Tag: in the news

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In the News: AABANY Co-Sponsors Reenactment of Supreme Court Cases Ozawa & Thind

On May 23, 2019 AABANY co-sponsored a reenactment of the Supreme Court cases Takao Ozawa v. United States (1922) and United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind (1923) in the Ceremonial Courtroom at 225 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn. The two historical cases describe the exclusionary immigration policies that prevented Asian immigrants from becoming naturalized citizens. The reenactment scripts were written by longtime AABANY members Kathy Hirata Chin and her husband, the Hon. Denny Chin. The event was jointly sponsored by the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) and was held in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, during the month of May. The event was covered by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on the history of these reenactments, “The Chins began writing and performing these reenactments 12 years ago, and every year they create a new performance based on a different case. Judge Chin explained that they look for cases of importance historically and that still resonate today.”

To read the full article, please click here.

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Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto Participates in Honoring Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the New York City Bar

On March 7, 2019, Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, participated in honoring Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the New York City Bar Association for her commitment to upholding the rule of law and for being a role model to young students all across America.

At the event, Justice Sotomayor was honored with the unveiling of her portrait that will hang in the New York City Bar’s Great Hall and presented with the New York City Bar Association Medal. The Association Medal is a very prestigious honor that has only been conferred upon a total of 25 people in the last 67 years prior to Justice Sotomayor.

The awardees are chosen by the New York City Bar’s Executive Committee acting upon the nomination of the New York City Bar’s Honors Committee. Judge Matsumoto, a long time member of AABANY, is the chair of the Honors Committee.

The event was covered by the New York Law Journal. To read the article, click here.

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In the News: AABANY’s Celebration of New York City’s 2nd Annual Fred Korematsu Day

On January 30th, AABANY co-sponsored and celebrated New York City’s 2nd annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, at the New York County Lawyers Association. The event was covered by WNYC News.

Today is Fred Korematsu Day — named after an American-born man of Japanese descent who did everything he could to avoid being placed in an internment camp in the 1940s.

What is everything? He changed his name to Clyde Sarah. And got facial surgery in an attempt to appear less Japanese. But it didn’t work — he was arrested and jailed.

To read the full article and to listen to the podcast, click here.

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Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan’s Letter to the Editor Featured in the New York Law Journal

The New York Law Journal featured “Child Care Must Be a Men’s Issue for True Equality,” a letter to the editor by Doris Ling-Cohan, AABANY member and Associate Justice for the Appellate Term, First Department.

Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan recalls the time she and her husband had to juggle child care responsibilities and their professional responsibilities. She notes what Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, that in order for there to be true equality for women child care cannot just be viewed as a women’s issue by society.

To read the full article, click here.

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In the News: AABANY’s trial reenactment of “Fred Korematsu and His Fight For Justice”

On January 30th, AABANY co-sponsored and celebrated New York City’s 2nd annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, hosted by the New York County Lawyers Association at 14 Vesey Street. The event was covered by NHK World Japan.

Lawyers in New York have reenacted the legal battle of a second-generation Japanese-American who challenged the constitutionality of the US internment policy during World War Two.

To see the video and to read the full article, click on the image below.


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In the News: Judge Pamela K. Chen Rules New York Ban on Nunchucks Unconstitutional

On December 14, 2018, AABANY member Judge Pamela K. Chen, of the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of New York, made news with her decision in Maloney v. Singas. Judge Chen held that a 44 year old New York state law banning nunchucks is unconstitutional. In her ruling, Judge Chen stated that the ban violated both the Second Amendment and State Constitutional right to bear arms.

Judge Chen noted, “The centuries-old history of nunchaku being used as defensive weapons strongly suggests their possession, like the possession of firearms, is at the core of the Second Amendment.”

To read the full New York Times article, go here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/nyregion/nunchuks-ban-overturned-new-york.html


To read the full decision, go here: https://reason.com/assets/db/15451588294642.pdf

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Our March pro bono clinic got some coverage on Chinese TV. Here is a translation of the article that goes with the video. Thanks to GSPI Committee Co-Chair Thalia Huang for the translation.

For more information about the monthly pro bono clinic, contact our Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairs Sam Lui, Ariana Pabalan and Pauline Yeung-Ha (email addresses in the link).

Chinatown Community Welcomes Groups Providing Free Legal Consultations

March 10, 2017

In New York City, due to language and cultural barriers, many immigrants have questions about US laws. Several legal organizations in the city have started to cooperate with the community organizations to provide legal assistance. One such instance occurred yesterday night as the pro bono legal clinic in Chinatown attracted many participants.

The Executive Director of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of NY (“CCCNY”), Justin Chin-Shan Yu, said: “[The level of interest] shows that Asian really need legal assistance, which includes legal questions about immigration, family, housing, and benefits. The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) can provide bilingual lawyers to answer questions.”

At the legal clinic, ten lawyers of different specializations answered the communities’ questions in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Samuel W. Lui from AABANY said that: “It shows that the community really needs help. They just need some simple and clear legal assistance and advice.”

Many people from the Asian community have concerns about Trump’s new immigration policy and came to consult lawyers.

Samuel W. Lui from AABANY said: “A lot of times clients just need to have a better idea about their rights and benefits. They have many questions, especially under the current immigration policy. Such an event is very important for the community.”

In order to satisfy the needs of the community, CCCNY and AABANY will partner to hold a workshop to explain the new immigration policy and provide free legal consultation on April 17, from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Confucius Plaza in Chinatown. [NOTE: AABANY’s understanding is that this event is going to be a community forum to provide information, not free legal consultation.]

Confucius Plaza
Address: 33 Bowery, New York, NY 10002

(Source: http://www.ntdtv.com/)
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First Korean American Elected to Bench in NY

First Korean American Elected to Bench in NY

As many know, AABANY is tremendously proud of our new Judge Judy Kim, the first Korean American elected to a judicial position in New York. She is a wonderful role model. Her appointment made the front page of the New York Law Journal on November 10, 2016. 

She stated, 

“Being the ‘first,’ I feel a tremendous responsibility to be the best judge I can be, because I know that I will be serving as a role model to many younger attorneys in the Korean American community,” she said in an email. “I hope that my election serves as an inspiration to other attorneys like me.”

AABANY President Susan Shin was also quoted in the article. 

Asian American bar president Susan Shin issued a statement saying Kim’s election “brings us one step closer to a bench that reflects the diversity of New York City.”

Click on the link above to see the full article.

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Asian American Bar Commends Trailblazer

Asian American Bar Commends Trailblazer

A lovely photo of 2016 Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award Recipient Sylvia Fung Chin, alongside Executive Director Yang Chen and AABANY President Susan Shin, was featured in New York Law Journal. Thank you to Rick Kopstein for taking this photo at the 2016 AABANY Fall Conference held at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where the award was presented during the Cocktail Reception.

Named for Norman Lau Kee, a revered legal and community pillar of New York City’s Chinatown for decades, this Trailblazer Award honors an accomplished leader in the legal profession who is of Asian Pacific American descent or has demonstrated dedication to APA issues in the community. This award honors an individual who has carved a path for others to follow, served the community as a mentor and role model, and has made a lasting impact on the APA community through his or her dedication and commitment.

AABANY could think of no individual more deserving than Sylvia Fung Chin. Sylvia has continuously given back to the APA legal community in countless ways. Among the founding board members of AABANY in 1991 and President of AABANY from 1994-1996, she led and built AABANY from the ground up and has served as a role model and friend to several leaders in the profession. 

Thank you to Sylvia for all that she has done for our community, and thank you to New York Law Journal for capturing this beautiful moment.

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