On Wednesday, January 26th, AABANY held a virtual Winter Soiree featuring a lively sommelier-led wine tasting and trivia games. Organized by the In-House Counsel Committee, the event brought together more than 50 senior in-house lawyers and corporate law firm attorneys. Companies represented included Mastercard, MetLife, Google, and Goldman Sachs. Attendees streamed in from a variety of locations across the United States, from California to New York.
The evening was full of fun, excitement, and laughter as Brooklyn Winery guided attendees through a Chardonnay and Cuvée Noir tasting. Attendees received tasting kits ahead of the event, which included bottles of wine, a bottle opener, tasting glasses, “make your own wine label cards” and virtual wine games instructions. There were two rounds of trivia, the first focusing on wine and winemaking, the second on wine and pop trivia. Attendees also mingled in breakout sessions after each round to get to know each better or to catch up.
Susie Dare from Marsh & McLennan won the trivia games and was gifted a tasting kit from Brooklyn Winery – congratulations, Susie!
Social media post by attendee featuring wines tasted and activity sheet.
The event was made possible by our headline sponsors:
Thank you to all our attendees, and we hope to see everyone again at next year’s soiree (which we hope will be in person). To learn more about the In-House Counsel Committee go to: https://www.aabany.org/page/149
There’s one week left to apply as in-house counsel as part of NAPABA Connects, an exclusive program available to in-house counsel convention registrants and Solo and Small Firm, Gold, or higher-level firm sponsors.
Through NAPABA Connects, diverse law firm attorneys are given a forum to meet one-on-one with in-house counsel to make meaningful connections and cultivate a business relationship. In-house counsel can grow their diverse preferred provider portfolios.
In-house counsel and law firm participants will be matched for one-on-one meetings during NAPABA Convention. All participants are invited to attend the exclusive Sponsor Breakfast and NAPABA Connects VIP Reception during the NAPABA Convention December 9-12, 2021.
To participate as in-house counsel, you must fill out NAPABA’s brief application form. You can be matched with diverse law firm attorneys to cultivate new business relationships, or you may choose from a list of participating firms to expand your network with existing provider firms who may be in your preferred network. NAPABA will also send a list of all certified minority or women-owned firms to participating companies that may already have a preferred provider firm list.
The deadline to submit an IHC application is August 25 at 8 pm ET. For questions, please contact Operations Director, Maureen Gelwicks, at [email protected].
NAPABA Connects participants are eligible to receive a $750 reimbursement to the 2021 NAPABA Convention. You are encouraged to register by September 20, NAPABA’s early bird deadline. Attendees of the NAPABA Convention can earn up to 14 hours of CLE Credit, which will be focused on changes unfolding in this turbulent year as well as challenges lawyers have faced for decades.
NAPABA Connects is an exclusive program available to in-house counsel convention registrants and Solo and Small Firm, Gold, or higher-level sponsors.
Through NAPABA Connects, diverse law firm attorneys are given a forum to meet one-on-one with in-house counsel to make meaningful connections and cultivate a business relationship. In-house counsel can grow their diverse preferred provider portfolios.
In-house counsel and law firm participants will be matched for one-on-one meetings during NAPABA Convention. All participants are invited to attend the exclusive Sponsor Breakfast and NAPABA Connects VIP Reception during the NAPABA Convention December 9-12, 2021.
To participate as in-house counsel, you must fill out our brief application form. You can be matched with diverse law firm attorneys to cultivate new business relationships, or you may choose from a list of participating firms to expand your network with existing provider firms who may be in your preferred network. NAPABA will also send a list of all certified minority or women-owned firms to participating companies that may already have a preferred provider firm list.
The deadline to submit an IHC application is August 25 at 8 pm ET. For questions, please contact Operations Director, Maureen Gelwicks, at [email protected].
NAPABA Connects participants are eligible to receive a $750 reimbursement to our 2021 NAPABA Convention. You are encouraged to register by September 20, our early bird deadline. Attendees of the NAPABA Convention can earn up to 14 hours of CLE Credit, which will be focused on changes unfolding in this turbulent year as well as challenges lawyers have faced for decades.
