Tag: hon. randall t. eng

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AABANY Co-Sponsors Inaugural Hon. Randall T. Eng Award Program

AABANY co-sponsored the Inaugural Hon. Randall T. Eng Award Program on May 31, 2023, organized by and held at the Appellate Division, Second Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

Congratulations to Hon. Randall T. Eng, Retired Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department for this award named in recognition of his tremendous and trailblazing career and impact on the AAPI community. 

Congratulations to Congresswoman Grace Meng, 6th Congressional District. As the first and only Asian American Member of Congress from New York State, it is only fitting that she is the first recipient of the Hon. Randall T. Eng award. Congresswoman Meng’s advocacy for the AAPI community is impactful and far-reaching and AABANY applauds her tremendous work and service, including her work towards the creation of a national museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. 

Congratulations to Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle and the Appellate Division, Second Department with the successful launch of the Hon. Randall T. Eng Award Program. 

The Program included remarks from:

Hon. Lara J. Genovesi, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department

Hon. Hector D. LaSalle, Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department

Letitia James, New York State Attorney General

Melinda Katz, District Attorney of Queens

Hon. Lillian Wan, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department

Karen Kim, President, AABANY

Chief Judge Hon. Rowan D. Wilson was also in attendance, as well as the distinguished judges of the Appellate Division, Second Department, and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. We would also like to extend our appreciation to the Associate Judges of the Court of Appeals, Hon. Madeline Singas, Michael Garcia, and Anthony Cannataro, for their attendance.

It was a privilege to collaborate with the Hon. Lillian Wan and the co-sponsoring bar associations: KALAGNY, FALANY, SABANY, MUBANY, and SAICBAQ. This event provided a meaningful and memorable way to celebrate and close out AAPI Heritage Month.

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AABANY Board Director Chris Kwok Interviews Randall T. Eng, the First Asian American Judge in New York State

AABANY Board Director Chris Kwok had the pleasure of interviewing Hon. Randall T. Eng (ret.) on May 7, for the Historical Society of the New York Courts’s podcast. Justice Eng was a pioneer in many respects for Asian Americans pursuing leadership roles in the legal profession. He became the first Asian American judge in New York State, one of many firsts for this trailblazer. Chris Kwok and Justice Eng discuss his life from his earliest days in Queens and China, the transition to becoming a lawyer, and the many obstacles Judge Eng faced as an Asian American in the legal profession, during a time when there was far less diversity in the profession. Today’s surge in anti-Asian hate and violence around the country renders Judge Eng’s life story more salient than ever.

To watch or listen to the recording of the interview, click here.

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Two Asian American Judges Talk Leadership: Hon. Lillian Wan & Hon. Randall Eng

In April, Hon. Randall T. Eng and Hon. Lillian Wan came together to discuss the dearth of Asian American representation among New York’s judiciary and public offices. In a podcast episode published by the Historical Society of the New York Courts, they open up about their career paths and the obstacles they faced while pursuing their respective careers. When Judge Eng took up his jurist position in 1983, there were no other Asian American jurists within the city or state of New York. Now, there are 39 sitting Asian American jurists. Though the number of Asian American jurists has increased, progress has been exceedingly slow.

This past May was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so the conversation between Hon. Lillian Wan and Hon. Randall Eng was featured on the Society’s home page. Hon. Lillian Wan, President of the Asian American Judges Association of New York, an AABANY member and a member of the Society’s Board of Trustees, has been nominated as a candidate for the New York State Supreme Court in Kings County and currently serves as Kings County Supreme Court Civil Term Judge. Throughout their conversation, Judge Wan and Judge Eng discuss how Asian American attorneys today can advocate for Asian American representation in positions of legal leadership, as well as judicial and public offices.

To listen to the podcast go to https://history.nycourts.gov/podcasts/podcast-11/.

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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.

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From the Historical Society of the New York Courts:

Hon. Randall T. Eng shares his experience as the first Asian-American judge in New York State. At the time of the filming of this interview, he was also the first Asian-American Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, appointed in the fall of 2012. Watch as Justice Eng talks about his family background, career in the law, how he handled discrimination and racism, and the people in his life that served as inspiration.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
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On January 31, AABANY’s Judiciary Committee co-organized a community celebration in New York’s Chinatown in honor of the Hon. Randall T. Eng to recognize his historic elevation to Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department, the first Asian American to be appointed to this position. About 250 attendees filled Delight 28 located at 28 Pell Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, next door to the building that Presiding Justice Eng and his family first moved into upon arriving in the United States from Hong Kong.

Many AABANY members were present, including President Jean Lee, Immediate Past President Linda Lin and past presidents James Chou, Vincent Chang, Yang Chen and Glenn Lau-Kee. The Prosecutors’ Committee also turned out in force, having honored Presiding Justice Eng as a trailblazer in 2011. Rosemary Yu, ADA from the New York County DA’s office, was one of the organizers of the event, together with Mark Fang, who came to know Justice Eng through the JAG Corp.

Presiding Justice Eng’s parents, wife, sister and in-laws also came out to celebrate along with many community members and leaders, not just in Chinatown but from Westchester as well.

We thank everyone who attended for making this a truly memorable and special occasion.

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