On November 19, 2024, AABANY held its 2nd Annual Pre-Holiday Multi-Association Gathering, hosted at the New York City Bar Association in Midtown Manhattan. The event featured a potluck dinner as well as a CLE program, titled “Building a Strong Legal Well-Being Foundation for a Brighter Future.” The dinner was co-sponsored by 12 different associations, each bringing ethnic cuisine and assorted goods for all to enjoy.
Recognizing that the holidays can be challenging for many, for various reasons, the gathering aimed to create a supportive community across multiple associations, to share wellness resources before the holiday season. The event began with participants helping themselves to a wide variety of food options, ranging from noodles to fried chicken to salad. As attendees ate, the CLE program began, which focused on wellness and mental health resources for members of the legal community. The program featured three speakers:
Eileen Travis, Executive Director, NYC Lawyer Assistance Program of the NYC Bar Association
The CLE program was moderated by Karen Kim, Senior Counsel of QBE North America and AABANY’s Immediate Past President.
Eileen Travis began the discussion by emphasizing the prevalence of mental health and substance abuse issues within the legal profession, noting that attorneys were at an especially high risk because of their extensive work in “adversarial environments.” According to the American Bar Association, 19% of lawyers experience depression at some point in their career, while 11% experience suicidal ideation. Despite these numbers, Eileen noted that the “legal profession as a group is reluctant to ask for help… the number one reason is the stigma surrounding it.” Though Eileen believed that this stigma has significantly decreased in recent years, she asserted that there is still much more work to be done. For any attorneys facing mental health or substance abuse issues, Eileen suggested they reach out to the Lawyer Assistance Program, whose services are free and completely confidential.
Katherine Loanzon continued the timely dialogue by describing her role as a parent when her two daughters each lost close friends. When a close friend of Katherine’s first daughter committed suicide, she did not know what to do. She wondered, “What do you do? What happens now?” At the time, she had struggled with these questions but eventually learned that it was best to “give children their space” as well as connect them with a therapist. Katherine then recounted how her second daughter experienced a similarly traumatic experience when a classmate of hers suddenly passed from an undiagnosed brain tumor. She described the event as a “different type of pain,” and noted that “everyone grieves differently” and that every individual must be supported through that process, in whatever way that looks. For Katherine’s daughter, she used music to help overcome her grief. Katherine shared resources to find therapists for children, which can be challenging.
Finally, Micah Kessel shared his experience as the CEO of Empathable, a company focused on disseminating the practice of empathy. Micah related empathy specifically to the legal field, saying that he “works to help people relive their most important moments” so that they can learn from these experiences and progress in their professions. Through this work, Micah has sought to redefine empathy, noting that it does not mean “the ability to understand how other people feel,” as the dictionary states. Rather, empathy is “the ability to acknowledge the validity of another person’s experience to be as valid as your own.” Empathy, he concluded, is a skill that must be trained over time.
Thanks to the following co-sponsoring associations for their support and participation in this event:
For more photos from the event, view the album here.
Thank you also to our event sponsors, Groombridge Wu Baughman & Stone and Edgar Agents, for their support in prioritizing the importance of wellness and well-being in the legal profession. We appreciate everyone who attended this event and made it such an amazing experience! With events such as these, AABANY will continue to work to help destigmatize mental health and advance the importance of wellness and well-being in the legal profession. If you have ideas for programs or speakers on the topic of wellness and well-being, please contact AABANY at [email protected]. We hope to see you at future AABANY events.
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 March 20, 2024, AABANY, with thanks to AAJANY for their co-sponsorship, hosted a CLE entitled “Why Can’t We Just Get Along?” covering how judicial and attorney wellness – as well as civility and professionalism – promote good bench-bar relations, in and out of court.
Thank you to our distinguished panel for sharing their time, experiences, and perspectives:
Hon. Gerald Lebovits, New York Supreme Court, 1st Judicial District
Hon. Pamela Chen, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Karen R. King, Partner, Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC
William H. Ng, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson P.C. (Immediate Past President of AABANY, FY24)
Recognizing the stress and responsibilities of judges, as well as litigators, the panel discussed why some judges and attorneys are difficult and what can be done about it. The panel explored judicial and attorney preferences and pet peeves and offered strategies for judges and attorneys to enhance their litigation experience, personal well-being, and professional happiness. This program was organized in line with the theme for this fiscal year, “Embracing Wellness and Well-Being: Strengthening the Legal Profession by Investing in Ourselves.”
