’s Little Italy on Thursday evening was a big hit on one of the first nights of the Convention. The location was conveniently steps away from the Sheraton, drawing over 120 attendees, including friends old and new, many from outside of New York. Guests enjoyed a buffet of heavy hors d’oeuvres, such as domestic and imported cheeses, crostini, ravioli, wagyu meatballs, fried calamari, fried zucchini, and crab cakes, along with drink tickets good for one drink. It proved to be a festive start to the Convention’s social calendar, filled with the spirit of camaraderie that defined the Convention.

Awardees and Recognition for AABANY Members

NAPABA Awards presented across various events, including the NAPABA Best Under 40 Awards Reception (Thursday), Welcome Reception (Thursday), President’s and Trailblazer Award Reception (Friday), and luncheon plenaries (Friday and Saturday).

AABANY members and AABANY past annual dinner honorees were honored this year at the Convention: (click the link to read more about each award and the 2025 awardees):

The 17th Annual Trial Reenactment: “Born American: United States v. Wong Kim Ark”

The AABANY Trial Reenactment Team presented its 17th production on Friday afternoon, November 7, to a capacity audience. The program, titled “Born American: United States v. Wong Kim Ark,” examined the landmark Supreme Court case. The case focused on Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco in 1873 to Chinese immigrants, who was denied reentry to the U.S. in 1895 under the Chinese Exclusion Act. Wong successfully argued that the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship applied to him. The program’s exploration of birthright citizenship was especially relevant, coming shortly after President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 20, 2025, seeking to restrict this established constitutional precedent.

Some of the photos taken from the Trial Reenactments by AABANY can be seen at this link here.

The cast included: Hon. Denny Chin, Kathy Hirata Chin, Jacob Chen, Francis Chin, Anna Mercado Clark, Hon. Peggy Kuo, Clara Ohr, Yasuhiro Saito, Professor Rose Cuison-Villazor, Andy Hahn, Yang Chen, Linda Lin, and Vince Chang. To learn more about AABANY’s Trial Reenactments, go to reenactments.aabany.org. AABANY encourages anyone interested in performing one of our reenactments to make a request through that website. The current script will be made available in 2026.

AABANY Members as Panel Experts

AABANY members showcased their expertise by serving as presenters and panelists across a variety of CLE programs throughout the Convention. Some of the programs featuring current and former AABANY members included, but were not limited to:

Thursday’s Programming:

  • Agentic AI: Legal and Policy Frontiers in the U.S. and China (Benjamin Hsing, AABANY President; Christopher Chan)
  • International Law Committee & Women’s Leadership Network Joint Luncheon (Jennifer Choe-Groves)
  • Navigating First Decade of Legal Career (Dan Brody)
  • Navigating Uncertainty with Confidence (Blossom Kan)

Friday’s Programming:

  • Shark Tank Part III: Live Pitch Coaching (Steve Chung; Hannah Kim; Austin So; Susan Shin, former AABANY President)
  • Navigating AI Integration in Legal Practice (Eric Lin)
  • Trump & Tariffs: Protectionism and Economic Impact (Rudy Figueroa)
  • Sexual Violence Against Women: From the Code of Ur-Nammu to WWII ‘Comfort Women’ and Beyond (Linny Ng) 
  • Practicing with Bots: Training Lawyers in the AI Age (John Lee)
  • Advising Startups on Patent Strategy (Charles Chen) 
  • United States v. Wen Ho Lee – 25 Years Later (Stephen Chahn Lee)
  • AI, Ethics & Minority Rights (Shruti Chopra)
  • High-Stakes Investigations & Trials (Joon Kim)
  • General Counsel Roundtable (Linda Lin, former AABANY President)
  • What We’ve Got Here Is a Failure to Communicate: Pitfalls and Best Practices for Handling Asian Language Witnesses and Evidence (Elizabeth L. Mo)
  • Representing Clients in the Highest Stakes Investigations and Trials (Jennifer Wu, AABANY Board Member)
  • Disagreeing Better: What ADR Principles Can Teach Us on How to Bridge Divides in Polarized Times (Chris M. Kwok, AABANY ADR Committee Co-Chair)
  • Ask an Associate: Navigating Starting Your Career at a Law Firm (Brittany Clark)

Saturday Programming:

