On December 19, 2019, many were on hand to celebrate E. Grace Park being sworn in as a judge in the Manhattan 4th Municipal Court District of the Civil Court of the City of New York.
Judge Park was born in Seoul, Korea where she lived through the second grade when she immigrated to the United States to join her mother in Chicago, Illinois. Thereafter, Judge Park moved to Boston, Massachusetts for her high school years. She attended Dartmouth College, where she received her B.A. magna cum laude in Government & Asian Studies. Judge Park holds two Master’s degrees: the first in Regional Studies – East Asia from Harvard University and the second in Public Administration from Columbia University. Judge Park received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1999, where she served as Senior Editor of the Journal of Constitutional Law as well as President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. After graduating from law school, Ms. Park clerked for the Hon. Jacob Mishler in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, followed by five years in private practice. Judge Park then embarked on a career in public service with the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice, representing children in Family Court.
Congratulations, Judge Park, for your hard fought election and well deserved induction ceremony. AABANY wishes you the best of luck in your new career on the bench.
WASHINGTON – Today,
Patrick J. Bumatay was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit.
“NAPABA congratulates
Patrick Bumatay on his historic confirmation to serve on the U.S. Courts of
Appeals for the Ninth Circuits,” said NAPABA President Bonnie Lee Wolf. “Judge
Bumatay is the first Filipino American to serve as a federal appellate judge and
the first openly gay judge on the Ninth Circuit. We are proud to have supported
Judge Bumatay’s nomination.”
Patrick J. Bumatay is
an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of California. He currently serves in the Office’s Appellate
Section, representing the United States before the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals. Bumatay has held numerous positions in public service throughout the
Department of Justice, including the top three leadership offices. He clerked
for Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth
Circuit and Judge Sandra L. Townes of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of New York. He is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law
School. He is an active member of NAPABA, our affiliated bar—the National
Filipino American Lawyers Association, and the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association.
NAPABA thanks
President Trump for nominating Patrick Bumatay to the bench.
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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.
NAPABA | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, DC 20006 | www.napaba.org
On December 20, 2018, wearing his signature bow tie, Shahabuddeen (Shah) Ally made history by being the first Muslim male and the first Indo-Caribbean to be elected to New York state court. In a packed court room at 111 Centre Street, family, friends and supporters of Shah Ally witnessed a lively, emotional and inspiring induction ceremony. This may very well have been the first judicial induction to feature South Asian drumming and dancing in the courtroom and curry at the reception.
Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally was sworn in by his wife, Hon. Alicea Elloras-Ally, as Judge of the New York City Civil Court, as their son, Ryan Elloras, and colleagues from the New York State bench and Manhattan Community Board 12 looked on with pride.
In his remarks, Judge Ally talked about his humble beginnings, which included immigrating to the United States from Guyana and growing up poor in the South Bronx, and how his induction is proof the “American Dream” is still alive and well. He thanked everyone that supported and stood by him to make his “American Dream” a reality.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally on his induction to the Civil Court in New York County and all his well deserved success. We also thank Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally for recognizing AABANY and its Judiciary Committee at his induction.
NEW YORK – June 25, 2018- The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”)
congratulates the Honorable Lillian Wan on being confirmed by the New York State Senate on
June 20, 2018, to sit as a judge on the New York Court of Claims, where she will rule on cases
involving claims against the state or its agencies. As Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Brooklyn) stated
at the confirmation, Judge Wan will be “making history” by serving as the first Asian American
woman on the Court of Claims.
Prior to her confirmation, Judge Wan served as a Judge on the Kings County Family Court after
being appointed in 2012 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, where she heard a number of
complex cases pertaining to child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, and family offenses. She
also presided over “crossover youth” cases, which involve children who enter the juvenile justice
system after spending time in the state’s child welfare system or in foster care.
Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Wan led a successful legal career as an experienced
trial attorney for the Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”) in the Family Court Legal
Services Division, where she litigated cases on neglect and abuse. Judge Wan also served as a
Court Attorney-Referee in Kings County Surrogate’s Court, where she participated in settlement
conferences and held hearings related to guardianship, kinship, adoption, and estates. Judge Wan
received her B.A. from Binghamton University and her J.D. from Albany Law School, where she
served on the Albany Law Review and graduated within the top five of her class.
Judge Wan is an active member of various organizations and committees dedicated to the
advancement of justice, including the Encourage Judicial Service Committee and the New York
State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. She currently serves as a board member for the
Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association and the New York State Family Court Judges Association,
and has served as the former Co-Chair of the Government and Public Sector (now the
Government and Public Interest) Committee for AABANY. Judge Wan is active within her local
community, taking part in outreach programs such as the National Association of Women Judges
“Color of Justice” Program, which aims to introduce students to the legal profession.
“AABANY is immensely proud of Judge Wan. Her experience in the courtroom, compassion,
and unwavering dedication make her an unparalleled candidate to serve as a judge on the Court
of Claims,” said James Cho, President of AABANY. “Judge Wan’s confirmation also reminds us
of the progress we have made in advancing diversity and inclusion on the bench; Asian Pacific
Americans and other minority communities continue to be underrepresented on the bench, but
we are gratified to see that New York is appointing minority judges like Judge Wan. Her
appointment marks a historic and significant step forward in making the judiciary more diverse
and inclusive.”
For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332-
2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].
The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of
attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated
in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also
to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York
regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
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Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org
Congratulations to Hon. Lillian Wan, first Asian American woman in the New York State Court of Claims, confirmed by the New York State Senate on the evening of June 20, 2018. AABANY congratulates Judge Wan on this historic appointment. Please join us in wishing her every success in this next phase of Judge Wan’s judicial career.
Congratulations also to all the appointees confirmed by the New York State Senate on June 20:
Empire Mock Trial, an education nonprofit, in partnership with New York University, seeks volunteer attorneys to judge at the Downtown Collegiate Program, scheduled for January 20-21. Empire Mock Trial is looking for attorneys to serve as a judge or juror for one three (3) hour trial, which includes a complimentary meal and brief orientation session. Students hail from some of the nation’s top universities, including Harvard, Yale and Columbia; attorneys receive 3 free CLE credits for volunteering.
Find out more program information on Empire Mock Trial’s website here—it takes less than 5 minutes for volunteers to register. This is a win-win opportunity for everyone: the local community gets to empower the next generation of leaders, while students learn from their knowledge and expertise.
If you have any questions, call Empire Mock Trial at 646-481-2332 or email to [email protected].
WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated Jill A. Otake to the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. If confirmed, Otake will be the 21st active Asian Pacific American federal district judge and the third active Asian Pacific American judge serving in the District of Hawaii. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds this decision.
“Jill Otake is a well-qualified and dedicated public servant who will ably serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii,” said Pankit J. Doshi, president of NAPABA. “She is recognized for her skill as a prosecutor and as a longtime leader in the legal community. I urge the Senate to confirm her to the bench.”
Otake is the acting chief of the Special Crime Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, having previously served as deputy chief since 2014. She spent nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Prior to that she was a deputy prosecuting attorney in King County, Washington. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her stellar work in the legal system, including awards and accolades by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Justice.
She is a leader in her community, both in Hawaii and Washington. Otake is co-chair of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee and was a fellow of the bar’s Leadership Institute. Otake has served as co-president of the Asian American Bar Association of Washington — a NAPABA affiliate, as the judicial evaluations chair, and on the board of directors and chair of the Joint Asian Judicial Evaluations Committee in Washington. In addition to her service to the Asian Pacific American community, Otake has contributed to the advancement of women in the legal field and her community as a mentor for Hawaii Women Lawyers and volunteer attorney for Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii.