Registration for the NAPABA Virtual In-House Counsel Summit is now open! Designed to help public company senior and experienced attorneys make the jump into the C-Suite, participants will receive tailored guidance and training based on where they are in their career.
Registration for this event is complimentary and space is limited so register now! Registration will close at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 25.
On April 9, 2021, AABANY and a coalition of bar associations from across the country presented a CLE program titled, “The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action.” About 500 attendees from all across the United States joined an esteemed panel of corporate in-house leaders in a discussion on how corporate employers can address the surge in anti-Asian violence and support their Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) employees. The panel included:
Sara Yang Bosco, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Emerson
Sam Khichi, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Becton, Dickinson and Company
Sandra Leung, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
Allen Lo, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Products, IP, and Legal Operations, Facebook
Susan Moon, Principal Counsel, The Walt Disney Company
Caroline Tsai, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Western Union
Michael C. Wu (Moderator), GAPABA Board Member
Moderator Michael Wu began the panel discussion by describing how the coronavirus pandemic has become a virus of hate, with the increase of violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans. To add to this, Sara Bosco emphasized the importance of reporting and providing visibility to these incidents and stated, “You cannot manage what you cannot measure.” Asian Americans comprise 6% of the United States population, yet have been historically overlooked despite being part of U.S. history since the 1800s. Due to Asian Americans being viewed as perpetual foreigners and the model minority, coupled with the inaccurate information disseminated about the origins of the pandemic in 2020, Asian Americans have been perceived as an easier target to perpetrators of anti-Asian violence.
When asked how Corporate America should address anti-Asian violence, many of the panelists shared initiatives their workplaces started and gave suggestions on what companies can do. A main focus of the panelists was discussing how Asian employees can be supported in the workplace. To create a supportive environment, companies should reach out to AAPI employees and create an AAPI employee resource group in the workplace if there is not one already. Even if the organization does not have many AAPI employees, it is important for AAPI employees to meet others to increase their circle and build a larger voice. In addition, mental health resources and allyship training should be offered to employees within the workplace’s HR department. Panelists also agreed that not only should the diversity officers in the company address anti-Asian violence, but even CEOs need to speak up and make statements to show support for the AAPI community.
As individuals in the AAPI legal community, Sandra Leung said, “We are in a crisis situation right now with the rise of anti-AAPI hate, but it’s also an opportunity for us to band together to do our part individually or collectively in groups. We have to turn the emotion and anger that we have into action.” She further emphasized that we need to take leadership roles, speak loud, and educate people on anti-AAPI hate. In discussing leadership roles, Sandra Leung remarked, “I feel so compelled right now and so moved by everything we are facing in our community that I would love to run for President-Elect of NAPABA…” AABANY applauds Sandra Leung’s intent to run during these critical times and agrees that we have to continue working collectively to address anti-Asian violence.
Thank you to Sara Yang Bosco, Sam Khichi, Sandra Leung, Allen Lo, Susan Moon, Caroline Tsai, and Michael Wu for this important discussion on anti-Asian violence and corporate social responsibility. Non-transitional New York attorneys were eligible to receive a maximum of 1.5 CLE credit hours applied toward the Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias requirement. CLE credits were also approved in California and Colorado, and CPE credits were approved in British Columbia and Ontario. CLE credits have been applied for in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and are pending approval. To view a recording of the program, click here or on the image above.
As a member of Amex’s legal team, I was happy to welcome AABANY members for an information session held on October 22, 2019. The event started with a panel that included General Counsel Laureen Seeger and other Amex managing counsel discussing their experiences working as in-house counsel. Afterwards, AABANY attendees networked with members of various practice groups on Amex’s legal team. The event was very well-attended and offered a unique opportunity to learn what it’s like to work as in-house counsel at Amex. I certainly appreciate the impact of the information session because I attended the same event last year as an AABANY member. It gave me first-hand insight into working on Amex’s legal team and I had a great experience meeting everyone at Amex. So when an opportunity opened up afterwards to join the legal team, I already knew that I wanted to apply. And a few months later, I joined the Amex legal team! We hope everyone enjoyed the event this year, and we look forward to hosting this event again in the future.
