Tag: awards

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2019 NAPABA Convention Review

Here’s a recap of everything you might have missed!

Looking at social media posts from the Convention, we were pleased to see so many attendees share our feeling that NAPABA is a family, a group of friends and colleagues, and most importantly, a community. No matter the field, the level of experience, or geographic location, we are one NAPABA.

We’re excited to head into 2020 with you all, but first let’s look back at this year’s Convention!

New Year, New Leadership 

Bonnie Lee Wolf was sworn in as NAPABA’s president. We are inspired by her vision for NAPABA and look forward to supporting her leadership! 

Using History to Inform Our Future

Through a re-enactment and historical materials, we revisited the importance of Korematsu v. United States, when Fred Korematsu challenged Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Individuals who played key roles in the successful effort to overturn Korematsu’s conviction in the 1983 case brought his story to life, connecting his values of equity and human rights to the issues we face today.

During the Saturday plenary, an inspiring group of LGBTQ attorneys reflected on the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that opened the door for inclusion for diverse communities and laid the groundwork for marriage equality to become a right across the country. However, true inclusion is still a work in progress. Panelists offered their look at the future of diversity and inclusion for the LGBTQ community.

Celebrating 31 Years

At our Anniversary Gala, we celebrated 31 years of NAPABA by looking to the future with a swearing-in of the 2019-20 NAPABA Board of Governors. Comedian, actor and writer Sheng Wang hosted the gala and Chef Kristen Kish and food critic Soleil Ho had a great conversation about identity, self-worth and success.

2019 Award Winners

We were honored to recognize this year’s award winners at the 2019 NAPABA Convention. We’re proud to have so many distinguished members, who inspire our work every day.

Trailblazer Awards

The Honorable Richard J. Chin. To see the award video, click here.
Julia Markley. To see the award video, click here.
Byung “BJay” Pak. To see the award video, click here.
Debbie Leilani Shon. To see the award video, click here.

Affiliate of the Year Award

To see the award video, click here.

APA-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award

To see the award video, click here.

Law Firm Diversity Award

To see the award video, click here.

Military and Veteran Service Award

Captain Lia Mitoko Reynolds. To see the award video, click here.

President’s Award

Dale Ho. To see the award video, click here.

Pro Bono Award

Karen King. To see the award video, click here.

Women’s Leadership Award

Debbie Leilani Shon. To see the award video, click here.

 Best Under 40

Vanessa E. Candelaria | Attorney, Law Offices of Vanessa Candelaria
Christina Chan | Assistant Attorney General, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Nooree Lee | Associate, Covington & Burling LLP
Cindy Lin | Partner, King & Spalding LLP
Laurie Rose Lubiano | IP & Product Counsel, The Climate Corporation
Catherine Y. Lui | Partner, Orrick LLP
Jessica Nguyen | General Counsel, PayScale, Inc.
Marc A. Pilotin | General Counsel, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
Sid Shenoy | Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Christopher Thana Sukhaphadhana | Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property, Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
Jerry Vattamala | Democracy Program Director, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Johnny Wang | Partner, Stinson LLP
Jovita T. Wang | Partner, Richardson Wright LLP
Bryant Y. Yang | Assistant U.S Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office
Bilal Zaheer | Partner, Locke Lord LLP 

Partners Network In-House Counsel Awards

Diversity Leadership Rising Star Award 

Laurie Rose Lubiano

Diversity Leadership Award

Michael C. Wu

NAPABA Gives Back

Thanks to everyone who joined us at our Community Service Project and Farewell Breakfast! We assembled over 200 care packages for the Asian Family Support Services of Austin. AFSS Austin is a nonprofit that helps Asian, immigrant and refugee survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault & trafficking. 

A Message from NAPABA Law Foundation

The NAPABA Law Foundation thanks everyone who donated during convention to support NLF’s fellowships, scholarships, and the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition.  

Whether by buying a Fred Korematsu or Judge Denny Chin bobblehead, wagering at Casino Night, bidding on silent auction items, or using text-to-give during the Gala, these proceeds will be used to advance access to justice for our communities.
 
Speaking of the text-to-give, congratulations on breaking the system! It appears that so many people were jumping on their smartphones to donate that our vendor’s system crashed! 
 
If you were unable to make a gift at Convention, you may donate via NLF’s website by clicking here. Remember, Harry Gee, Jr., and his family are matching the first $150,000 raised! Every dollar you donate will have double the impact!

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Thank you to the amazing sponsors who supported the 2019 NAPABA Convention.

Premier Sponsor
Walmart

Jade Sponsors
Littler
Microsoft
Prudential

Platinum Sponsors
Akin Gump
Apple
Baker Botts
Comcast NBC Universal
Goodwin
Google
McGuireWoods
Nationwide
Paul Weiss
Seyfarth Shaw

For a full list of our 2019 sponsors, click here.