  • Originalism’s Impacts & AANHPI Communities (Chihiro Isozaki)
  • Workplace Discrimination and Arbitration (Rachel Lee, AABANY Issues Committee Co-Chair)
  • Birthright Citizenship Under Siege: The Fight for Asian American and Pacific Islander Belonging (Professor Rose Cuison-Villazor)
  • The Places You’ll Go! Careers in Specialized Fields (Ada Wang, AABANY Intellectual Property Co-Chair; Stacy Wu)
  • Birthright and Belonging: Who gets to be American in the 21st Century and Beyond? (Bethany Li)
  • Case Study: Creating a National Legal Organization (NAPABA) (Sandra Yamate)
  • Legal Career Paths: Partnership, In-House & Public Service (Christopher Arcitio)
  • There at the Beginning: Case Study on Creating a National Organization (Diane Yu, retired Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President of NYU, 2011 AABANY Annual Dinner Honoree)

Plenary Session Focus on the Portrait Project

During the Friday Plenary Lunch, discussion centered on the Portrait Project, NAPABA’s groundbreaking study of Asian Americans in the Law, supported by the American Bar Foundation and NAPABA. This research provides critical statistics demonstrating the persistent barriers to advancement and underrepresentation of the Asian American legal community in the profession’s top ranks, especially as diversity and inclusion programs face increasing national pressure. AABANY has been a financial donor to the Portrait Project.

AABANY 2010 Annual Dinner Honoree Sandra Leung, former General Counsel of Bristol Myers Squibb Company, was among the speakers, offering an in-house perspective on the representation of AANHPI attorneys. She spoke about the importance of AANHPI attorneys to be in leadership roles, stating “if you aren’t at the table, you’re on the menu.” That resonated with many attorneys who have felt not involved in the decision-making at one point or another in their careers.

Key findings highlighted by the Portrait Project indicated that while there has been progress in federal judicial appointments and General Counsel roles, underrepresentation at the highest levels persists. The research suggests Asian American attorneys would benefit from greater institutional support to counteract stereotypes, facilitate soft skills development and relationship-building, and increase leadership opportunities. Justice Goodwin Liu reinforced this theme, quoting a participant who stated, “Instead of another cooking class, talk to me about retention.”

AABANY Members Sworn into NAPABA Board

During the Premier Event, the 37th Anniversary Gala on Saturday evening, AABANY members Anushree Bagrodia (Vice President & Senior Managing Counsel, Mastercard), Sapna Palla (Past President; Trial Lawyer and Partner, White & Case LLP), and Vishal Chander (Board Member and Issues Committee Co-Chair; Managing Attorney, The Chander Law Firm, P.C.) were all officially sworn in as At-Large Members of the NAPABA Board.  

AABANY congratulates and thanks Anushree, Sapna and Vishal for their service on the NAPABA Board, along with  Glenn D. Magpantay (AABANY Board Member; Commissioner at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights) for being appointed as a Northeast Alternate Regional Governor for NAPABA.

Gala Keynote

The Gala featured a fireside chat with keynote speakers Katie Phang and Rich Ting. Their conversation spanned Rich Ting’s career transition from attorney to acclaimed actor, and explored the evolving landscape of Asian American representation in Hollywood during polarizing times. Fun fact: Rich Ting has a law degree and was about to start his legal career at a prominent law firm until Hollywood called … and now he no longer has to worry about keeping up his CLE credits.

Social Activities

Beyond the formal events, AABANY members gathered for a variety of social activities, including morning yoga sessions, board game night (organized by our own Jeffrey Mok, Board Director, Issues Committee Co-Chair, and Principal at Fish & Richardson), and karaoke (separate events sponsored by Groombridge Wu and Littler, both long-time sponsors of AABANY), as well as exploring the areas around Denver!

Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition

The national finals for the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition took place during the NAPABA Convention. Law students from the New York area participated, alongside volunteer judges from AABANY. We congratulate  all participants and the winning team: Audrey La and Josh Shimabukuro from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, who had previously won the regional competition round in New York in October.

A Community and a Family

Despite flight cancellations and delays experienced by many AABANY members on their return home, the spirit of mutual support endured, with members reaching out, sharing resources, and ensuring everyone arrived home safely. This supportive behavior exemplified the core takeaway from the convention: AABANY is more than just a community—it is a family that comes together to uplift and assist one another. 

We look forward to the next NAPABA Convention in Los Angeles, scheduled for November 12-15, 2026 at the JW Marriott L.A. Live.

More photos, shared by various AABANY members, can be found at this album here.

