Official blog of the Asian American Bar Association of New York
The APALA-NJ Executive Board and Judicial & Prosecutorial Appointments Committee announces the confirmation of CARLIA M. BRADY to the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County. Ms. Brady is the first Philippine-born NJ Superior Court Judge and will be the only Filipino-American sitting judge in the NJ Superior Court bench.
Download a copy of APALA-NJ’s press release here, which may also be found on their website www.apalanj.com.
NEW YORK – March 5, 2013 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) welcomes and applauds the confirmation of Pamela K. Chen to serve as a federal district court judge in the Eastern District of New York. On March 4, 2013, the United States Senate confirmed Pamela Chen by a voice vote to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. “AABANY is delighted to learn that Pamela Chen has been confirmed to serve on the Eastern District of New York bench,” said Mike Huang, President of AABANY. “Ms. Chen is the first Chinese-American female Article III judge outside of California and the second-ever Chinese-American female federal judge in U.S. history, continuing to add to the rich legacy of the Second Circuit and New York State. AABANY applauds President Obama and Senator Schumer for their continued commitment to diversifying the Federal Judiciary.”
Asian Pacific Americans (“APA”) are significantly under-represented in the Federal Judiciary, including in New York State. In fact, according to the 2010 Census, approximately 8.3% of the population of New York State and 14.0% of the population of New York City consists of Asian Americans, and the APA percentage continues to grow at a rate that outpaces all other ethnic groups in the State. In the Eastern District of New York, Ms. Chen joins Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto as the two Article III judges of APA descent in a district that serves the growing APA communities of Flushing, Queens and Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
“With her confirmation, Ms. Chen joins the growing number of Asian Americans who have been recognized for distinguished service on the federal courts,” said Theodore K. Cheng, Co-chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee. “Although Asian Americans remain under-represented at all levels in the Federal Judiciary, President Obama and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand ought to be commended for their tireless dedication to increasing diversity on the federal bench.”
After spending the first five years of her career in the private sector, Ms. Chen began a dedicated and much longer career in public service, with a distinct focus on civil rights work. Ms. Chen served as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She then moved to New York City in 1998 and became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (“USAO EDNY”). There, she was promoted to Chief of Civil Rights Litigation, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Section, and then finally to Chief of the Civil Rights Section. Ms. Chen held that last position since July 2006 except for a brief period of time in 2008 when she accepted an opportunity to serve as the Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement in the New York State Division of Human Rights. She soon returned to the USAO EDNY and has remained there ever since.
AABANY thanks President Obama for nominating Ms. Chen and Senator Charles E. Schumer for recommending her to the President.
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].
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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2013NAPABA Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555
AAJC Contact: Kimberly Goulart (202) 499-7027NAPABA and AAJC Applaud Confirmation of
Pamela K.M. Chen to the Eastern District of New YorkWASHINGTON – Today, the Senate confirmed Pamela K.M. Chen by a voice vote to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She becomes the first openly gay Asian Pacific American to serve on the federal judiciary.
“NAPABA congratulates Pam Chen on her historic nomination and confirmation and is proud to have supported her in the nomination and confirmation process along with the LGBT community,” said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama and Senator Schumer for their continued commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary.”
For almost 14 years, Judge Chen has served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she has served as chief of the Civil Rights Section for more than eight years, and previously as a deputy chief of the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division. She also served as a deputy commissioner for enforcement at the New York State Division of Human Rights, as a trial attorney in the Justice Department in Washington D.C., and in private practice. Judge Chen has won numerous awards for her work, particularly in addressing human trafficking.
“Judge Chen’s confirmation is a step in the right direction,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. “There are more than 40 federal District Court judges in New York City. Judge Chen will become the third Asian Pacific American, bringing APA representation on the bench more in line with our 14 percent share of the city’s population.”
Judge Chen’s confirmation increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 18 nationwide: two federal Appellate Court judges and 16 federal District Court judges. President Obama nominated a record 17 Asian Pacific American to the Article III courts. Three more Asian Pacific American Article III nominees are pending in the Senate: Sri Srinivasan, nominee for the U.S. Circuit Court for the D.C. Circuit; Raymond T. Chen, nominee for the U.S. Circuit Court for the Federal Circuit; and Derrick Kahala Watson, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. NAPABA and AAJC urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm these individuals, who are highly qualified for the federal bench.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 62 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of minorities in the legal profession.
The Asian American Justice Center (www.advancingequality.org), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice (www.advancingjustice.org), works closely with the other Advancing Justice members – the Asian American Institute in Chicago (www.aaichicago.org), the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco (www.asianlawcaucus.org) and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles (www.apalc.org) – to promote a fair and equitable society for all by working for civil and human rights and empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities.
Congratulations to Hon. Jenny Rivera
AABANY congratulates Prof. Jenny Rivera on her confirmation by the New York State Senate on February 11 as the newest Court of Appeals Justice. Before the Senate vote yesterday, AABANY President Mike Huang sent a letter to Senators Skelos and Klein voicing AABANY’s support for Prof. Rivera. To read the letter go to http://bit.ly/rivera_supp_ltr.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Yang Chen, Executive Director, (718) 228-7206
NEW YORK – December 14, 2012 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) welcomes and applauds the historic confirmation of Lorna G. Schofield to the Southern District of New York. On December 13, the United States Senate confirmed Lorna Schofield by a 91-0 vote to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is the first person of Filipino descent to serve as an Article III judge in American history.