Save the Date

Join us for the 2020 NAPABA Convention 
November 5 – 9, 2020
Los Angeles, California 

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AABANY at NAPABA Gala Dinner

Congratulations to NAPABA on a successful National Convention in Austin, Texas. Affiliates from around the country gathered to celebrate with NAPABA at its 31st Anniverary Gala Dinner held on Saturday night, Nov. 9, in the Grand Ballroom of the JW Marriott in Austin. Comedian Sheng Wang hosted the evening, and the Keynote Speaker was Chef Kristen Kish, owner of Arlo Grey, in conversation with restaurant critic Soleil Ho. Congratulations also to all the honorees who were presented with awards at the Gala:

  • Military and Veteran Service Award – Capt Lia Mitoko Reynolds
  • APA Owned Law Firm Award – Willenken LLP
  • Law Firm Diversity Award – Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
  • Pro Bono Award – Karen King
  • Women’s Leadership Award – Debbie Shon
  • Presidents Award – Dale Ho

AABANY was honored to be presented with the Affiliate of the Year Award. Read more about that here.

AABANY members could be found filling a few tables at the Gala Dinner … but where was Executive Director Yang Chen? He was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. That did not stop Membership Director Beatrice Leong from creating a cardboard version of our ED to attend the Gala and then join the AABANY group photo at the NAPABA Convention. Thank you, Beatrice!

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FALA New York Accepting Nominations for Annual Awards!

FALA New York is committed to encouraging and recognizing innovative leadership that advances New York’s vibrant and growing Filipino-American community.  We are therefore pleased to announce that we are accepting nominations for the first ever annual FALA New York Rising Star / FALA New York Business Trailblazer / and FALA New York Civic Visionary Awards!  Awards will be presented to recipients at the FALA New York Annual Dinner on July 20, 2016, to be held at the New York City Bar.  We invite you to take this opportunity to tell us about someone who should be honored for their accomplishments and contributions. 

FALA New York Rising Star Award 

The FALA New York Rising Star award recognizes lawyers who have been practicing law for no more than ten years, have demonstrated outstanding promise in their  respective fields, and whose achievements have led to a significant and ongoing positive impact for Filipino-Americans in New York.   Special consideration will be given to nominees who show tremendous promise and potential as a future leader of the Filipino-American legal community. 

FALA New York Business Trailblazer Award 

The FALA New York Business Trailblazer applauds innovators in the private sector whose record reflects exceptional commitment and substantial contributions to the Filipino-American community. This award category recognizes business leaders who have pioneered innovative practices or broken new ground in the marketplace, or have invested significantly in fostering a stronger community.

FALA New York Civic Visionary Award 

The FALA New York Civic Visionary Award honors individuals and programs that exemplify excellence and dedication to serving the needs of Filipino-Americans in New York. This award recognizes outstanding service or extraordinary accomplishments in the public, non-profit, or government sectors, and in a broad range of fields–including the arts, academia, or the legal profession. Award recipients demonstrate exceptional commitment and advocacy in connection with issues that impact the lives of Filipino-Americans.  

Please submit your nominations to [email protected] with “Annual Award Nomination” in the subject line by midnight on June 6, 2016, and let us know why you think the individual or program should be recognized.  

At a minimum, nominations should include: 

  1. name of person submitting nomination; 
  2. nominee’s name; 
  3. nominee’s company/organizational affiliation; 
  4. nominee’s website, if any; 
  5. award for which the nomination is being submitted; and 
  6. a brief summary of the nominee’s accomplishments/basis for nomination.
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Ms. JD Honors Awards – Call for Nominations

Ms. JD will close its 8th Annual Conference this year with the the Ms. JD Honors Reception, honoring recipients of the Ms. JD Honors awards – women and men who have made a notable
contribution to the legal field.  Nominations for the Ms. JD Honors awards (listed below) are
open until Wednesday, November 25, 2015.  For more information about
the nomination process, please go to: http://ms-jd.org/blog/article/ms.-jd-honors-awards-nominations-open-until-november-18-2015. 

This year’s awards are: 

Woman
of Inspiration Award – To a woman who, regardless of her practice
area or type of practice, inspires others by her commitment and passion to her
work. (2 available.)

Student
of Inspiration Award – To a male or female law student who
inspires others through their commitment and passion to their legal studies,
extracurricular activities or to a particular cause.

Road
Less Traveled Award – To a woman who is using her J.D. in a
unique, non-traditional, way to pursue an issue or cause that she is passionate
about. (Need not be in legal practice.)

Sharing
Her Passion Award – To a woman who has practiced for more than
ten years who is inspiring younger women lawyers through sponsorship,
mentorship, and sharing her passion for the practice. 

Women’s
Strength in Numbers Award – To two or more women who have
partnered with one another to create a unique program, business, or
organization. (The group may include men and the success need not be in legal
practice.)

TIM
Initiative Award – To a man who is an active champion for women’s
advancement in the legal profession. Ms. JD launched The Incredible Men (TIM)
Initiative in 2014 to celebrate men who not only value equality and diversity
in the profession, but earnestly and enthusiastically support women and women’s
initiatives.

Law
School Chapter Award – To a law school organization that
champions the advancement of women law students through, for example, chapter
initiatives (including pre-law initiatives), programming or recruitment.