Thank you to AABANY’s Judiciary and Litigation Committees for co-presenting this event and to Karen King and Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC for hosting. Attendees enjoyed lively discussions and networking, together with great food from Joe’s Shanghai. To learn more about the Judiciary Committee go here. To learn more about the Litigation Committee go here.
If you have ideas for programs or speakers on the topic of wellness and well-being, please contact Immediate Past President Karen Kim at [email protected]. AABANY’s Wellness Resources Guide provides a variety of information, including links to free assistance programs, trainings and hotlines, which can be accessed here.
On Tuesday, February 6, 2024, AABANY members, family and friends attended Lunar New Year celebrations at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks took on the Memphis Grizzlies. The night started with Asian musicians playing the national anthem, and the Knicks got off to a hot start. During halftime, the audience enjoyed a traditional lion dance performance. By the fourth quarter the Grizzlies cut the Knicks lead down to single digits, but the Knicks ultimately prevailed with a 123-113 victory.
For the second straight year, the Knicks won when AABANY attended their Lunar New Year celebration game. And, again, our group of nearly forty attendees got a “live shot shoutout” on the jumbotron. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with AABANY including our President Karen Kim who attended with her husband and two boys. No one cheered as loud as they did. Happy Year of the Dragon!
On October 19, 2023, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) celebrated its 34th Anniversary with its Third Annual Founders’ Day, held at FTI Consulting, at their Midtown West Manhattan office. This annual event celebrates the establishment of AABANY as a bar association in 1989. AABANY pays tribute to its visionary Founders who played a critical role in laying the groundwork for AABANY’s emergence as the nation’s largest affinity bar association, currently with more than 1700 paid members.
The night opened with a light reception, as members trickled into the venue. Conversation flowed freely as attendees shared fond memories and anecdotes about AABANY. AABANY’s Membership Director, Christopher Bae gave welcoming remarks, introducing the lineup of speakers. He then passed the floor to Karen Kim, AABANY’s President, who provided an overview of the organization and shared her perspective on AABANY’s development in recent years Her speech underscored the organization’s remarkable growth, emerging as a vibrant and inclusive community of legal practitioners.
Following her, past AABANY President (2014-2015), Glenn Lau-Kee, delivered a moving speech as the event’s keynote speaker. With great depth and insight, Glenn delved into the origins of our organization, offering a captivating narrative of its founding journey and the challenges its first members faced. Glenn’s words struck a chord with the legal professionals in attendance, serving as a poignant reminder of AABANY’s remarkable journey. As Glenn concluded his speech, he was faced with a wave of resounding applause. His words had a profound impact on the attendees, leaving a sense of gravity in the air as they continued to mingle, network, and enjoy food and drinks.
Executive Director Yang Chen also spoke, reminding attendees of AABANY’s many milestones over the years. He highlighted Chris Kwok’s work on the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, speaking at length regarding the two vital reports that the Task Force released. Furthermore, he talked about the short film recently released by the Task Force, “ Voices against Anti-Asian Hate.” Attendees were invited to screen the short film at the event. Yang Chen explained that the video was slightly updated from the version first screened at the Fall Conference, and he invited attendees who watched it at Founders’ Day to share their feedback before the film is finalized and released to the general public. Those who saw the video offered positive feedback with some useful suggestions for the Task Force to consider.
Many notable AABANY leaders and members were present at this year’s Founders’ Day, including Hon. Marilyn Go (Ret.), founding AABANY member Hugh Mo, Anti-Asian Task Force Chair Chris Kwok, and many Board members and Committee Chairs. “[I am] thrilled to have been able to spend time with AABANY’s range of members, in particular some of its founders,” exclaimed Jason Sabot, Senior Managing Director at FTI consulting. “The organization is so central to supporting and furthering Asian American interests in New York. Thank you for all you do, AABANY.”
As the event drew to a close, Beatrice Leong, AABANY’s Vice President of Programs and Operations, aptly captured the sentiment of the evening, stating: “Tonight is proof that AABANY will last through the centuries— we began with just a handful of founders, and now we’ve grown into a thriving and expansive community. The legal professionals in the audience tonight exemplify the unity of the AAPI legal community, solidifying AABANY’s lasting presence as both an organization and an institution.”