Otake serves as an instructor on issues related to trial practice. She was an instructor for the inaugural Hawaii Federal Trial Academy, sponsored by the U.S. District Court and the Federal Bar Association. She was an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the Seattle University Law School and a speaker during the Hawaii Supreme Court’s Mandatory Bar Professionalism Course.
A graduate of the Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii, she received her degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Washington School of Law. She clerked for the Honorable Associate Justice Simeon R. Acoba, Jr., of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.
NAPABA thanks President Trump for nominating Jill A. Otake to the bench and Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz for recommending her to the White House. NAPABA recommended Otake earlier this year.
For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, 202-775-9555, [email protected].
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American 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 continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – December 15, 2017.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) congratulates the
Honorable Phillip Hom on his induction to the Civil Court in Queens
County.
A native New
Yorker and alumnus of SUNY Binghamton, Judge
Hom began his legal career in 1997 as an Agency Attorney for the New York City
Human Resources Administration. At that
time, he also worked on John Liu’s campaign for New York City Council. After John Liu’s appointment as Council
Member in 2001, Judge Hom served as his Chief of Staff. Judge Hom was appointed Assistant Director
and Legislative Counsel for the New York City Council in 2005, serving as
Council Member Liu’s main liaison to Community Boards 7 and 11 in Queens. After John Liu’s appointment as New York City
Comptroller, Judge Hom served as Deputy General Counsel in the Comptroller’s
Office in 2011.
Judge Hom was
active in APA matters in college and law school, and has promoted prominent APA
elected officials during his career. Judge
Hom was involved in the campaigns of Ellen Young, the first Asian American
woman elected to the New York State Assembly, and Ron Kim, who later became the
first Korean American elected to state-wide office in New York. As a judicial
delegate in Manhattan in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Judge Hom was instrumental
in then-Civil Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan becoming a New York County Supreme
Court Justice. In 2014 Judge Hom joined
Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP as Special Counsel.
“AABANY is
proud to recognize Judge Hom as a longstanding advocate for the Asian Pacific American
community,” states AABANY President Dwight Yoo. “We were delighted to take part
in his induction ceremony and to have the honor of robing him after he was
sworn in by Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng. We commend Judge Hom for serving
the public interest and the community and wish him continued success in making
a positive impact as a judge in the Civil Court in Queens County.”
For more information, please contact Yang
Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332-2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].
The Asian American Bar Association of New
York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with
issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989,
AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also
to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a
New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
(NAPABA).
WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Senate voted to confirm James C. Ho as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Ho is the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the Fifth Circuit and the sixth active Asian Pacific American federal appellate judge.
“James Ho is nationally recognized for his legal acumen and we congratulate him on his historic confirmation,” said Pankit J. Doshi, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Widely respected throughout NAPABA for his leadership and mentorship, we congratulate him on his confirmation. It is fitting that he continues to break barriers on behalf of the community as the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.”
Ho is the co-chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. He has presented over 45 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including 16 arguments before the Fifth Circuit. He has argued and won cases before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the entire Fifth Circuit en banc.
Throughout Ho’s career, he has had extensive experience in all three branches of government: as former chief counsel for Senator John Cornyn, as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, he was the first Asian Pacific American ever appointed to serve as the solicitor general of Texas, the state’s chief appellate and Supreme Court litigator.
Ho is an active member of the Asian Pacific American community. He is co-chair of the NAPABA Judiciary & Executive Nominations & Appointments Committee, and he has written and spoken on numerous occasions about the role of Asian Pacific Americans in the law.
Ho has been recognized for his leadership and honored by organizations throughout the Asian Pacific American community, both nationally and in Texas, including the President’s Award from NAPABA, the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Asian Pacific American Leadership from the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, the Justice David Wellington Chew Award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Community Leader Award from the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the SMU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.
NAPABA is proud to have supported James Ho during his nomination process. We thank President Trump for nominating him and Senators Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas for recommending him to the White House.
For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, 202-775-9555, [email protected].
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American 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 continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession. To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter(@NAPABA).
