Tag: Indian American

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AABANY Co-Sponsors: Talking with Trailblazers

On February 3, AABANY co-sponsored the SDNY Chapter of the Federal Bar Association’s third edition of the Talking with Trailblazers series. The series presents conversations with legal professionals who were the first to break representational ceilings in their field. The February 3 edition featured the first Federal judges of Asian descent in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. The panelists, all AABANY members, were: 

  • Hon. Ona T. Wang, the first Asian-American Magistrate Judge in the SDNY.
  • Hon. Diane Gujarati (EDNY), the first Indian-American to serve as an Article III judge in New York.
  • Hon. Sanket Bulsara (EDNY), the first Indian-American judge within the Second Circuit. 

Attendees were welcomed to join both in-person at the offices of Dunnington Bartholow & Miller in midtown Manhattan and on Zoom. All three judges were present in person, surrounded by an audience of lawyers and law students. The moderator was Padmaja Chinta, who is a partner at Chinta & Fratangelo LLP and the SDNY Chapter’s Chief Diversity Officer.

The panelists discussed a variety of subjects, from how they started their careers to the impact of mentorship. The judges had joined the legal industry from unexpected backgrounds. For example, prior to attending law school, Judge Wang had first obtained a Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University. The judges also discussed the challenges they faced climbing the upper rungs of their careers. Finally, the conversation closed with a reflection on how the judges’ experiences shape their philosophies and practices on the bench. 

Following the moderated panel, attendees both in-person and virtual were eager to ask questions. The event was expected to end at 7:00 pm, but due to the number of questions and the liveliness of the discussion, it did not formally end until 7:30 pm. At closing, in-person attendees also took the opportunity to meet the judges and members of the SDNY Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Thanks to Judge Wang, Judge Gujarati, and Judge Bulsara for sharing their stories and their insights. Thanks also to the Federal Bar Association’s SDNY Chapter for organizing this series and including AABANY as a co-sponsor.

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NAPABA Applauds the Pending Nomination of Shireen Matthews to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2019
For More Information, Contact:
Navdeep Singh, Policy Director
202-775-9555; [email protected]

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the announcement that President Trump intends to nominate Shireen Matthews to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. If confirmed, Matthews will be the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Indian American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Southern District.

Matthews is currently a partner at Jones Day. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, she served as the Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator. Her work has been recognized by the Federal Bar Association, the U.S. Attorney, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Social Security Administration, and the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services. She has extensive trial experience, and she has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Outside of the courtroom, Matthews has demonstrated a commitment to the profession and the community. She recently served as a lawyer representative for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference and provides pro bono legal assistance to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. She is an advocate for diversity within the profession, serving on Jones Day’s Diversity, Inclusion and Advancement Committee, as the Hiring Partner for Jones Day’s San Diego office, and on the board of the South Asian Bar Association of San Diego, a NAPABA affiliate.

She clerked for Judge Irma E. Gonzalez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She is a graduate of Georgetown University (magna cum laude) and the Duke University School of Law (cum laude).

“Shireen Matthews is experienced attorney, both in the public and private sectors. She will be a well-qualified addition to the bench in the Southern District of California,” said NAPABA President Daniel Sakaguchi. “Shireen is a past president of the San Diego chapter of the South Asian Bar Association, a local affiliate of NAPABA. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving her community and promoting diversity in the legal profession. NAPABA applauds the announcement of her pending nomination and urges the Senate to quickly confirm her to the court.”

NAPABA commends President Trump for announcing his intent to nominate Shireen Matthews. NAPABA extends its gratitude to Senators Feinstein and Harris for recommending her to the White House.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 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.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Anuraag “Raag” Singhal to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

For Immediate Release
August 15, 2019
For More Information, Contact:
Navdeep Singh, Policy Director
202-775-9555; [email protected]

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the nomination of Judge Anuraag “Raag” Singhal to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida by President Trump. If confirmed, Judge Singhal will be the first Asian Pacific American and Indian American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Eleventh Circuit (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida).

Judge Singhal is a Circuit Court Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, Florida. Prior to his appointment, he practiced criminal defense law and was a prosecutor in the Office of the State Attorney. He is a graduate of Rice University and Wake Forest University School of Law.

He has demonstrated a commitment to service and diversity through his involvement in the legal community. Judge Singhal has supported numerous bar associations in South Florida, including the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida, the South Asian Bar Association of South Florida, the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association, the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association, and the Broward County Bar Association. He is the recipient of the 2018 Stephen R. Booher Award, presented by the Broward County Bar Association, which recognizes jurists who display humanity, integrity, and dedication to the Bench, Bar, and Community.

“Judge Raag Singhal is an experienced jurist and will be a strong addition to the bench in the Southern District of Florida,” said NAPABA President Daniel Sakaguchi. “An active supporter of our local affiliate bar association, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida, Judge Singhal has deep connections to the community. NAPABA applauds his historic nomination and urges the Senate to quickly confirm him to the court.”

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Judge Singhal. NAPABA extends its gratitude to Senators Rubio and Scott for recommending Judge Singhal to the White House.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 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.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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