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AABANY’s Winter Soiree 2025 Brings Together In-House Counsel and Law Firm Attorneys at Le Chalet

The AABANY Winter Soiree, hosted by the In-House Counsel Committee and the Corporate Law Committee, stands as one of the premier networking events of the year for senior in-house attorneys and law firm attorneys. Now in its 15th iteration, the Winter Soiree has evolved over the years, previously known as the Summer Soiree and the Wine Tasting and Networking Reception. This year’s invite-only event was held on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Le Chalet, a cozy, ski-lodge-inspired lounge set within the iconic Saks Fifth Avenue, providing an elegant and intimate setting for an evening of meaningful connections and professional camaraderie.

Bringing together approximately 150 attorneys, the Winter Soiree offered a unique opportunity for professionals across industries to engage in insightful discussions, explore potential opportunities, and strengthen relationships within the legal community. With breathtaking views of Midtown Manhattan from the venue’s balcony and an inviting indoor ambiance, the evening was truly unforgettable.

The Winter Soiree brought together a distinguished group of senior in-house counsel along with senior attorneys and partners from leading law firms. Fourteen general counsels were in attendance, from financial services, insurance, retail, health, pharmaceutical, and real estate industries. This made for a dynamic networking environment, where professionals had the chance to reconnect with familiar faces and build new relationships, across a wide range of companies and legal practice areas. AABANY extends its gratitude to the many companies that participated, with a special mention to the following, representing a variety of fields:

  • Apple Inc. 
  • Barclays 
  • Blackstone Inc. 
  • J.P. Morgan Chase
  • Meta 
  • Ralph Lauren 
  • Uber Technologies, Inc. 
  • UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
  • Wells Fargo

The event commenced at 6:00 PM, welcoming guests with an exquisite array of hors d’oeuvres, fine wines, and cocktails. Conversations flowed as attendees exchanged experiences, discussed industry trends, and formed new connections while strengthening existing ones. A highlight of the evening were the welcoming remarks delivered by the Co-Chairs of the In-House Counsel Committee, Anushree Bagrodia from MasterCard and David Sohn from J.P. Morgan Chase. They shared insights into the Committee’s ongoing efforts in  support of AABANY’s mission to advance the legal profession and advocate for the AAPI legal community.

David and Anushree then introduced representatives from the Winter Soiree’s Platinum sponsors. James Walker from Perkins Coie, Jayun Koo from Haynes Boone, and Jennifer Wu and Josephine Young from Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP all shared their deep appreciation for AABANY’s work in championing diversity, fostering professional growth, and building a more inclusive legal community. Joining this group was Ken McClure of Broadridge Financial Solutions, AABANY’s Diamond Sponsor. All the sponsors emphasized how much they value supporting AABANY’s mission, acknowledging the impact the organization has made in advancing the careers of Asian American attorneys and contributing to the broader legal profession. Their remarks reflected not just the significance of events like the Winter Soiree, but also AABANY’s ongoing commitment to driving positive change.

Closing out the remarks was John Hwang, Co-Chair of the Corporate Law Committee and Partner at Linklaters. He spoke about his Committee and their activities and also thanked the gold and silver sponsors of the Winter Soiree.

AABANY extends its deepest gratitude to the Winter Soiree sponsors whose support made this event possible: 

Platinum Sponsors: 

Gold Sponsors: 

  • Baker Hostetler
  • EdgarAgents
  • VMG Health
  • Jenner & Block
  • Saul Ewing LLP
  • Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
  • Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
  • Littler
  • Quinn Emanuel

Silver Sponsors:

  • Milbank
  • Herrick
  • Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC
  • Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Jackson Lewis
  • Rivkin Radler LLP
  • Mintz & Gold LLP

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the In-House Committee, led by Co-Chairs Anushree Bagrodia, David Sohn, and Kazuko Wachter, as well as the Corporate Law Committee and its Co-Chairs John Hwang, Keli Huang, Alice Hsu, and Tracy Feng, for their support. A special thanks to the dedicated staff and interns—Yang Chen, Executive Director; Alice Biagini, Deputy Executive Director; Apollo Baltazar, Administrative Assistant; and interns Kevin Louie and Kiran Raval—whose hard work and assistance were instrumental in ensuring the success of the evening.

The Winter Soiree began to wind down about two hours after it started, coming to a successful conclusion as our guests made their way out of Le Chalet to brave the New York City winter chill. Thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to bringing the legal community together at future AABANY events! To see more photos from the event, go here.

For more information about the In-House Counsel Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/149. For more information about the Corporate Law Committee, please see https://www.aabany.org/page/128.

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AABANY Descends on Seattle for the NAPABA Convention

From Nov. 7 through 9, NAPABA held its National Convention in Seattle at the Hyatt Regency, for three days of programming, meetings, plenary sessions and the 36th Anniversary Gala capping things off on Saturday night.

