The national Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition, an appellate advocacy competition sponsored by the NAPABA Law Foundation, takes place every year at the NAPABA Convention. The event will be held in-person on November 8, 2024 (Friday) and November 9, 2024 (Saturday) in downtown Seattle, WA near the Hyatt Regency. For more information on the event, please click here.
The event’s Planning Committee is currently seeking volunteers. Specifically, the Committee is looking for judges (either current or previous judges on the bench or veteran attorneys of over 6+ years of practice) and volunteer bailiffs. The timeslots run on Friday, November 8 from 9:00am to 4:00pm in 1.5 hour increments, and on Saturday, November 9 from 8:30AM to 9:50AM and 11:05AM to 12:20 PM.
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, AABANY hosted its 2024 Annual Dinner with the theme “Building a Strong Foundation for a Brighter Future” at Cipriani Wall Street. Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of AABANY, the event was hosted again during Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month with over 700 attorneys, judges, prosecutors, in-house counsel, government officials, and dignitaries who came out to celebrate with us at the Annual Dinner.
The event began with an invite-only General Counsel Reception which was attended by 40 General Counsels and numerous sponsor guests. We thank our General Counsel Reception sponsor, Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone for helping us start off the night strong! To see the full list of General Counsels who accepted AABANY’s invitation, please click here.
The General Counsel Reception occurred simultaneously with a Cocktail Reception in the West Ballroom where numerous guests mingled, caught up with each other, made new connections, and took photos at the step-and-repeat.
After the Cocktail Reception, the dinner and program began with CeFaan Kim as the night’s excellent host and charismatic Master of Ceremonies. First course was already plated as CeFaan kicked off the program. He invited to the stage Karen Kim, Immediate Past President, to deliver her remarks as the outgoing President. She was followed by our first honoree, Iris Lan, Esq., recipient of AABANY’s Public Service Award.
Iris began her speech by praising AABANY for its work in preventing AAPI Hate, as well as its support for the AAPI legal community. To close out, Iris told a story attributed to United States Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson. The story was centered around three stone basins: “Each stone basin represents a judge or a lawyer,” Iris stated. “Some see their work as merely a way to earn a living. Others perhaps view their work as applying legal precedent molding their decision.” Iris then described the third stone basin as one that builds a “cathedral,” representing the building of a path for others to walk through. She thanked AABANY, as an embodiment of this third basin, for “building the cathedral of the future.”
After Iris received her reward, a short video was shown, celebrating 35 years of AABANY. It discussed the birth of AABANY as an organization established to support the community of AAPI legal professionals and the wider AAPI community. It then chronicled AABANY’s growth from a small group that would host social events to an organization with a wide-reaching mission and membership. It also delved into how AABANY contended with the COVID-19 pandemic and the uptick in anti-Asian hate, and the birth of the anti-Asian Violence Task Force.
Following the 35th anniversary video, White & Case LLP was presented with the Law Firm Diversity Award for its dedication to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal field. Sylvia Chin accepted the award on behalf of the firm. Congratulations to White & Case on this well-deserved honor. To read more about the award, read the press release here.
After a brief time for guests to continue networking, AABANY was proud to honor the Honorable Denny Chin, United States Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, with AABANY’s Impact Leadership Award
Judge Chin delivered a powerful speech on the importance of resilience and highlighted some of his most memorable career moments, such as sentencing Bernie Madoff in 2009.
In addition, we presented the 2024 class of Don H. Liu Scholars: Felicia Hou, Grace Koh and Yangji Sherpa. Read more about the program here. Before this year’s class of DHL Scholars was presented, a short film celebrated the tenth anniversary of this program and its many accomplished and worthy recipients.
The dinner ended with a short trailer for the documentary, Voices Against Anti-Asian Hate, produced by the AABANY Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. The film featured numerous victims and survivors of anti-Asian hate, including Justin Go, father of Michelle Go, who spoke eloquently about her murder in January 2022. After the trailer played, CeFaan Kim stated, “Do not be afraid, and make sure you are heard.”
Next, AABANY President Joseph Eng made closing remarks, celebrating community leaders, former presidents of AABANY, and founders in attendance, as well as discussing the “next 35 years” of AABANY, expressing the hope that the paths those leaders and founders had forged would become familiar ones for success. He envisioned a future where “exceptional is the norm,” where AAPI voices are strong and heard throughout the legal community and beyond, and where young AAPIs are encouraged and inspired to enter the profession. He finished by again congratulating the night’s award winners, thanking the sponsors, and finally thanking his wife, Alejandra.
After the dinner, attendees who wished to extend the celebration went up to the Mezzanine for the afterparty, which continued until midnight.
We thank the AABANY 2024 Annual Dinner Planning Committee and volunteers for their hours of hard work to organize this annual dinner and making it a celebration to remember. Thank you to AABANY 2024 President Joseph Eng for his leadership of the 2024 Annual Dinner Planning Committee.