Our gratitude goes out to Christopher S. Bae, AABANY’s Membership Director, and the dedicated Membership Committee for their outstanding efforts in organizing this wonderful event. AABANY also thanks FTI Consulting for generously providing the venue, food, and drinks for Founders’ Day, as well as their enduring support and partnership. AABANY is delighted to mark its 34th anniversary with the esteemed guests in attendance. We look forward to celebrating AABANY’s 35th anniversary in 2024!
On July 22, 2023, AABANY successfully hosted its inaugural Wellness Day in commemoration of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The event, held under the theme “Embracing Wellness and Well-Being: Strengthening the Legal Profession by Investing in Ourselves,” took place at Brooklyn Law School. This event was made possible through the generous support of our distinguished speakers and sponsors, enabling us to address crucial topics such as fostering wellness, seeking therapy, building resilience, and more.
Mental health and well-being, particularly within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and in the context of the legal profession, have often been overlooked and under-discussed. With this event, AABANY sought to break barriers and shed light on these critical issues, providing a safe and supportive platform for these conversations to take place.
Wellness Day registration started at 9 a.m. with the first 25 attendees to sign-in receiving a free stainless steel AABANY water bottle. Attendees were encouraged to come in casual attire and the program was also offered via Zoom, to be inclusive of those unable to attend in-person. The full-day event kicked off with breakfast from Paris Baguette, allowing participants to network and connect with one another over pastries and coffee for an enjoyable hour. Soon after, AABANY President Karen Kim delivered welcoming remarks. She extended her appreciation to all the attendees who joined this meaningful event and the pivotal role of the speakers and sponsors, recognizing their significant contribution to wellness and mental health advocacy.
Anu Gupta, the Founder of BE MORE with Anu, began with an enlightening presentation. His program, titled “Mindful Embodiment as a Means to Heal Burnout and Internalized Anti-Asian Bias,” commenced with a guided meditation, allowing attendees to clear their minds, relax, and focus on the session.
Anu introduced his PRISM ToolkitⓇ. PRISM is designed to help reduce unconscious bias and stereotyping, enhance social connectedness, strengthen relationships, and alleviate stress. Anu emphasized the significance of “love and kindness for oneself” and how true wellness is rooted in understanding and managing our internal environment. He stressed the importance of self-love as the foundation for extending that love to others, fostering connections beyond our differences.
Anu, a lawyer, scientist, and educator, shared his personal healing journey, which began during his 2L summer in law school when he went to Taiwan to become a monk. Continuing his quest for healing, during his 3L year, he became a certified yoga teacher. Toward the end of his presentation, Anu highlighted the wisdom of the Asian diaspora, citing the teachings of HH Dalai Lama, who emphasized the philosophy of kindness. Anu firmly believes that kindness and love should form the “foundation of society.” Thank you, Anu Gupta, for setting a meaningful tone for the day and reinforcing the importance of prioritizing wellness and meditation for personal and professional growth.
For more information about PRISM and Anu Gupta, please visit his website here.
Next, Dr. Nadine Chang, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist at Gracie Square Hospital, and Alice Zhang, CEO of Anise Health presented their program, “Mental Health 101 for the Asian Community.” They talked about misconceptions of mental illnesses, signs of depression and anxiety, importance of culturally informed care and barriers to mental health treatments.
During her presentation, Alice highlighted that “[the] current solutions [in the mental health care system] are not often tailored for minorities,” including the process of deciding to seek care, browsing for providers, conducting consultations, and continuing care. Alice then introduced the attendees to Anise Health, a culturally-responsive digital mental health and wellbeing platform dedicated to meeting the unique needs of communities of color, starting with a focus on the AANHPI population. Following up, Dr. Chang spotlighted the much-needed steps towards breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in the AANHPI community and fostering a more understanding and supportive environment for those facing mental health issues, such as learning to support your loved ones struggling with mental illness by being more present, listening, and empathizing with the other person’s situation by reflecting on how they may think and feel being in their shoes.
