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April 19, 2019

PRESS RELEASE: AABANY CONGRATULATES ITS FORMER PRESIDENT GLENN LAU-KEE ON RECEIVING SOLO AND SMALL FIRM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

NEW YORK – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates Glenn Lau-Kee, Partner at Lau-Kee Law Group PLLC and former AABANY President (1997-99), on receiving the American Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors solo and small firm attorneys who are widely accepted by their peers as having significant lifetime distinction, exceptional achievement, and distinction in an exemplary way. Mr. Lau-Kee and his fellow awardees will be honored on Friday, May 3, 2019 at the ABA Solo and Small Firms Award Luncheon at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

Mr. Lau-Kee began his legal career as an associate in the Hong Kong and New York offices of Coudert Brothers LLP where he worked on bank financing, leasing, and corporate acquisition transactions. In 1977, he became a partner at Kee and Lau-Kee PLLC where he has developed a thriving real estate and bank financing practice. He was also a partner at Koo Larrabee Lau-Kee & Lane LLP for six years.

Aside from practicing real estate and business law, Mr. Lau-Kee has spent much of his legal career tirelessly serving the Asian American community of New York City. He helped found the Chinatown YMCA, as well as the US-Asia Institute. For his long-standing service to the YMCA, he received the Order of the Red Triangle, the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Along with his father, Norman Kee, Mr. Lau-Kee received the Hon. George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award in 2010, recognizing their outstanding record of public service and commitment to providing exceptional legal services to the Chinatown community in New York City. In 2017, Mr. Lau-Kee was honored as a Community Hero by the Museum of Chinese in America.

Mr. Lau-Kee made history as the first Asian American President of the New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA”) for the 2014-15 term. He continues his involvement with NYSBA as a member of the Business Law, Health Law and Real Property Law sections. Mr. Lau-Kee has also been an active member of New York County Lawyers Association (“NYCLA”) since 2000, serving on the Board of Directors until 2004 and serving on various task forces and committees until 2010. He also served on the Board of Directors for the NYCLA Foundation and the New York Bar Foundation, which function as the charitable and philanthropic arms of their respective organizations.

Mr. Lau-Kee has been an active leader in AABANY for over twenty years. He served as President from 1997-1999 and on the Board of Directors from 1994-2000. He has served on the Nominations Committee, contributing to the promotion of future leaders for AABANY.

Mr. Lau-Kee is a graduate of Yale College and Boston University School of Law.

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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April 15, 2019April 15, 2019

Congratulations to Glenn Magpantay on Receiving the Brooklyn Law School Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service

Glenn Magpantay received the Brooklyn Law School Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service

On Tuesday, April 9, 2019, Glenn Magpantay, the Executive Director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), was honored at Brooklyn Law School’s Public Service Awards Ceremony.

Glenn Manpantay (left) and AABANY GSPI Committee Co-Chair Kevin Hsi (right) at the Public Service Awards Ceremony

Glenn Manpantay, a former AABANY Board member and a current co-chair of the LGBT Committee, was presented with Brooklyn Law School’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service, in recognition of his incredible devotion to educating and fighting for LGBT equality, racial justice and immigrant rights.

Please join AABANY in congratulating Glenn Manpantay for this well-deserved award and honor.

We thank Kevin Hsi for providing the photos for this blog post.

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019

Congratulations to Glenn Magpantay, Honoree at the Brooklyn Law School Public Service Awards Ceremony

On April 9, 2019, Brooklyn Law School Public Service Law Center will host the Public Service Awards Ceremony in Forchelli Conference Center, Feil Hall, where Glenn Magpantay will receive a Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service in recognition for his outstanding contributions to public service.

Glenn Magpantay is the Executive Director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. He has been organizing in the LGBT community for over 30 years, and he is recognized as a vanguard of LGBT rights activism. In addition to being an activist, Magpantay is also a devoted educator. He teaches “Race & the Law” at Brooklyn Law School and “Asian American Civil Rights” at Hunter College/ CUNY.