We gratefully acknowledge all our sponsors whose generous contributions allow us to continue our work of supporting the AANHPI legal community and the AANHPI community as a whole. Thank you to our top sponsors:
Lastly, we thank everyone who attended the 2024 Annual Dinner for making our 35th anniversary so special and memorable. You can view the photo albums and videos from the 2024 Annual Dinner here.
Please save the date for the 2025 Annual Dinner taking place on May 29, 2025.
On July 26, 2024, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article about AABANY’s “Pathways to the Bench” event at New York Law School on July 23rd. The article summarizes the accounts of Hon. Lillian Won, Hon. Donald Leo, Hon. L. Austin D’Souza, and Hon. Rena Malik as they discussed their experiences being a judge, how they got there, and advice they had for aspiring judges.
Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA) is currently accepting grant applications to fund projects that support legal and social services for breast cancer victims and their families, education, training efforts, and early detection initiatives. Funding for these grants is raised through our annual Lawyers’ Division dinner, donations, and membership dues.
Mission Statement
Our mission is focusing on the intersection of the law and breast cancer, to leverage the legal community’s strength, passion, resources and expertise to promote awareness, early detection, treatment and support for all those affected by breast cancer; to provide programs that educate members of the profession about critical medical, legal and personal issues around breast cancer; to support the breast cancer community at large by funding major, well-integrated legal and legally-related counseling programs, as well as state-of-the-art early detection initiatives.
Who Receives Grants? JALBCA supports nonprofit organizations with projects aligned with our mission. We do not fund individuals.
Geographical Focus: While our primary focus is within New York State, we consider nationwide initiatives that align with our mission.
Application Deadline: August 16, 2024
How to Apply:
Review the JALBCA Grant Application Process and Requirements for 2024-2025 [here]
Complete the two-part JALBCA Grant Application 2024-2025: Part 1: JALBCA Grant Proposal Information Sheet [fillable pdf – here] Part 2: JALBCA Grand Proposal [Word document – here]
Submit the completed application form (including the Proposal Information Sheet in PDF and Proposal in Word and PDF formats) and all required materials to [email protected]by August 16, 2024
On Tuesday, June 18th, 2024, at the 2024 Annual Judges’ Reception,AABANYs Judiciary Committee honored eighteen newly elected, elevated, or retired AAPI judges, each of whom are incredible trailblazers and represent continuing progress in the ongoing effort to increase AAPI representation in our courts.
The Judiciary Committee’s flagship event was hosted in the main hall of New York City’s Surrogate’s Court. Between sky-reaching pillars, and under the vaulted arch-ceiling the following eighteen judges were recognized and celebrated for their work, effort, and example:
Hon. Deepa Ambekar (Kings Co. Sup. Ct.)
Hon. Sanket J. Bulsara (United States District Court, EDNY)
Hon. Nusrat J. Choudhury (United States District Court, EDNY)
Hon. Kenneth W. Chu (ret. ALJ, NLRB)
Hon. Christopher J. Exias (Rockland Co. Fam. Ct.)
Hon. Evelyn Gong (Queens Co. Civ. Ct.)
Hon. Dale E. Ho (United States District Court, SDNY)
Hon. Phillip Hom (App. Term, 2d Dept)
Hon. Gilbert C. Hong (ret. NY Co. Sup. Ct.)
Hon. Biju J. Koshy (Supervising Judge, Richmond Co. Crim. Ct.)
Hon. Karen Lin (Queens Co. Sup. Ct.)
Hon. Rena Malik (Kings Co. Civ. Ct.)
Hon. Kim Parker (Court of Claims)
Hon. Kris Singh (Admin. Judge, 4th Jud. Dist.)
Hon. Rantideva Singh (NYC Fam. Ct.)
Hon. Richard Tsai (NY Co. Sup. Ct.)
Hon. Vikram S. Vilkhu (Brighton Town Justice)
Hon. John Zhuo Wang (NY Co. Sup. Ct.).
The night began with introductory remarks by Committee Co-Chair Mark Son, who thanked elevated and retired judges for their service and congratulated new judges for their work which allowed them to advance to their new positions. He first praised several judges whose work has had a long-term effect and was substantially significant in making the AAPI voice in the justice system grow and prosper. He then acknowledged all other judges in attendance and expressed regret for being unable to share the breadth of their contributions in the short time allotted.
Next to take the podium was AABANY’s current President, Joseph Eng, Jr. He began by reiterating Mark’s congratulatory sentiments, then introduced the eighteen honorees. Each in turn stood up and received warm applause from the audience. President Eng stressed the significance of hosting a Judges’ Reception as far more than an isolated single annual moment, but a day of celebration culminating from decades of work, a day to remind everyone of the great strides that have been made, and all the work that lays ahead in the continued struggle for diversity, equity, and inclusion. President Eng lauded the growth of AAPI representation, while also focusing on the milestones yet to be reached for true representation, drawing attention to the lack of any AAPI judges in the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, and in the United States Supreme Court.