To conclude the morning session, speaker Ona Lu and moderator Maggie Poon presented their fireside chat titled, “How to Find a Therapist and Mental Well-Being Tips.” Ona Lu, a former AABANY Legal Intern, began the conversation by reflecting on her journey and offering advice to her 18-year-old self. She emphasized the importance of recognizing that “everything happens for a reason” and that life experiences are opportunities to “learn and grow from.” She shared her personal journey of redirecting and rediscovering her passion for law after leaving her job as an attorney. Ona also opened up about the challenges she faced in seeking therapy, particularly coming from a conservative family. She reflected on the process of finding a therapist, admitting that it felt somewhat scary due to fear of judgment and the daunting fact of opening up to a stranger. “Finding a therapist is like dating,” she says, and advised that one should not give up on finding the right therapist. Through her inspiring story, Ona encouraged others to prioritize their mental health, emphasizing that it is okay to seek help and take care of oneself without feeling guilty or selfish. We thank Ona Lu for her openness and vulnerability of her journey and Maggie Poon for moderating a personal and intimate conversation.
When the morning session concluded, attendees were treated to a delightful spread of Korean food, providing an informal and relaxed opportunity for everyone to chat, mingle, and network over delicious and comforting fare.
Pema Sherpa, Founder of Pema Solutions, commenced the afternoon session with her program, “Cultivate Resilience to Thrive Amid Challenging Times.” She began with a brief mindful check-in breathing exercise, allowing attendees to de-stress. Then, Pema shared a powerful story about the earthquake that struck Nepal, highlighting how its impact differed for each individual and community. After the earthquake, she embarked on a rescue mission to a rural village, where she witnessed firsthand the trauma and distress faced by the people whose homes were destroyed. She was struck by the sight of normalcy amidst the devastation, as children were actively helping their parents cope with the aftermath. Curious about their experiences, Pema asked one of the children about how she dealt with the trauma of the earthquake. The child’s response was inspiring: she chose not to allow the trauma to overpower her. This particular encounter inspired Pema to reassess the power of resilience and the ability to find strength and hope even in the face of adversity. She shared that resilience serves as a protective mechanism: protects against stress, reduces loneliness, and enhances the immune system.
For more information about Pema Sherpa and Pema Solutions, please visit her website here.
Alex Su, the next speaker, is a former lawyer and the Head of Community Development at Ironclad. The fireside chat,“Overcoming Setbacks and Failures,” was moderated by President Karen Kim. Alex’s career, spanning from law to technology and even social media, didn’t always go as planned and encountered several major setbacks along the way. He shared his story, beginning with the first setback he faced: failing the bar exam. Other setbacks followed: he went from a big law firm, to creating his own, to being let go from a small firm. He then explored opportunities in sales and eventually found his way into the tech and social media industry. Through each setback, Alex acknowledged that it was an opportunity for growth and “set[ting] the path [for him] to try something new.” He emphasized that “resilience is a muscle” and that muscle develops stronger with each challenge.
Sharing his setbacks on LinkedIn proved to be a pivotal moment for Alex, as he received an outpouring of comments from peers who could relate to his experiences. This realization highlighted that many people tend to only share their successes and not their failures. When asked if he would go back in time to avoid these setbacks, considering he now gets to do what he loves, Alex responded with a resounding “Yes, 100%.” He recognized that those setbacks were necessary steps in discovering his true passions and aligning them with his personality. Each setback, “like a slap,” guided him along the right path. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your vulnerable story and serving as a powerful reminder that setbacks and failures are stepping stones towards finding one’s purpose and fulfilling career journey.
For more information about Alex Su, please visit his newsletter here.
Concluding Wellness Day, AABANY hosted a CLE program titled, “Challenges on Being the First and Prioritizing Your Well-Being.” The program included the following panelists:
Vincent Chang: first AAPI NYCLA President and former AABANY president
Hon. Sanket J. Bulsara (EDNY): first South Asian federal judge in the Second Circuit
Concepcion (“Connie”) Montoya: one of the founders of the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York, the first Filipino bar association in New York
Susan Jin Davis: Social Impact Officer for Al Roker Entertainment, formerly with Comcast Corporation, where she was the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer
and moderated by Yang Chen, first Executive Director of AABANY and former AABANY president.
The inspiring panel of firsts shared their careers and discussed various topics related to imposter syndrome, work-life balance, stress and anxiety and mental well-being. Susan Jin Davis shared that her greatest challenges of becoming the first was imposter syndrome and the lack of representation. She overcame this feeling by focusing on “the second and the third and the fourth [and] lay[ing] a pathway for the future.” Similarly, Connie resonated with the same feelings, and even more so regarding her identity as a queer Filipino woman in the legal field. Vincent highlighted the significance of finding “a great support system” and his joining many different bar associations, where he found like-minded individuals who shared careers and interests similar to his own. Judge Bulsara offered valuable advice, emphasizing the importance of not comparing oneself to others and recognizing that everyone has their unique journey in life.