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METROPOLITAN BLACK BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK CITY (“MBBA”) ANNOUNCES ITS 2014 ANNIVERSARY AWARDS GALA HONOREES

CONTACT: Dionne Gill                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TELEPHONE: 212.964.1645                         Wednesday, February 5, 2014

EMAIL: [email protected] www.mbbanyc.org

METROPOLITAN BLACK BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK CITY (“MBBA”) ANNOUNCES ITS 2014 ANNIVERSARY AWARDS GALA HONOREES

MBBA President, R. Nadine Fontaine, announces that the MBBA will hold its Thirtieth Anniversary Awards Gala on Friday, May 16, 2014 at Pier Sixty in New York, NY. The theme of the Gala is “The Power of Us: Celebrating 30 Years of Leadership, Innovation and Community.” Michele Coleman Mayes, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the New York Public Library and Theodore V. Wells, Jr., Partner and Co-Chair of the Litigation Department, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the MBBA Gala.

In addition to the President, the MBBA Gala Committee members include Christine Appah, Richard D. Boyd, Jason M. Clark, Paula T. Edgar, Luwick Francois, Hon. Cheryl J. Gonzales, Co-Chair of the Gala Committee, Y. Gail Goode, Taa Grays, Andrew Hannibal, Deborah L. Martin, Moya O’Conner, Francesca J. Perkins, Yamicha Stephenson, Allison B. Tomlinson and Hon. Alvin M. Yearwood, Co-Chair of the Gala Committee.

The 2014 MBBA Annual Gala Honorees are as follows:

Trailblazer of the Year:

Raymond J. McGuire, Global Head of Corporate and Investment

Banking Citigroup, Inc.

Corporate Counsel of the Year:

Duane L. Hughes, Managing Director

Morgan Stanley

Private Practitioner of the Year:

Carmen J. Lawrence, Partner

King & Spalding, LLP

Jurist of the Year:

Hon. Sheila Abdus -Salaam, Associate Judge

New York State Court of Appeals

Public Servant of the Year:

Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO & Executive Director

Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies

Co-Chair, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Transition Team

Member of the Year:

Shirley Stewart Farmer, First President (Posthumously)

Metropolitan Black Bar Association

For more information on this event, or to schedule an interview with MBBA President R. Nadine Fontaine, please contact Francesca J. Perkins at [email protected]. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Paula T. Edgar at [email protected].

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PRESS RELEASE: AABANY To Honor Vernon Jordan and Other Honorees at 25th Annual Dinner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director

February 24, 2014                                                                 (718) 228-7206

AABANY TO HONOR VERNON JORDAN WITH “I4 LEADERSHIP AWARD” AT 25TH ANNUAL DINNER TO BE HELD AT CIPRIANI WALL STREET

NEW YORK – On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) will hold its 25th Anniversary Annual Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street.  Attendees of the 2014 AABANY Annual Dinner will include prominent federal and state judges, elected officials and dignitaries, attorneys from large and small law firms, corporate law departments, prosecutors’ offices and government agencies.  AABANY’s 2013 Annual Dinner attracted more than 750 members of the legal and business communities from New York and beyond.  This year AABANY is pleased to announce that its 2014 Annual Dinner honorees will be:

  • Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Senior Managing Director Lazard Frères & Co. LLC
  • Randal S. Milch, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, and General Counsel Verizon Communications Inc.
  • AALDEF (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund)

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. will receive the AABANY I4 Leadership Award.  The I4 Leadership award is presented to a leader who is an ICON, embodying the highest IDEALS and INSPIRING others while making a real and lasting IMPACT in the community and society.  Mr. Jordan, a Senior Managing Director at Lazard Frères & Co. LLC, the financial advisory and asset management firm, also remains Senior Counsel at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he practices general, corporate, legislative and international law in Washington, D.C.    

Randal S. Milch is Executive Vice President, Public Policy, and General Counsel of Verizon Communications Inc.  He leads the company’s public policy, legal, regulatory, government affairs and security groups.  From 2006 until being named to his current position in October 2008, Mr. Milch served as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Verizon Business, responsible for all legal services and external affairs support for the company’s global enterprise carrier. Before that, Milch served as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Verizon’s domestic telecom business.  He was appointed to the latter position in 2000, upon the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE.  He sits on the Verizon Leadership Council, the corporation’s senior operating and policy making body.  At Verizon, Mr. Milch has championed diversity through the creation of a supervisory diversity council within the legal department.  Mr. Milch will receive AABANY’s Corporate Counsel Leadership Award.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), which was founded in 1974 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans.  By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.  AALDEF focuses on critical issues affecting Asian Americans, including immigrant rights, civic participation and voting rights, economic justice for workers, educational equity, housing and environmental justice, and the elimination of anti-Asian violence, police misconduct, and human trafficking.  AALDEF will receive AABANY’s Public Advocacy Award.

“We are deeply honored and humbled that such a legendary defender of legal rights as Vernon Jordan will be helping AABANY commemorate our 25th anniversary at our Annual Dinner, along with such notable leaders in their respective corporate and community legal spheres as Randal Milch and AALDEF,” said Mike Huang, AABANY President.

For more information about AABANY, or this event, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any media inquiries to [email protected].

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The Asian American Bar Association of New York was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian-American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students.  The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.

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