Once all the judges present came up to the front of the room to receive their awards, they gathered for a group photo with President Eng and the Judiciary Committee leadership. The deserving honorees were regaled with cheers and applause from everyone.
Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally, President of the Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY), then stepped up to the podium to present final remarks. He reiterated the main points of the evening, and celebrated the effort involved in organizing this event. He congratulated the judges being honored and praised the growth of AAPI representation, even as he considered the work that remains ahead and the necessity of diligence and focus to achieve progress. He verbalized the goal of reaching 100 AAPI judges in New York State in the near future as an aspirational challenge. Finally, Committee Vice-Chair Vanessa Kong thanked everyone for attending and invited everyone to partake in the complimentary food and drink catered by Nom Wah. Laughter and stories filled the room, reflecting the camaraderie and mutual respect among the attendees.
As the evening drew to a close, it was evident that this reception was more than just an event; it was a celebration of progress, diversity, and the indomitable spirit of the AAPI community within the judiciary. The honorees left with not only memories of a joyous evening but also with the knowledge that their contributions are making a lasting impact.
We thank the Judiciary Committee for their tireless effort in making this annual event happen, as well as all the guests who attended. We thank AAJANY and Judge Ally for their participation. Once again, congratulations to all the honorees. To learn more about the Judiciary Committee please click here. To see more photos from the event, go to the album here.
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
WASHINGTON – On November 29, 2023, the United States Senate confirmed Micah W.J. Smith and, on November 30, 2023, Shanlyn A.S. Park to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Mr. Smith was confirmed for a vacancy opening on January 30, 2024, and Judge Park was confirmed for opening on October 9, 2024.
“NAPABA congratulates Micah Smith and Judge Shanlyn Park on their confirmations to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Judge Park becomes the first Native Hawaiian woman to serve as an Article III judge, and upon the swearing-in of Mr. Smith next year, it will be the first time in history where all the Article III judges on a U.S. District Court are AANHPI.”
“President Biden continues to extend his record of judges from the AANHPI community,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “Today, President Biden has appointed 28 AANHPI Article III judges that the U.S. Senate has confirmed. We thank President Biden for nominating Mr. Smith and Judge Park, and Senator Hirono and Senator Schatz for recommending them.”
Micah W. J. Smith, a graduate of Kauai High School, is an Assistant United States Attorney, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Criminal Civil Rights Coordinator in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii. He has also been the office’s Chief of Appeals and Legal Strategy since 2022. Previously, Mr. Smith served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 2012 to 2018. Earlier in his career, he was an associate and counsel at O’Melveny & Myers. Mr. Smith served as a law clerk for Justice David H. Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Guido Calabresi on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
Judge Shanlyn Park, a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy, has been a state court judge on the First Circuit Court on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, since 2021. Previously, Judge Park worked from 2017 to 2021 at the Honolulu law firms McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon, L.L.P., and Gallagher Kane Amai & Reyes. From 1997 to 2017, Judge Park served as an assistant federal public defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Hawaiʻi. Prior to her service in that office, Judge Park was in private practice at Hisaka Stone & Goto from 1996 to 1997. She served as a law clerk for Judge Francis I. Yamashita, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Hawaiʻi from 1995 to 1996. Judge Park received her J.D. from the University of Hawaiʻi William S. Richardson School of Law in 1995 and her B.A., cum laude, from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1991.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, June 7, 2023, AABANY’s Judiciary Committee hosted its annual Judges’ Reception to honor newly inducted, elevated, and retiring judges, in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Despite the poor air quality, the event had an impressive turnout, with nearly 80 in attendance, including lawyers, judges, and retired judges, as well as AABANY Board Members and Committee Chairs. The event was held at the Surrogate’s Courthouse, 31 Chambers Street, in downtown Manhattan.