We at AABANY have been fortunate to have Glenn Magpantay as a former Board member and current co-chair of the LGBT Committee. Please join AABANY in congratulating Glenn Magpantay on this well-deserved award and honor.

March 18, 2019

Congratulations to Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, Recipient of the Conner Inn Excellence Award

On January 16, 2019, Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, was honored at the Conner Inn Annual Dinner.

The mission of the Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court is to promote excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students of law and to advance the education of the members of the Inn, the members of the bench and bar, and the public in the fields of intellectual property law.

Judge Matsumoto, a long time member of AABANY, was presented with the Conner Inn Excellence Award, at the Union League Club of New York, for her commitment and dedication to the promotion of excellence in the legal profession.

Please join AABANY in congratulating Judge Matsumoto on this well-deserved award and honor.

Chief Judge Dora Irizarry, EDNY(l.), with Judge Kiyo Matsumoto upon her receipt of the Conner Inn Excellence Award. (Photo courtesy of the Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court.)

February 25, 2019

Congratulations to Michael J. Rhee

On February 21, 2019, the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) at St. John’s University School of Law recognized Michael J. Rhee as the 2019 APALSA Honoree during their Lunar New Year Reception at China Blue-Tribeca. AABANY congratulates Michael J. Rhee on his recognition as the 2019 APALSA Honoree.

Michael J. Rhee received his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law in 1998 and went on to lead a remarkable legal career. Mr. Rhee had served as a Special Counsel in the real estate department at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Currently, Mr. Rhee is Vice President and General Counsel of the Durst Organization, one of the most prominent real estate companies in New York City. As Vice President and General Counsel, Mr. Rhee advises on leasing, acquisitions, construction and development activities, as well as the corporate and legal needs of the company. Mr. Rhee also oversees insurance and collections and manages outside counsel.

Michael J. Rhee is not only a distinguished member of the legal community, he is also an active one. He has been an AABANY member since 2015, and he is a member of the In-House Counsel Committee. Mr. Rhee is also a member of the Leadership Advisory Council of the Korean American Lawyers Associations of Greater New York. Please join AABANY in congratulating Mr. Rhee on this well-deserved recognition.

From left to right: Christopher Arcitio (St. John Law Alum & Former AABANY Intern), Anna Chen (St. John Law Alum & Former AABANY Intern), Michael J. Rhee, Yang Chen (Executive Director at AABANY)

February 19, 2019

Annual Meeting of Members 2019

On Wednesday, February 13, 2019, AABANY held its Annual Meeting of Members at Wachtell Lipton. President James R. Cho called the meeting to order and established quorum. Elections were held for the 2019 Board of Officers & Directors and President James R. Cho presented the Year in Review. President James R. Cho also announced a new initiative to help AABANY law students find summer internship positions.

Executive Director, Yang Chen, presented the report of the Committees and then presented awards honoring several members and committees for their dedication to AABANY over the past year. Immediate Past President Dwight Yoo and President-Elect Brian Song tallied the votes.

The following officers were elected and will begin their term on April 1, 2019:

Sapna Palla
President-Elect

Tiffany Miao
Vice President, Programs and Operations

David Sohn
Vice President, Programs and Operations

Margaret Ling
Development Director

William Hao
Treasurer

Secretary – Vacant

Beatrice Leong
Membership Director

The following candidates were elected as Directors to serve two-year terms starting on April 1, 2019:

Dai Wai Chin Feman

Suzanne Kim

Chris Kwok

Edward Lee

Marianne Chow Newman

Terrence Shen

Andy Yoo

The following awards were presented:

Committee of the Year: The In-House Counsel Committee

For their excellent programming and activities that have benefited AABANY’s members and the community of legal professionals in New York.

Program of the Year: The AABANY Leadership Development Program

For helping to develop future leaders and contributing to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession in New York.