The shared experiences and advice from the speakers served as valuable takeaways for all attendees. AABANY thanks them all for being a powerful influence in wellness and mental health advocacy.
We hope Wellness Day provided attendees with a relaxing day of self-care and resources to help promote the well-being of themselves and their family and peers. After a full day of speakers, good food and snacks throughout the day, attendees left with a card deck on Mindfulness or Stress Relief & Selfcare, to help further prioritize wellness.
We also want to express our sincere gratitude to President Karen Kim for successfully organizing this event and for convening an important and much-needed discussion. Wellness Day would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to them for their valuable contribution.
Wellness Day Speakers:
Anu Gupta, BE MORE with Anu
Alice Zhang, Anise Health
Dr. Nadine Chang, Gracie Square Hospital
Ona Lu
Maggie Poon, American Express
Pema Sherpa, Pema Solutions
Alexander Su, Ironclad
Karen Kim, QBE North America
Yang Chen, AABANY
Hon. Sanket J. Bulsara, U.S. District Court (E.D.N.Y.)
Susan Jin Davis, Al Roker Entertainment
Concepcion A. Montoya, Hinshaw & Culbertson
Vincent Chang, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch
Wellness Day Sponsors:
Brooklyn Law School
Anise Health
BEMORE with Anu
Ironclad
Pema Solutions
Advocate Sponsor: KEB Hana Bank USA
Supporter: Faegre Drinker
Co-Sponsoring Bar Associations:
Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY)
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA-NJ)
Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA New York)
Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York (HALANY)
Jewish Lawyers Guild (JLG)
Judges & Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA)
LGBT Bar Association of New York (LeGaL)
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY)
Network of Bar Leaders (NoBL)
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA)
New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
The South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey (SABA-NJ)
South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY)
To read the full press release, please click here.
On Thursday, July 20th, 2023, the AABANY Membership Committee held the first event of the Meet the Board Series this year, at which attendees heard from AABANY President Karen Kim and AABANY Board Director Won Shin about their respective careers. The event was hosted by FTI Consulting in Midtown Manhattan, and co-sponsored by AABANY’s Women’s, Government Service & Public Interest, and Prosecutors’ Committees.
At the beginning of the night, attendees chatted and mingled over dinner before sitting down to participate in a Q&A session with Karen Kim and Won Shin moderated by Membership Director Christopher Bae. Christopher started by asking how the two became involved with AABANY, their most memorable cases, and how working with AABANY has changed their careers.
Won talked about his early career, starting with his work as a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz for six years, his position as Assistant Solicitor General at the New York State Attorney General’s office and his stint in complex frauds and cybercrime in the United States Attorney’s Office. Finally, Won described his entrance into his office’s appeals unit, where he now serves as Chief of Appeals of the Criminal Division.
Karen spoke about her work at a small firm doing mainly litigation, residential real estate, and construction law, before serving as Vice President of Operations and Strategic Development at Minority Corporate Counsel Association in D.C. and finally landing a position at QBE Insurance through former AABANY president Linda Lin. Karen believes her experience at the small firm she first worked at prepared her for her presidency at AABANY, because she worked on “a hodgepodge of everything” in both positions.
Christopher turned to the guests for one last question before taking inquiries from the audience. “So how do mentees make themselves stand out so that you would want to mentor them? What can younger attorneys be doing to find more than a mentorship in name and instead build an actual relationship with you?”
Karen paused to think of an answer. “Well, I like chocolate.”
After around half an hour of audience questions, Christopher concluded with a round of rapid fire questions for Karen and Won. We learned that Won’s favorite legal show is “Jury Duty,” and Karen’s favorite judge, past or present, is Judge Judy (the TV judge, not Hon. Judy Kim). The evening wrapped up with more mingling and enjoying food and drinks in FTI’s stylish and modern space.
Thank you to Karen Kim and Won Shin for sharing your experience and wisdom with us, and Christopher Bae for moderating an insightful conversation. We look forward to hosting more Board Members in the Meet the Board Series. To learn more about the Membership Committee, go here.