Overview Become a Convention sponsor to take part in this year’s NAPABA Connects Program! NAPABA Connects is an opportunity for law firm Convention sponsors at the solo and small firm ($3,000) level and silver ($10,000) or higher level to foster relationships with in-house counsel (IHC). All participants are invited to exclusive touch points intended to provide Connects participants with exclusive networking opportunities in an informal social setting during the Convention. Solo and small firm sponsors and gold or higher level sponsors may participate in formal one-on-one meetings to discuss potential work opportunities. All program participants must be registered and attending the NAPABA Convention.
Law Firm One-on-One Meeting Application | Deadline: Monday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. ET Solo and small firm and gold or higher level sponsors are invited to submit an application for one-on-one meetings with in-house counsel participants at NAPABA Convention.
Solo and small firm and gold sponsors will have access to a maximum of two meetings. Platinum and higher level sponsors will have access to unlimited meetings.
To submit an application by Sept. 9, 5 p.m. ET, email Meetings Manager Pang Moua at [email protected].
Not a sponsor yet? Click here to learn more about partnering with us!
Touch Points Solo and small firm and silver or higher level sponsors are invited to participate in the exclusive touch points below, taking place at the 2019 NAPABA Convention:
Overview Become a Convention sponsor to take part in this year’s NAPABA Connects Program! NAPABA Connects is an opportunity for law firm Convention sponsors at the solo and small firm ($3,000) level and silver ($10,000) or higher level to foster relationships with in-house counsel (IHC). All participants are invited to exclusive touch points intended to provide Connects participants with exclusive networking opportunities in an informal social setting during the Convention. Solo and small firm sponsors and gold or higher level sponsors may participate in formal one-on-one meetings to discuss potential work opportunities. All program participants must be registered and attending the NAPABA Convention.
Law Firm One-on-One Meeting Application Deadline: Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. ET Solo and small firm and gold or higher level sponsors are invited to submit an application for one-on-one meetings with in-house counsel participants at NAPABA Convention.
Deadline: Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. ET Solo and small firm and gold or higher level sponsors are invited to submit an application for one-on-one meetings with in-house counsel participants at NAPABA Convention.
Solo and small firm and gold sponsors will have access to a maximum of two meetings. Platinum and higher level sponsors will have access to unlimited meetings.
To submit an application by Sept. 5, email Meetings Manager Pang Moua at: [email protected].
Not a sponsor yet? Click here to learn more about partnering with NAPABA!
Touch Points Solo and small firm and silver or higher level sponsors are invited to participate in the exclusive touch points below, taking place at the 2019 NAPABA Convention:
The in-house counsel (IHC) application for the NAPABA Connects Program has been extended until Monday, Aug. 12! NAPABA Connects will take place in Austin, TX at the 2019 NAPABA Convention from Nov. 7-10.
Overview NAPABA Connects is an opportunity for law firm Convention sponsors at silver ($10,000) or higher level and solo and small firm ($3,000) level to foster relationships with IHC. All participants are invited to exclusive touch points intended to provide Connects participants with exclusive networking opportunities in an informal social setting during the Convention. Solo and small firm sponsors and gold or higher level sponsors may participate in formal one-on-one meetings to discuss potential work opportunities. All program participants must be registered and attending the NAPABA Convention.
Not a sponsor? Click here to learn more about partnering with NAPABA!
In-House Counsel Application and Participation NAPABA will offer participating IHC a registration reimbursement in the amount of $720. Only one IHC from each company may receive a registration reimbursement for conducting two one-on-one meetings and attending one touch point. Reimbursements will be disbursed after the Convention as concluded.
Participants must have outside counsel hiring authority and will be invited to participate in the program only if they are selected by law firm participants for one-on-one meetings.
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)
