Tag: judiciary

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Press Release from the Office of the District Court Executive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2015

CONTACT
Eugene J. Corcoran, (718) 613-2260

Chief Judge Carol Bagley Amon is pleased to announce the investiture of Peggy Kuo as United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York. Judge Kuo will be sworn in at the Theodore Roosevelt Courthouse in Brooklyn on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 5:00 P.M.

Judge Kuo is the first Taiwanese-American federal judge in New York. Before her appointment, Judge Kuo was the Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel of the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, the largest municipal tribunal in the country. Previously, she was Chief Hearing Officer at the New York Stock Exchange, where she was in charge of disciplinary matters involving violations of federal securities laws. She was also litigation counsel at WilmerHale, LLP.

From 1998 to 2002, Judge Kuo prosecuted war crimes at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Her historic trial regarding mass rape in Bosnia later became the topic of the documentary film “I Came To Testify.”

After clerking for the Honorable Judith W. Rogers, then Chief Judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals, Judge Kuo worked as a federal prosecutor, first as an Assistant US Attorney in the District of Columbia, prosecuting general crimes. She then became a trial attorney and Acting Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section at the US Department of Justice, where she investigated and prosecuted hate crimes and allegations of police misconduct.

Judge Kuo was born in Taiwan and moved to the United States at the age of three. She graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School.

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東區聯邦法院 再添華裔女法官 – 世界新聞網

東區聯邦法院 再添華裔女法官 – 世界新聞網

Once again, congratulations to Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo, who was sworn in on October 9, 2015. Her appointment was featured in World Journal, a prominent Chinese language newspaper. To read a translation of the article, “EDNY Adds Another Asian Female Judge,” which mentions AABANY President William Wang, read below. To read the article, click on the link in the title.

Thank you to AABANY Member Lucia Yang for the translation.

Peggy Kuo was appointed to be the third Asian American judge in the United States District Court, Eastern District Court of New York. Kuo graduated from Harvard Law School, used to work as the Deputy Director of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings of New York City and the Chief Hearing Officer of NYSE.

Peggy Kuo, 51, graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School. She used to clerk for Judge Judith Rogers at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, worked as the Assistant U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia and the Acting Deputy Chief of U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. In addition, she worked as a prosecutor at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague from 1998 to 2002, where she was in charge of investigating and prosecuting the war criminals in former Yugoslavia and crimes against humanity. 

Kuo served as the Chief Hearing Officer at the NYSE for six years since 2005, and then served as the Deputy Director and General Counsel of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings of New York City since February, 2011. Kuo’s appointment to be the Magistrate Judge of the Eastern District Court of New York was approved on July 21, 2015. She was sworn in recently. Meanwhile, Kuo is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and served as the vice president of Manhattan Legal Services and on the board of the Federal Bar Council.

Kuo’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan when she was three and hence she can speak fluent Taiwanese. Her father works as civil engineer in New York, while her mother takes care of the family. Kuo is second of four sisters in her family, all her sisters become doctors or lawyers. Kuo said that she never thought about becoming a law enforcer when she was a child, “because at that time, there was basically no female judges or district attorneys.” But after graduating from law school, she decided to give it a try and now has become one of the few Asian American judges in federal courts. 

The Asian American Bar Association of New York applauded her appointment and congratulated on her selection. President William Wang pointed out that Kuo’s appointment represented an increasing number of Asian American judges in federal courts, and reflected the efforts of federal courts to appoint judges from diverse background. Wang also stated that the number of Asian American judges in all levels of U.S. courts is disproportionate with the number Asian American members in the community. AABANY will make continuous efforts to have more qualified Asians serve in the judicial branch.

Peggy Kuo’s appointment made her the third Asian American judge in Eastern District of New York. The other two are Judge Pamela Chen and Magistrate Judge Marilyn D. Go. All of the three judges are female.

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Historic Milestone with Chuang Confirmation to the Federal District Court for Maryland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA CELEBRATES HISTORIC MILESTONE WITH CHUANG CONFIRMATION TO THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR MARYLAND

WASHINGTON — Today, with the confirmation of Theodore Chuang to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the Obama Administration has tripled the number of Asian Pacific American judges on the federal bench, going from 8 judges to 24 active Article III APA judges since 2008. Judge Chuang is the first Asian Pacific American judge to serve on the federal judiciary in Maryland or in any of the states in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

“Theodore Chuang’s confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland is a historic occasion on many fronts,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Judge Chuang has a long history of public service and will be the first Asian Pacific American federal judge to ever sit on the bench in Maryland, breaking yet another barrier in the legal profession. He has long been an active member of NAPABA and the Asian Pacific American community, and we are proud to have supported his nomination. We applaud Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin of Maryland for putting Judge Chuang’s name forward.”

“Judge Chuang’s confirmation today also sets a new high for the number of Asian Pacific Americans to serve on the federal bench, and is a fantastic way to begin Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” added Simonitsch. “President Obama and his administration have demonstrated unwavering support and dedication to the appointment of well-qualified, diverse nominees to the bench, making genuine progress in building a judiciary that looks like our great nation. We also thank all of the U.S. Senators who have supported diverse candidates like Judge Chuang to the bench, and look forward to working with the Senate to do even better in years to come.”

Before his service on the bench, Judge Chuang served as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he worked since 2009. He was previously the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in 2009 and Deputy Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that, Chuang served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts and as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Chuang has held leadership positions with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, the District of Columbia Bar, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington D.C. Area.