“AABANY congratulates Ms. Schofield on her historic confirmation as a federal judge for the Southern District of New York and is proud to have supported her candidacy,” said Jean Lee, President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York. “We applaud President Obama and Senator Schumer for nominating such a highly-qualified jurist and continuing their commitment to a well-qualified and diverse federal bench.” Ms. Schofield’s life story is the epitome of the “American Dream.” Growing up in New Haven, Indiana, she was the only child of a Filipina war bride who married an American service man. She was raised by her mother, who came to the United States and became a pharmacist, stressing hard work, achievement, independence and self-sufficiency. Ms. Schofield lived in a predominantly Caucasian and blue collar community, where there was little ethnic diversity. Despite the odds against her, Ms. Schofield went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Indiana University. Thereafter, she graduated from New York University School of Law, where she was an editor of the Law Review and a Pomeroy Scholar. Ms. Schofield’s achievements clearly did not stop there.
Prior to joining the bench, Judge Schofield practiced at the New York law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton for over 20 years. In 1991, she became the firm’s first partner of color, and, for the past year, has served as Of Counsel to the firm. Before joining Debevoise, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (Criminal Division) for four years. Ms. Schofield was also the first Asian Pacific American to chair the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, and she previously served as a member of the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary. In 2008, the National Law Journal named Ms. Schofield one of the nation’s 50 most influential minority lawyers.
“With her confirmation, Ms. Schofield joins the growing number of distinguished Asian Pacific Americans who have been recognized for service on our federal courts,” said Theodore K. Cheng, Co-chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee. “Although Asian Pacific Americans remain significantly under-represented at all levels in the Federal Judiciary, President Barack Obama should be commended for his tireless dedication to increasing diversity on the federal bench, and we thank Senator Charles E. Schumer for recommending her to the President.”
Judge Schofield is only the second Asian Pacific American to serve on the Southern District bench, and she will join Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto of the Eastern District of New York as the only Article III judges of Asian descent serving anywhere in the federal district courts of New York. While Asian Pacific Americans make up approximately 14 percent of New York City’s population, only two of the over 90 active and senior Article III judges currently serving in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York are Asian Pacific Americans. The nomination of another well-qualified Asian Pacific American, Pamela K. Chen, awaits a vote on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Schumer recommended Ms. Chen for a seat on the Eastern District of New York, and President Obama nominated her in August 2012.
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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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2012
NAPABA Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555
AAJC Contact: Kimberly Goulart (202) 499-7027
NAPABA AND AAJC APPLAUD LORNA SCHOFIELD’S CONFIRMATION TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
WASHINGTON – Today the United States Senate confirmed Lorna Schofield by a 91-0 vote to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is the first person of Filipino descent to serve as an Article III judge in American history.
“NAPABA congratulates Lorna Schofield on her confirmation as a federal district judge on the Southern District of New York and is proud to have supported her nomination and confirmation,” said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama and Senator Schumer for nominating Judge Schofield to this critical court, and continuing their commitment to nominating well-qualified, diverse candidates to the federal bench.”
Prior to joining the bench, Judge Schofield practiced law at the New York law firm Debevoise & Plimpton for over 20 years. In 1991, she became the firm’s first partner of color and for the past year has served as Of Counsel. Prior to joining Debevoise, she was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (Criminal Division) for four years. Ms. Schofield was the first Asian Pacific American to chair the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, and she previously served as a member of the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary. In 2008, the National Law Journal named Ms. Schofield one of the nation’s 50 most influential minority lawyers.
“We congratulate Lorna Schofield on her confirmation and commend President Obama and Senator Schumer for their commitment to diversifying the bench with exceptionally well-qualified judicial nominees,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. “The community is hopeful that our Senate leaders will work to confirm Pamela Chen, President Obama and Senator Schumer’s nominee to the Eastern District of New York this year. Ms. Chen’s confirmation on the heels of the Judge Schofield’s would be celebrated by all in New York City, as well as Asian Americans across the nation.”
With her confirmation today, Judge Schofield will join Judge Kiyo Matsumoto of the Eastern District of New York as the only judges of Asian descent serving on the federal district courts of New York. While Asian Pacific Americans make up approximately 14 percent of New York City’s population, only two of the over 90 active and senior Article III judges currently serving the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York are Asian Pacific Americans. The nomination of another well-qualified Asian Pacific American, Pamela Ki Mai Chen, awaits a vote on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Schumer recommended Ms. Chen for a seat on the Eastern District of New York, and President Obama nominated her in August 2012.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 64 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
The Asian American Justice Center (www.advancingequality.org), a member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, works closely with its affiliate organizations – the Asian American Institute in Chicago (www.aaichicago.org), the Asian Law Caucus (www.asianlawcaucus.org) in San Francisco and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (www.apalc.org) in Los Angeles – to promote a fair and equitable society for all by working for civil and human rights and empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities.
NAPABA Press Release on Goodwin Liu Confirmation
WASHINGTON – Today, the three-member panel of the California Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed Professor Goodwin H. Liu’s nomination to the California Supreme Court. He will be sworn in as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California tomorrow in Sacramento by Governor Jerry Brown. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association congratulates Professor Liu on his confirmation.
NYT: Goodwin Liu Confirmed for CA Supreme Court
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Goodwin Liu, a University of California law professor whose confirmation to a federal appeals court was blocked in the U.S. Senate, was confirmed on Wednesday to serve as a justice on California’s top court.
Support Goodwin Liu’s Nomination to CA Supreme Court
From CAA (Chinese for Affirmative Action) by way of Rocky Chin:
On Wednesday, August 31, the Commission on Judicial Appointments will consider California Governor Jerry Brown’s nomination of Goodwin Liu to the California Supreme Court.
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Let the Commission know you support Goodwin Liu with the letter below. (Your letter will be targeted to Ms. AhMoi Kim, Secretary to the Commission.)
Click on the link in the title to see the text of the letter.
