diversity Archives - Page 8 of 13

August 21, 2017

A Message to NAPABA Members After Charlottesville

Dear Colleagues,

Racism, hate, and bigotry have no place in our country. Leaders do not equate individuals who support ideologies of hate with those who stand defiantly in support of diversity and inclusion, in support of our nation’s ideals. There is no moral equivalence between bigotry and tolerance.

As we said on Monday following the horrible hate on display by neo-Nazis and white nationalists and the tragic loss of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, Virginia, “Our core values—acceptance, diversity, and inclusiveness—will overcome the forces of hate and racism.”

We cannot look away from this hate. We must challenge it. We must stand for our core values. This is not a time for ambivalence or equivocation.

We come together as Asian Pacific American attorneys. We have different personal stories, but we all come together as a community with a shared history. We come together because we recognize the power of our community and our profession. We have seen what happens when our communities or other marginalized groups do not have a voice in the law or in the public sphere.

We are leaders with the privilege and ability to ensure that these voices are lifted up and that these stories are told. Just as past civil rights leaders have done for us, we must speak up to advance our principles of justice and equality and to help heal our nation’s deep scars. We continue to draw on the strength and resilience of our history. We must protect civil rights and our vision of democracy.

I am proud to see law firms, law professors, corporations, organizations, and others affirm the commitment of the profession to diversity. I am proud to see individual lawyers stand in common humanity to drive away darkness.

Be a light that guides people to peace, understanding, tolerance, and inclusion. Provide pro bono legal services to the people and organizations opposing racism and violence. Call on your leaders to unequivocally and publicly denounce racism and all those who support it. Have the tough conversations with your families and friends to help them understand and process the events of these trying days.

As lawyers committed to our values, we must be in the courts, the legislatures, and the community to protect the progress we have made since the civil rights era and move forward towards “a more perfect union.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “The arc of moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

As lawyers, law students, and legal professionals, we must help bend it.

Sincerely,

Cyndie Chang
NAPABA President, 2016-17

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

July 24, 2017

New York Institutes a Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE Requirement for Experienced Attorneys | Media Listing | NYC Bar

Diversity brings diverse perspectives, and fairer representation for a diverse society. While the legal profession has publicly committed itself to diversity and inclusion, it has yet to become a model of inclusion itself, remaining largely homogeneous even as the population it serves continues to grow more heterogenous.

Beginning in 2018, a biennial requirement of one credit of Diversity & Inclusion CLE will be implemented in New York for experienced attorneys. In July of last year, the New York City Bar Association and 12 other New York bar associations issued a letter endorsing the institution of a D&I CLE requirement for New York State, in accordance with Resolution 107 passed by the American Bar Association in February 2016. That resolution emphasized education for lawyers around an expanded definition of diversity, meaning the inclusion of all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disabilities. On September 14, 2016 and January 12, 2017, AABANY issued letters in support of the D&I CLE initiative, as an organization committed to the values of equality and social justice that the legal profession upholds and to breaking the obstacles of bias and discrimination that face the APA community within the profession.

The legal profession should reflect the diversity and the complexity of the society it serves, something that the Asian American community, which remains disproportionately underrepresented in the profession today, knows all too well. “Education and knowledge breed change,” Immediate Past President Susan L. Shin wrote in a letter to Hon. Betty Ellerin, Chair of the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board, last year. “By recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion as values of primary importance, the D&I CLE requirement directly addresses one of the most important criticisms of the legal profession.” As so clearly evidenced by A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law, the report published by NAPABA and Yale Law School on July 18, Asian Americans still face many barriers when it comes to being accurately represented and fairly treated, despite three decades of growth and progress in the legal profession. The implementation of a D&I CLE is a crucial step forward in promoting diversity in the legal profession, in finding solutions to the problems addressed by the Portrait Project, and in making the law more fair and just for those who work within it and for those it serves.

For more information on the D&I CLE, follow the link in the title.

July 5, 2017December 4, 2018

April 17, 2017

Business Law Fellows | Business Law Section

The American Bar Association’s Business Law Section Fellows program has 20 fellowships available for diverse bar leaders. This is a great leadership development opportunity at the ABA and is geared towards young lawyers. For more details, follow the link in the title. Application deadline: May 1, 2017. Thanks to Sylvia Chin for letting us know about this program.

March 17, 2017

Dorsey Future Leaders Program | News & Resources | Dorsey

Dorsey & Whitney LLP is proud to announce its Future Leaders Program. A handful of talented, diverse young people will have the opportunity to work alongside attorneys, managers and staff in our New York office as interns. The week-long program will offer our Future Leaders internship in the Legal group or the Management/Administration group.

Those interested should have a high level of maturity and demonstrate an interest in leadership in your community. Applicants will be asked to indicate their preference in either the Legal group or the Management/Administration group, provide two references and a short essay. Applicants should be high school seniors in the upcoming 2016-2017 school year or currently enrolled in a college degree program. In exceptional cases, we will consider law students.

The week-long program will occur on August 21 – August 25, 2017. In addition to receiving mentoring and attending social events, participants will receive a stipend and commuting expenses.

Applications, including reference letters and essays should be sent no later than April 28, 2017 to: [email protected].

For more information, please visit the link in the title.

Many thanks to Litigation Committee Co-Chair Dai Wai Chin Feman for sharing this opportunity with us.

March 10, 2017

Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program for College Students | St. John’s University

The deadline for Prep Program Foundations has been extended to March 31, 2017. Foundations applications are considered on a rolling basis so submit your application as soon as possible.

Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program for College Students furthers the Ron Brown Center’s mission of engaging in legal studies, research, and outreach on issues affecting the lives of disadvantaged and underrepresented people; increasing racial and socioeconomic diversity in the legal profession; and educating law students to be leaders on issues of racial, economic, and social justice. To help raise the number of diverse, disadvantaged students in law schools, the Ron Brown Prep Program identifies these students in their college years and offers them early exposure to the study and practice of law.

The Ron Brown Prep Program prepares students for the challenges of law school and for the law school application process. Participants gain an edge in courses taught by Law School faculty; through internships with judges and lawyers; in a customized LSAT prep course; and with advising on all aspects of the admission process.

Click on the link in the title for more information.

March 6, 2017

NAPABA and SABA Condemn the President’s Second Attempt to Exclude Refugees and Implement a Muslim Ban

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA) condemn President Trump’s new executive order that includes many of the discriminatory provisions of his earlier order, which also sought to stop refugees from entering the United States and halt immigration from several Muslim-majority countries. These orders, which are based on the misguided idea that certain religious and ethnic populations are more prone to violence, are incompatible with American values, and will not make our communities safer or our nation stronger. Notably, the order, continues to 1) suspend refugee admission for 120 days, 2) reduce and limit the number of refugee admissions, and 3) targets individuals from six Muslim-majority countries, suspending entry of individuals for 90 days, with some exceptions.

“The executive order is a continuation of the same policy that discriminates against and devalues refugees and members of the Muslim community,” said NAPABA President Cyndie Chang. “We must refuse to act out of fear and intolerance. We must not return to the dark chapters of our history where we judged people by the color of their skin, how they prayed, or where their family came from. We must stand up for our values of equity, justice, and opportunity.”

“The President’s Executive Action does nothing more than advance an anti-Muslim agenda espoused during the campaign under the guise of National Security,” said SABA President Vichal Kumar. “A refugee, by definition, is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. The supposed justification for this Executive Action punishes this person for the very same war and persecution that is causing them to leave in the first place.”

The new executive order clarifies it is not applicable to certain individuals, such as valid visa holders whose documents were issued on or before Jan. 27, 2017, lawful permanent residents, and dual-national passport holders. The order will take effect on March 16, 2017.

The executive order continues to require regular reports be published on suspected criminal activity committed by foreign nationals and refugees. When combined with reporting requirements under other immigration related executive orders, these reports will generate greater mistrust and fear of immigrant communities.

Both NAPABA and SABA joined litigation against the executive order enacted on Jan. 27, 2017. Our members have been at the airports assisting families, in the field educating communities about their rights, and in the courts supporting local and national pro bono efforts. Read our original statement here.

NAPABA and SABA join our fellow attorneys, the Asian Pacific American community, and Americans of all backgrounds in reiterating our commitment to diversity and justice. We remain committed to ensuring that all are free from discrimination and racial and religious profiling.

For more information, contact:

Brett Schuster
Communications Manager
NAPABA
(202) 775-9555
[email protected]

Aneesh Mehta
Vice President of Public Relations
SABA North America
(770) 316-9018
[email protected]

NAPABA is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 75 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.

SABA North America (formerly NASABA/North American South Asian Bar Association) is a voluntary bar organization and serves as an umbrella organization to 26 chapters in the United States and Canada. SABA North America is a recognized forum for professional growth and advancement for South Asian attorneys in North America and seeks to protect the rights and liberties of the South Asian community across the continent. Learn more at www.sabanorthamerica.com.

October 17, 2016

NYC Bar 2015 Diversity Benchmarking Report

The New York City Bar Office for Diversity and Inclusion is pleased to release the 2015 Diversity Benchmarking Report. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the successes and challenges of the law firms that have signed onto the City Bar’s Statement of Diversity Principles face in their respective diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as recommendations for enhancing the career opportunities of women and minority attorneys.

The results of this survey are an integral part of how the City Bar establishes goals and priorities to best support our signatory firms through our Office and our diversity committees, and we are grateful to the firms that participate in the survey each year and help us to provide this resource.

Please feel free to reach out to Gabrielle Lyse Brown directly with any questions or feedback regarding the findings.

August 25, 2016

NAPABA Names White & Case LLP as Its 2016 Law Firm Diversity Award Recipient

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named White & Case LLP as the 2016 Law Firm Diversity Award recipient. NAPABA created the Law Firm Diversity Award to recognize law firms that actively, affirmatively, consistently, and enthusiastically recruit, retain, and promote Asian Pacific American lawyers to equity partnership and firm leadership.

The award will be presented at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala at the 2016 NAPABA Convention in San Diego, California, on Nov. 5, 2016.

“White & Case is a distinguished industry leader when it comes to workplace diversity,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “To be regularly lauded by your peers as one of the nation’s leaders in diversity practices is extraordinary, and NAPABA celebrates White & Case’s constant devotion to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.”

White & Case is regularly recognized as a leader in diversity by various prominent benchmarking surveys. The Law360 Diversity Snapshot has ranked White & Case as the most diverse law firm with respect to lawyers of color in the United States in 2016, as well as ranking 3rd among the 10 best law firms for Asian Pacific American attorneys. The firm also currently holds, for the third consecutive year, the No. 1 position on The American Lawyer Diversity Scorecard as the most diverse firm in the U.S. in a 2016 survey of over 220 of the largest and highest-grossing law firms in the country.

Additionally, White & Case scored an eighth consecutive perfect score of 100 percent on the 2016 Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index that measures employers’ commitment to LGBTQ workplace issues. The LGBTQ-related policies and practices evaluated by the survey include non-discrimination policies, domestic partner benefits, and diversity training.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or [email protected].