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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 over 40,000 attorneys and 68 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.

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Meet AAJANY: Asian American Judges Association of New York

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(Pictured above, left to right: Hon. Gilbert Hong, Hon. Marilyn Go, Hon. Denny Chin, Hon. Pamela Chen, Hon. Lillian Wan, Hon. Lorna Schofield, Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, Hon. Toko Serita, Hon. Lydia Lai, Hon. Laurie Lau, Hon. Leslie Purificacion (seated), Hon. Dean Kusakabe)

On April 23, 2014, the newly formed Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY) met with their Asian American colleagues on the federal bench and were hosted by the Honorable Denny Chin, Second Circuit Judge, for a tour of the courthouse. They later convened for dinner at Forlini’s to discuss common issues.

AAJANY was formed to address issues affecting Asian American judges, staff, and litigants in the state courts, to promote more diversity amongst the bar and the judiciary, and to advance the inclusion of judges of Asian descent at all levels of the state court system.

Three of those attending are also officers of the NAPABA Judicial Council (a national organization of state and federal judges of Asian descent): Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan (President), Hon. Denny Chin (Treasurer), and Hon. Marilyn Go (Secretary).

AAJANY is sponsoring the event, “How to Become a State Court Judge – from an APA perspective,” on April 29, 2014, 6pm, at the New York County Lawyers’ Association (NYCLA), 14 Vesey Street. Registration has closed but feel free to attend as a walk-in. Click here for more info.

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 March 5, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee                                                   (202) 775-9555

NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria
to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

WASHINGTON — On March 5, 2014, the Senate confirmed Vince Chhabria by a 58-41 vote to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in California’s history, and only the third South Asian American federal district court judge nationwide.

“NAPABA congratulates Vince Chhabria on his historic confirmation and is proud to have supported him in the nomination and confirmation process,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama, Senator Boxer, and Senator Feinstein for their continued commitment to diversity on the federal judiciary, and their support of this nomination.”

Since 2005, Judge Chhabria has served as a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he is the co-chief of appellate litigation. Prior to public service, Judge Chhabria spent several years working in the private sector in San Francisco. After law school, he clerked at all three levels of the federal courts, including clerkships with Judge Charles R. Breyer on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge James R. Browning on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Chhabria has distinguished himself during his career, receiving honors from the California Daily Journal, the International Municipal Lawyers Association, and NAPABA. He is a longstanding member of SABA-NC, an affiliate of NAPABA, which has strongly supported Chhabria’s nomination.

Judge Chhabria’s confirmation increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 22 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 18 federal district court judges.

Three more Asian Pacific American Article III judicial nominees are pending in the U.S. Senate: Manish Shah, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Indira Talwani, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts; and Theodore Chuang, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. NAPABA urges the Senate to move quickly to confirm these well- qualified individuals.

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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 over 40,000 attorneys and 67 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.

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NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF THEODORE CHUANG TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF THEODORE CHUANG TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Theodore Chuang to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. If confirmed, Chuang will be the first person of Asian descent to serve as a federal judge in the state of Maryland, and the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in any of the courts covered by the Fourth Circuit.

“We commend Theodore Chuang on his historic nomination to the federal bench,” said Tina Matsuoka, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Mr. Chuang is exceptionally qualified to serve on the federal judiciary in Maryland. We also applaud President Obama’s ongoing commitment to nominating qualified Asian Pacific Americans to serve on the federal courts.” If all of the current Asian Pacific American judicial nominees are confirmed by the Senate, President Obama will have more than tripled than the number of Asian Pacific American federal judges since he first took office.

Mr. Chuang currently serves as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he has worked since 2009. Previously, Chuang was the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in 2009 and Deputy Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2007 to 2009. From 1998 to 2004, Chuang served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Chuang was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Chuang also has been active in community service. He has held leadership positions with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, District of Columbia Bar, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington D.C. Area.

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Theodore Chuang to the bench and Senators Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland for their support of his nomination.

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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 over 40,000 attorneys and 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.

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INDIRA TALWANI NOMINATED TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400 
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 24, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee 
(202) 775-9555

INDIRA TALWANI NOMINATED TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Ms. Indira Talwani to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. If confirmed, Talwani will be the first person of Asian descent to serve as a federal judge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the First Circuit, and only the second female Article III judge of South Asian descent nationwide.

“We applaud Indira Talwani’s historic nomination to the federal bench,” said Wendy C. Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Ms. Talwani has the right experience, intellect, integrity, and temperament to serve with distinction on the federal judiciary in Massachusetts. We hope that the Senate votes to confirm her swiftly.”

Since 2003, Talwani has served as a partner with the Massachusetts law firm of Segal Roitman. Previously, Talwani was a partner with the San Francisco law firm of Altshuler Berzon LLP. After graduating from Harvard/Radcliffe College and University of California Berkeley School of Law, she began her legal career by serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Stanley A. Weigel on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Talwani has received numerous awards for her professional accomplishments, including: Best Lawyers in America (2013); Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2012); Top 10 Lawyers of the Year, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2010); and Chinese Progressive Association’s Workers Justice Award (2012).

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Indira Talwani to the bench and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for her support of the nomination. Talwani along with fellow Asian Pacific American nominees Vince Chhabria and Manish Shah await Senate confirmation votes. If all three are confirmed to the bench, President Obama will have tripled the number of Asian Pacific American Article III judges on the federal judiciary from eight to twenty-four.

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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 over 40,000 attorneys and 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.