Tag: bar association

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AABANY Co-sponsors: Achieving Diversity in ADR

The AABANY Litigation Committee encourages anyone interested in pursuing a career as a neutral (arbitrator, mediator, etc.), and, in particular, learning about the specific advantages and challenges as a person of color, to attend the New York State Bar Association’s program entitled, “Achieving Diversity in the ADR Field: Overcoming Old Challenges and Seeking New Opportunities.” The program will be held on Tuesday, March 25th from 5:30-9:00 p.m. and, because AABANY is a participating and sponsoring bar association, the program will offer 2.5 FREE NY CLE credits in Skills to all AABANY members. A panel of renowned ADR providers, scholars, and administrators will discuss their practices for recruiting and selecting neutrals, the efforts they have undertaken to diversify their rosters of neutrals, and their efforts to further expose the users of their ADR services to racially and ethnically diverse panels of arbitrators and mediators. Another panel, moderated by AABANY member Theo Cheng, and comprising distinguished ADR neutrals, will provide perspectives on how to navigate a successful career as a neutral; recommending specific networking, marketing, and promotional activities; discussing how best to leverage diversity issues; and providing practical tips for increasing the opportunities for being selected as a neutral. Finally, there will be a discussion about strategies for addressing cross cultural issues in dispute resolution, followed by a networking reception. For more information go to http://bit.ly/nysbareg.

P.S. For those of you who are experiencing difficulties registering via the NYSBA’s website, you can alternatively send an email to Beth Gould at [email protected] with your full contact information (name, address, email, phone number), indicating that you are a member of AABANY. She will handle registering you for the event.

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AABANY TO RECEIVE 2013 NEW YORK STATE CONFERENCE OF BAR LEADERS INNOVATION AWARD FOR “IVA: THE MYTH OF TOKYO ROSE” PROGRAM

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK – January 27, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that it will receive a 2013 Bar Leaders Innovation Award for its Asian Pacific American Heritage Month production, “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose.”  The award bestowed by the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders Executive Council of the New York State Bar Association recognizes bar associations that introduce new programs, ideas and methodologies that benefit its members and the community at large.  AABANY’s “Tokyo Rose” program was evaluated based on its ingenuity and creativity, effect on the bar and general public, and its overall quality.

“Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” which was co-produced by AABANY and the Asian American Arts Alliance (the “Alliance”), tells the story of Iva Toguri, a Japanese American citizen, who was accused of treason during World War II.  Original court transcripts were edited and compiled under the leadership of the Honorable Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin.  This material was then adapted by playwright Soriya Chum and culminated in a production addressing issues concerning race, civil rights, prosecutorial abuse and social injustice.  “Tokyo Rose” was directed by Soriya Chum and Elena Chang and performed on stage at the Asia Society in New York City on May 16-17, 2013.  Following the performances, talkbacks were held with esteemed speakers and guests, including the Honorable Denny Chin (U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit), Kathy Hirata Chin (Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP), Gurjot Kaur (Sikh Coalition), Andrea Louie (the Alliance), Yang Chen (AABANY), Rehana Mirza (Ma-Yi Theater’s Writer’s Lab) and Eileen Rivera (Leviathan Lab).

The New York State Conference of Bar Leaders will honor AABANY along with its sister bar associations for their innovative programs at the Annual Breakfast for Bar Leaders to be held at the Hilton New York Midtown on Friday, January 31, 2014.  “On behalf of AABANY, we thank the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders for this prestigious award and recognizing our continuing efforts to produce programs that address significant legal issues and social matters of importance to our members and the Asian Pacific American community as a whole,” said Mike Huang, AABANY’s President. 

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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.

A performance review of “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” is available at http://blog.asianinny.com/films/iva-the-myth-of-tokyo-rose/

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News from NAPABA: JABA Scholarship

JAPANESE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

Every year, the Japanese American Bar Association (JABA) Educational Foundation awards scholarships to deserving law students and recent law school graduates based on a number of criteria, including community service, academic achievement, and financial need. Applications for the JABA Educational Foundation’s annual scholarships are now being accepted. The deadline to apply is January 17, 2014.

For more information or for copies of the application and instructions, please visit the JABA Educational Foundation Scholarship page at http://www.jabaonline.org/scholarships or contact us via email at [email protected].

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JOINT DIVERSE BAR ASSOCIATION JUDICIAL SCREENING PANEL REPORTS QUALIFICATION RATINGS OF NEW YORK COURT OF APPEALS NOMINEES

The Joint Diverse Bar Association Judicial Screening Panel (the “Panel”) has interviewed and rated judicial candidates nominated by the New York State Commission on Judicial Nominations to fill the vacancy on the New York State Court of Appeals, which was created by the retirement of Associate Judge Carmen B. Ciparick.  The Panel was comprised of members of various affinity bar associations including the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Black Bar Association of Bronx County, the Dominican Bar Association, the Korean Lawyers Association of Greater New York, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association of New York.

Last week, the Panel was convened to determine whether the candidates were qualified for the judicial office using a three-tiered rating system of “qualified,” “well qualified,” and "exceptionally well qualified." 

A candidate was rated “Qualified” if found to meet the basic criteria required for the judicial position sought; a rating of “Well Qualified” was given if the candidate met the basic criteria and demonstrated a level of skill, experience, sound judgment, and excellence in his or her professional career, which would sustain or improve the quality of the bench or judicial position sought; and an “Exceptionally Well Qualified” rating was given to candidates fulfilling the requirements necessary for a “Well Qualified” rating and further demonstrating outstanding accomplishments.

The ratings were decided during a closed-door vote after review of the each candidate’s background, professional ability, experience, character, judicial temperament, and other pertinent qualities. The Panel’s findings were as follows:

• Hon. Sheila Abdus-Salaam – Exceptionally Well Qualified

• Hon. Rolando Acosta – Exceptionally Well Qualified

• Kathy Chin, Esq. – Exceptionally Well Qualified

• Hon. Eugene Fahey – Exceptionally Well Qualified

• Jenny Rivera, Esq. – Exceptionally Well Qualified

• Margarita Rosa, Esq. – Well Qualified

• David Schulz, Esq. – Exceptionally Well Qualified

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Rochester Legal Diversity Clerkship Program

Rochester Legal Diversity Clerkship Program

MCBA logo

From our friends at the Monroe County Bar Association comes an announcement about a paid clerkship opportunity for first-year law students.

Program Overview
The Rochester Legal Diversity Clerkship Program is co-sponsored by the MCBA (through its Diversity Committee), the Rochester Black Bar Association (RBBA), and the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (GRAWA).  This program seeks to increase diversity in the legal profession in the Rochester area by attracting qualified first-year law students from historically under-represented groups within the legal profession, including racial and ethnic minorities, to work in paid positions with Rochester area law firms and other legal employers.

Follow the link in the title for further details.

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Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan Honored by LeGaL

LeGaL, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association of Greater New York, held its 2012 Pride Celebration on June 22 at the Andaz Hotel.  The theme was “Honoring the Women of Marriage Equality,” to mark the one-year anniversary of the passage of landmark marriage equality legislation in New York.  Among the honorees was the Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County.  Judge Ling-Cohan authored the decision in Hernandez v. Robles (2005), making national headlines when she sided with the plaintiffs in their argument that the State of New York violated their constitutional rights by denying them marriage equality.  Although Judge Ling-Cohan was reversed on appeal, her position was ultimately vindicated when Governor Cuomo signed marriage equality into law in June 2011.  Congratulations to Judge Ling-Cohan on this distinction and honor!

LeGaL Pride Celebraton 2012

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