On July 8, 2023, AABANY’s Young Lawyers Committee (“YLC”) hosted its annual picnic in Central Park’s Heckscher Picnic Area, connecting members from various committees and their families and pets. Alongside family and friends, AABANY members chatted and relaxed over burgers from Shake Shack and fresh fruits and healthy snacks from Whole Foods. Among the attendees were the President, Karen Kim, the Executive Director, Yang Chen, and former President, Terrence Shen. YLC’s Co-chairs, Ada Wang and Kwonsun Jung, organized the event.
While temperatures this summer are breaking record highs, the heat did not inhibit our members’ enjoyment of the event. Throughout the picnic area, members could be found bonding under the eaves of shady pine trees, sharing laughter and making memories. The picnic ran from 11 AM to 3 PM, and the time passed quickly. Unfortunately, thunder clouds loomed in the distance as 3 PM approached. To avoid getting drenched by incoming storms, attendees woefully packed up their snacks and blankets. Thankfully, the festivities continued, with members gathering for an afterparty at the Smith near Lincoln Center, continuing the joy over drinks and light bites.
Thank you to everyone for spending their Saturday with AABANY and contributing to the warm and vibrant community that makes our organization so special. We look forward to many more memorable events and opportunities to come together in the future. Special thanks to the Young Lawyers Committee, and the Co-Chairs, Kwonsun and Ada, for their hard work planning and organizing this event. To learn more about the Young Lawyers Committee, click here.
Top Row (left to right): Sarah Choi, Shu-Ping Shen, Ms. Urvi Doshi Sood Bottom Row (left to right): Najah J. Shariff, Karen Kim
On April 26, 2023, AABANY’s Student Outreach and Tax Law Committee hosted a virtual panel: “What Do Tax Lawyers Do?” This event ran from 6:30-7:30pm EST on Zoom with remarks from Shu-Ping Shen (Tax Committee Co-Chair). The panel was moderated by Alex Lao (Pace Law) and Sharon Yang (Student Outreach Committee Co-Chair, Fordham Law), and featured the following panelists:
Karen Kim (Partner – Mayer Brown LLP)
Najah J. Shariff (Assistant U.S. Attorney, Tax Division – U.S. Attorney’s Office)
Ms. Urvi Doshi Sood (Vice President of Taxes and General Tax Counsel – Lockheed Martin Corporation)
Sarah Choi (Associate General Counsel – NY Life Insurance Company)
Panelists shared what drew them into their respective fields, interview tips and advice to be resourceful, self-starting junior associates. The main takeaways include: tax law touches a wide range of fields, panelists highly encourage gaining some understanding of tax law or accounting and be proactive as a junior associate by asking questions and picking up additional assignments. The event concluded with a Q&A and light mingling among panelists and students.
Students interested in gaining experience in tax law should check out the externship program at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Students should apply to the Tax Division. Assignments may include legal research, writing pleadings, trial preparation, observing trials and other court proceedings. Interested students can learn more about the program here.
AABANY thanks the Student Outreach Committee, Tax Law Committee and SOC Co-Chair William Lee (Associate, Mayer Brown LLP) for organizing the event.
Special thank you to our sponsors, Mayer Brown LLP and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
To learn more about the Tax Committee, click here. To learn more about the SOC, click here. To learn more about upcoming AABANY events, click here.
On Monday, April 24, 2023, Co-Vice Presidents of Programs & Operations, Beatrice Leong and Jeffrey Mok, along with President Karen Kim and Executive Director Yang Chen held a Kick-Off Meeting and Orientation for the Fiscal Year 2024 Co-Chairs. The meeting was held at Alston & Bird near Grand Central. Thanks to Board Director and Bankruptcy Committee Co-Chair Will Hao, Counsel at Alston, for hosting.
This year’s class of Co-Chairs was appointed by President Karen Kim at the start of the fiscal year in April. All Co-Chairs serve for a one-year term co-terminous with Karen’s term as President during the fiscal year which ends on March 31, 2024.
Co-Chairs and Vice Chairs representing 25 out of 27 Committees were present, and the new Co-Chairs received orientation about AABANY’s protocols and goals. The returning Co-Chairs received a refresher.
After the Orientation meeting, everyone walked over to Stout Grand Central for an afterparty where Committee Co-Chairs were able to meet each other and mingle over oysters, tacos, and baos, along with drinks from the well-stocked bar.
We look forward to another productive year of AABANY programs and events brought by our hard working Committees. To see the current list of Committees and Co-Chairs, please click here. If you want to get involved with one or more Committees, email us at [email protected] and we can connect you.
