On October 15, 2026, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) attended the Chinese-American Planning Council’s (CPC) Harvest Moon Benefit in Brooklyn. The event brought together community leaders, advocates, and local organizations to celebrate CPC’s ongoing commitment to supporting Asian American, immigrant, and low-income communities across New York City.
Representing AABANY at the benefit were regular Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic volunteers Kwok Kei Ng, May Wong, Francis Chin, Victoria Cheng, and Jameson Xu. We were also joined by CPC attorney Jack Hsia, who also volunteers at our clinics, and Sam Chen.
In addition to celebrating CPC’s achievements, AABANY connected with local leaders and raised awareness about legal support services available to underserved residents.
AABANY values its strong relationship with CPC and remains dedicated to collaborating on initiatives that empower community members, protect immigrant rights, and expand access to justice throughout the city.
On September 17, 2026, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) presented “Public Charge – What We Need to Know About Upcoming Changes,” a hybrid CLE program, at the Chinese-American Planning Council (“CPC”) Manhattan Community Center. The program addressed significant changes to the public charge ground of inadmissibility scheduled to take effect on September 18, 2026.
Rachel S. Lee, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair and President & General Counsel of Stand with Asian Americans, moderated the program. Vishal Chander, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair and Managing Attorney of The Chander Law Firm, P.C., served as the presenter. The program provided one hour of New York CLE credit in the Areas of Professional Practice category, with 24 people attending both online and in person. (Only those who attended in person received the CLE credit.)
A central focus of the presentation was the 2026 Final Rule and revised USCIS guidance, which removed much of the 2022 regulatory framework and shifted operational standards to the USCIS Policy Manual. Vishal explained that public charge determinations remain individualized, totality-of-the-circumstances inquiries, with officers considering factors such as finances, employment, education, health, household composition, and benefit use. He also discussed the broader treatment of means-tested public benefits, the continuing but non-dispositive role of Form I-864, the renewed use of public charge bonds, and the differing roles of USCIS, the Department of State, and CBP. The presentation concluded with an overview of pending litigation challenging the new framework and the legal questions surrounding DHS’s authority and use of subregulatory guidance.
Jack Hsia, Senior Attorney at CPC and a Vice Chair of the AABANY Issues Committee, joined after Vishal’s presentation to share information about CPC’s programs and resources for the community. Jack thanked the speakers and attendees for being part of an informative discussion. AABANY thanks CPC for co-hosting the program and everyone who attended in person and online. To learn more about the Issues Committee and how you can get involved, go here.
Written by Rachel Lee, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair
PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including identity theft, matrimonial, housing, immigration, fraud, trust & estates, and civil litigation. We received positive feedback from the clients, expressing gratitude for the advice.
We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:
Attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Sam Chen
Francis Chin
Angie Liao
Arthur Lin
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Gary Yeung
Non-attorneys:
Nandar Win Kerr
Jiaze Qu
Wendy Zeng
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
– October 7th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
On May 7-8, Jack Hsia, Vice Chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee, attended the New York State Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Conference, including the New York State AAPI Commission’s Community Dialogue and the NYS Legislature’s AAPI Summit in Albany. Over two days, the two events brought together advocates, community leaders, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations to discuss issues impacting New York’s AAPI communities.
On the afternoon of May 7, at the New York State AAPI Commission’s Community Dialogue, speakers and attendees explored challenges and opportunities facing AAPI communities across the state. The discussions emphasized the importance of language access, sustained investment in community organizations, youth engagement, and coalition building. These panels underscored the importance of ensuring that diverse AAPI voices are represented in policymaking and community leadership.
Drawing from their work at CPC, Jack discussed the increasing number of community members relying on AI for immigration information and document translation. While AI can improve access to information, they emphasized that inaccurate legal guidance and unreliable translations can have serious consequences. Jack highlighted the continued need for trusted legal professionals, culturally competent services, and community-based organizations to provide accurate guidance. The discussion also addressed digital privacy, language access, and practical strategies for protecting sensitive information in an increasingly data-driven environment, and how the immigration landscape has rapidly changed over the past few years.
The conference reinforced the importance of collaboration among legal advocates, community organizations, and government partners to address the evolving challenges facing AAPI communities. Jack was honored to represent both AABANY and CPC and appreciated the opportunity to contribute to these important conversations while learning from likeminded advocates committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and justice across New York.
To learn more about AABANY’s Issues Committee, click here.
Written by Jack Hsia, Vice Chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee, Senior Attorney for Community Legal Services at the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, CPC, RaisingHealth and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic and our community outreach activity at RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration in Brooklyn on September 20th, 2025.
Kwok Kei Ng (Co-Chair), May Wong (former Co-Chair) and Nandar Win Kerr (Treasurer and Impact Consultant) of the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted a community outreach table at the RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration event. We effectively referred guests with legal questions to the pro bono legal clinic in real-time and distributed “Know-Your-Rights” brochures on immigration law in Chinese and Spanish, upcoming pro bono clinic flyers, and information about AABANY’s legal referral and information service. Our participation highlights our commitment to community lawyering and addressing current immigration rights issues, including constitutional rights and fraudulent schemes targeting vulnerable immigrants. By utilizing our legal knowledge, language skills, and resources, we aim to build relationships with local communities and advocate for policy and social changes.
During the clinic, our small but mighty team of volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 28 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.
We especially want to thank all the volunteers at the September 20th Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and invaluable contributions. Your dedication, including staying later than necessary to ensure no guest was turned away, is truly admirable.