AABANY members and friends once again came out in large numbers, with nearly 150 people signed up for AABANY’s WhatsApp group. The group’s members updated each other on programs they planned to attend, made lunch and dinner plans, and connected with each other about various receptions, parties and events around Seattle.

The AABANY Trial Reenactment Team presented its latest production, “AAPIs and Education: Tape v. Hurley and Gong Lum v. Rice” on Friday afternoon, Nov. 8, to a capacity audience. The program told the stories of Mamie Tape and Martha Lum and their efforts to fight discrimination in public education, through narration, reenactment of court proceedings and historic photographs. This was the sixteenth in a series of historic reenactments presented by the Asian American Bar Association of New York. For more information about AABANY’s trial reenactments, visit reenactments.aabany.org. 

We congratulate all the awardees and honorees recognized at the Convention, with special shout-outs to the following AABANY member honorees:

We also congratulate Sapna Palla, past AABANY President, and Anushree Bagrodia, current Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee, for joining the NAPABA Board as At-Large Members!

Thanks to all the outgoing NAPABA Board members for their service, and congratulations to AABANY member and past Board officer, Anna Mercado Clark, on her highly successful year as President.

We congratulate Muhammad Faridi, AABANY Member and President of the New York City Bar Association, on receiving the Pro Bono Service Award.

Thanks and congratulations to the many AABANY members who organized a panel or spoke at one. We know that it is not easy to get a program selected for the NAPABA Convention and that much hard work goes into putting on a quality program for the many attendees who come from across the continent to learn from you all. Please send us your photos and, if possible, a short recap about your program. You can send it to main@aabany.org.

Many bonds were made and strengthened among AABANY attendees over the course of the Convention, and many new connections were made with the approximately 3400 registered attendees from across North America. Judging by many social media posts from those who attended, a great time was had by all. We hope everyone got back to New York City safe and sound, and we are looking forward to another inspiring NAPABA Convention when it moves to Denver, Colorado, Nov. 6-9, 2025.

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Labor & Employment Law Committee Co-Sponsors AAPI Heritage Month Program on Asian Entrepreneurs Sharing Their Roots to Success

On May 14, 2024, AABANY’s Labor and Employment Law, Intellectual Property, and In-House Counsel Committees co-hosted a panel discussion entitled “Roots to Success: Navigating Commercial and Legal Terrain in Asian Small Business Ventures.”  The event was an opportunity for AABANY members to gather in celebration of May’s AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month.

The event featured panelists Rachna Shah, Founder and General Counsel of External General Counsel LLC, Ayan Sanyal, Co-Founder of Kolkata Chai, and Lingfei (Teddy) Wu, Founder and CEO of Anytime AI. The event was moderated by Anushree Bagrodia, Vice President of Legal Americas of Mastercard and Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee.

The panelists shared their unique personal journeys that led them to start their businesses. They discussed the challenges that they faced when starting and growing their businesses and how they overcame these challenges, including how they navigate the legal issues that their businesses encounter. To tie the event back to AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month, the panelists also shared the importance of embracing and celebrating their Asian heritage and supporting other Asian entrepreneurs and Asian owned businesses. We thank our distinguished panelists and moderator for sharing their time, perspectives, and insights. We also thank Littler Mendelson. P.C. for hosting the event at their New York City office.

To learn more about the Labor & Employment Law Committee please click here. To learn more about the Intellectual Property Committee please click here. To learn more about the In-House Counsel Committee please click here.

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The In-House Counsel Committee Hosts a Dinner at Sagaponack

On April 23, 2024, the AABANY In-House Counsel Committee held its first dinner of the fiscal year at Sagaponack in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood. Committee members gathered to enjoy a family-style seafood dinner while getting to know new and old faces in their field. 

As the appetizers rolled in, Committee Co-Chair Kazuko Wachter began the dinner with introductions, which was followed by a table full of conversations about individual experiences working in-house and their lives outside the office. Aimed at senior in-house counsel attorneys, this dinner featured members with long-term experience in their respective companies, many of whom work in the Fintech industry. With ten people in attendance, the dinner encouraged close and personal discussions among the attendees. From talking about their busy work days to sharing their favorite K-Dramas, the event was a chance for the members to get to know each other and hopefully stay connected. 

The Committee hopes its members will use these dinners to create relationships and expand their network with attorneys who share similar interests and experiences working in-house. For more information about the In-House Counsel Committee, visit their page here.

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