The honorees recognized at the event were individuals who represent the significant strides that AAPI judges have made during the past year in the ongoing effort to enhance diversity in the judiciary. The following judges were honored:
Hon. Jung Park, New York City Criminal Court
Hon. Anar Patel, New York State Court of Claims
Hon. Hari Singh, New York City Family Court, Bronx County
Hon. Karen Lin, New York City Civil Court, Queens County
Hon. Kris Singh, Surrogate Court, Montgomery County
Hon. Leigh Cheng, New York City Civil Court, Queens County
Hon. Nisha Menon, New York City Family Court, Kings County
Hon. Sarika Kapoor, New York State Court of Claims
Hon. Rina Gurung, New York City Housing Court, Bronx County
Hon. Vijay Kitson, New York City Housing Court, New York County
Hon. Jessica Sin, New York City Family Court, Queens County
Hon. Shantonu Basu, New York City Housing Court, Kings County
Hon. L. Austin D’Souza, New York City Civil Court, Kings County
Hon. Zainab Chaudhury, New York Court of Claims
Hon. Arun Subramanian, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
We are proud to celebrate these AAPI trailblazers in the judiciary. AAPI jurists remain significantly under-represented in New York courts. To date, there is no AAPI Justice serving on the United States Supreme Court. There is also no AAPI judge on New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. New York remains in 2023 as one of 42 states in the country without an AAPI judge on the state’s highest court. According to the Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY), AAPI judges comprise nearly 4.60% of the total judiciary in New York State, compared to 10.8% of the population of New York State and 17.3% of the population of New York City being of AAPI descent. Hon. Shahabuddeen Ally, Supervising Judge of New York County Civil Court, and President of AAJANY, emphasized: “[T]he numbers tell us there is a lot of work to do. When the numbers go up, we all do better.” In light of current events and the rise in anti-Asian violence, AAPI representation on the bench is more important than ever. AABANY thanks the honorees for their pioneering and inspirational role.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for this event and the Judiciary Committee for organizing it. To learn more about AABANY’s Judiciary Committee and its work, click here. To see more photos, go here.
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.
On May 18, 2023, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission presented “Empowered Asian American Leadership” at the New York County Supreme Court at 60 Centre Street, in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The program was co-sponsored by AABANY, the New York State Unified Court Systems Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Asian American Judges Association of New York, and the Asian Jade Society of the New York State Courts.
AABANY member Hon. Jeffrey Oing, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; Commissioner, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, introduced the Keynote Address, “The Model Minority Victim,” delivered by AABANY member and former Chair of the AABANY: Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, Professor Elaine M. Chiu of St. John’s University School of Law.
Pre-recorded remarks by Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson commenced the program.
Welcome Remarks were provided by:
Hon. Shahabuddeen A. Ally, Supervising Judge, New York County Civil Court and Acting Justice of the New York Supreme Court; President of AAJANY; Commissioner, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, and AABANY member
Hon. Troy K. Webber, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; Co-Chair, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission
Hon. Richard Rivera, Acting Supreme Court Justice and Supervising Judge of the Family Courts, Third Judicial District; Co-Chair, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission
Karen Kim, Senior Counsel at QBE North America; President, AABANY
The program also included CLE presentations, introduced by AABANY member Rina Gurung, Judge, Housing Part, New York City Civil Court; Commissioner, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission.
“The Path to Success and Overcoming Obstacles” was moderated by the Hon. Austin D’Souza, Judge, Civil Court of the City of New York Kings County and AABANY member. Panelists were:
Hon. Zainab A. Chaudhry – Judge, New York State Court of Claims, and AABANY member
Lieutenant Henry Chen– New York County Civil Court, Co-Founder and President, NYSC
Asian Jade Society; Commissioner, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission
“Positive Action to Combat the Perpetual Foreigner Syndrome and Empowering the Community” was moderated by the AABANY member Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, former Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; Commissioner, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission. Panelists were:
Joseb “Joe” Gim, Esq. – Chief, Criminal Court Unit, Kings County District Attorney’s Office
Christina Seid – Community Activist, Entrepreneur, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and AABANY member
President Frank H. Wu – President, Queens College, The City University of New York (CUNY)
Tony Walters, Director, New York State Unified Court System’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion provided Closing Remarks.
AABANY was privileged and honored to co-sponsor this event and thanks the Franklin H. Williams Commission for organizing it. AABANY thanks the speakers for sharing their knowledge and insights on important issues affecting the AAPI community. For more information about the Williams Commission visit their website at https://ww2.nycourts.gov/ip/ethnic-fairness/index.shtml
AABANY members are invited to volunteer to serve as judgers and jurors for the High School Mock Trial Program, scheduled for May 20th and 21st. Volunteers can earn three (3) CLE credits in the category of skills.
The upcoming Empire Mock Trial program brings together 600 remarkable high school students from 23 states for a national mock trial competition. Not only is the experience enjoyable because the students are talented, but the case is topical and interesting: it is an original fact pattern inspired by the Alec Baldwin shooting on the Rust movie set.
Trials take place at 10 AM and 3 PM on Saturday (5/20) and Sunday (5/21);
Lawyers don’t need to leave the comfort of their own home (or office) because the trials are all online;
If a lawyer signs-up with a friend, we can ensure that they judge together;
To register, send an email to [email protected] with the following information:
Your name
Trial(s) that you’d like to volunteer for:
Saturday AM (5/20), Saturday PM (5/20), Sunday AM (5/21), Sunday PM (5/21)