Volunteer attorneys:
Ben Choi
Arthur Lin
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Karen Yau
Interpreters/shadowers: Elaine Ou Yang
Qi (Ellie) Wang
Francisco Yau-Smith
Wendy Zeng
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355 (We have guest speakers from NYC MOIA regarding immigration resources. Please join us!)
October 15th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, AABANY members attended the Chinese-American Planning Council’s (CPC) Harvest Moon Benefit in Brooklyn to celebrate longtime active AABANY member and co-founding member of AABANY’s Prosecutors Committee, Kin Ng, who was one of the Honorees this year.
Kin has been a prosecutor at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for over thirty years. In 2021, he was appointed to serve as the Bureau Chief of Trial Bureau II, Blue Zone. From 2017 to 2020, he was promoted to Bureau Chief of Trial Bureau I – Red Zone, and became the first AAPI bureau chief of a major trial bureau in the history of the office. Prior to that, Kin served in various management capacities in different trial bureaus and the Immigration Fraud Unit. He also served as the Chief of Legal Training, conducting office-wide trainings for all Brooklyn ADAs and staff. Kin continues to mentor prosecutors of all offices and experiences through AABANY as well as National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). In addition, he is a founding member and co-chair of the National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association (NAPIPA) and a member of its National Executive Board and the President of its New York Chapter. Notably, Kin received the Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award at the 2018 AABANY Fall Conference, in recognition of his leadership in the Asian American legal community.
In his acceptance speech, Kin mentioned and thanked Homecrest and CPC for providing many programs to the community, such as senior services, multi-social services and a wide range of youth and workforce activities. These programs, especially summer and after-school educational activities, provide working families with child care services and a safe environment for their children to learn and grow.
On behalf of the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, we also want to thank CPC for hosting our Pro Bono Clinics at their Brooklyn location and our community partners for supporting our efforts in providing free legal consultations to low- to middle- income individuals and families.
The next Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn is on November 9, 2024, from 12:30pm to 3:00pm, at CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Pre-registration can be made by phone (tel: (718) 492-0409). Walk-ins are welcome!
Last but not least, thank you AABANY, AALFNY, the Prosecutors Committee, and Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, and our pro bono clinic volunteers for supporting AAPI not-for-profit organizations and their great causes!!!
For more information about the Prosecutors Committee, go here. For more information about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee go here. Join the Prosecutors Committee for their 16th Anniversary Reception on Nov. 13. More details here.
On August 5th, 2023, AABANY held its Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Brooklyn Community Services Center. The clinic met with 25 clients, coming in with questions about housing, immigration, and family law issues. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answering questions and connecting them to lawyers through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
We thank the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee and the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) for organizing and hosting the event. Established in 1965, CPC is a social services organization dedicated to helping Asian American, immigrant, and economically disadvantaged communities within New York City to obtain equitable access to essential resources and opportunities, thus fostering Asian American success.
The next Pro Bono Clinic will be on September 6th, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm, and located at AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave 2nd Floor, Queens, NY 11355. You can sign up here to volunteer. To add the date and time for this clinic to your calendar, click here. For upcoming clinics, please check AABANY’s calendar and update your email preference in your account to receive our emails.
Thank you to our volunteers for supporting the clinic. Your time and dedication is essential for delivering crucial assistance to individuals seeking legal guidance. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Amber Lee Ashley Shan Gary Yeung Kwok Kei Ng May Wong
Interpreters and Observers:
I-Kai Lee Jihyon Kim Ruo Yang Yini Lai
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, click here.
On March 26th, 2020, the Federal Administration passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act with the interests of minority groups, immigrants, and low-income community members in mind. The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) policy team has created an easily accessible info sheet on the CARES Act in English and Chinese (simplified and traditional). Thanks again to CPC for providing these information sheets and advancing the interests of not only Asian-Americans but all who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Download the fact sheets in the following languages:
Due to the ongoing pandemic, community members have been struggling with answers to rent, housing and bill payments during this period of unstable income and job security.
New York State has implemented an eviction moratorium for 90 days, which applies to residential and commercial tenants. The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) calls upon the New York State legislature to cancel rent for New Yorkers who have been impacted by COVID-19. To support this bill, you can visit the website here at Housing Justice For All.
Info sheets on housing rights are included below in English and Chinese (simplified and traditional).
On Thursday, Oct. 17, at the 40th anniversary gala for Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Brooklyn Community Services, held at Affable Eatery in Brooklyn, Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair Karen Yau was honored for her work in support of the community. Many AABANY members and leaders came out to celebrate with Karen, including Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairs Pauline Yeung-Ha and Asako Aiba, Government Service and Public Interest Committee Co-Chair Kevin Hsi, AABANY Director of Technology and Professional Development Committee Co-Chair Francis Chin and Executive Director Yang Chen. Karen’s family, including her parents, were also in attendance.
AABANY also congratulates the other honorees at the gala dinner:
Dr. Gabriel Rincon, DDS Board of Trustees Chairman, The Family Health Centers at NYU Langone
Elizabeth Culkin, Principal, PS 176K
Hewett Chiu, Executive Director, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene President and CEO, Academy of Medical and Public Health Services
Karen, in her acceptance speech, accepted the award on behalf of the Pro Bono Clinic, which has grown in number of clients served and number of volunteers participating, and which started serving clients in Brooklyn last month, in September. The next Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic will take place on November 21. Please help us spread the word. More details here: https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1291193 If you are able to volunteer there, contact Asako Aiba at [email protected].