Member of the Year: Edwin Kim

For his exemplary record of service and leadership as Co-Chair of the Student Outreach Committee and Labor and Employment Law Committee and in coordinating volunteers for numerous programs and events.

Congratulations to all the officers and directors who were elected to the Board.

Congratulations to all the honorees for the recognition of their achievements and hard work in 2018.

We would like to thank our members for attending and participating in the annual meeting, and we also thank Edward J. Lee and Wachtell Lipton for hosting the meeting in a beautiful space, treating us to a delectable selection of food and light refreshments.

(Thanks to AABANY Program Associate Dave Singh for the write-up and photos.)

January 4, 2019

Chinese American Veterans of World War II Honored with Congressional Gold Medal

On December 20, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Chinese-American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act into law. The Act finally recognizes the achievements and contributions of Chinese Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Second World War.

The bill passed due to the efforts of everyone involved in the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project. The mission of the project was to recognize, honor and celebrate the military service of approximately 20,000 Chinese Americans who fought in the Second World War.

Chris Kwok, AABANY Board Director, Issues Committee Chair and Asia Practice Committee Co-Chair, participated in the effort to get the legislation passed. Chris served on the Steering Committee of the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project and acted as Legal Counsel to the Committee.

Brian Song, AABANY President-Elect, and Chris Kwok, as AABANY Issues Committee Chair, also advocated for passage of the bill at NAPABA Lobby Day in Washington, DC, during APA Heritage Month in 2018.

AABANY commends Chris Kwok and Brian Song for their efforts and advocacy in support of getting this very important legislation passed.

To learn more, see: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/chinese-american-wwii-vets-receive-congressional-gold-medal-n950986

December 27, 2018

Congratulations to Ushir Pandit-Durant on Her Historic Induction as Queens Supreme Court Justice

On December 21, the Hon. Ushir Pandit-Durant made history as the first South Asian judge elected to New York State Supreme Court in Queens and the first South Asian woman judge elected in New York State. Justice Pandit-Duran was sworn in by the Hon. Randall T. Eng (ret.), former Presiding Justice of the Second Department, New York State Appellate Division. Justice Eng was the first Asian American elected judge in New York State so it was especially fitting for one trailblazer in the Asian American community to swear in another trailblazer. Hon. Joseph Zayas, Administrative Judge of the Queens Supreme Court, Criminal Term, presided.

Justice Pandit-Duran began her career as a Prosecutor in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, serving there with distinction for 25 years before being elected to New York City Civil Court in 2015, becoming the first South Asian to hold that elected office.

The induction took place at the Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Numerous speakers, including elected officials and community leaders, extolled Justice Pandit-Duran’s exemplification of the American Dream, coming here at age 10 not speaking a word of English and rising up to become a top prosecutor and now judge. As a South Asian, Justice Pandit-Durant reflects the diversity of Queens, one of the most diverse boroughs of New York City, with a large Asian population. Justice Pandit-Durant is herself a bar leader, having served as the first President of the South Asian Indo-Caribbean Bar Association of Queens.

AABANY congratulates Justice Pandit-Durant on her historic election and wishes her continued success and achievement as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

December 27, 2018

Congratulations to Hon. Peter Tom, Recipient of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Public Service Award

On November 30, 2018, Hon. Peter Tom of the Appellate Division, First Department, was presented with the Distinguished Public Service Award by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of the City of New York, at the Chamber’s 2018 Benefit Fundraising Dinner held at the Jing Fong restaurant. The event was attended by over 1,000 guests representing Chinatown’s businesses, family associations and community groups.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1904 by Chinese businessmen in New York City and registered with the Imperial Chinese Government. This organization was formed to promote and support Chinese commerce and businesses in the Chinese communities. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in New York State in 1932.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce Public Service Award recognizes Justice Tom’s contributions to New York State and the Asian American community. Please join AABANY in congratulating Justice Tom on this well-deserved award and honor.