AABANY congratulates Hon. Shahabuddeen A. Ally on his recent appointment as Administrative Judge of the New York City Civil Court, overseeing operations across all five boroughs. This important role highlights Judge Ally’s dedication to justice, fairness, and his strong leadership within New York’s legal community. AABANY is proud to count such an illustrious jurist among our membership.
Appointed by Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas, Judge Ally brings extensive experience and a fresh perspective to the position. As the first person of South Asian descent and the first Muslim male to serve in this role, his appointment is a significant step forward in promoting diversity within the judicial system. His appointment takes effect on Jan. 2, 2025.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Judge Ally shared: “Serving as the court’s Administrative Judge, with the opportunity to guide it in its mission to meet the peoples’ needs, is truly an honor and a privilege.”
To read the full article in the New York Law Journal, click here.
Thank you to all who joined the Professional Development Committee for the soft-launch of AABANY’s Wellness Podcast, “Hello… It’s Me!,” on August 22, 2024. The podcast promotes personal and collective well-being within the legal community and will feature an AABANY member during each episode. Through storytelling, the aim is to emphasize the ABA’s multi-dimensional approach to lawyer well-being, focusing on mental health, emotional well-being, and self-care. By doing so, the Committee is working to remove the stigma around mental health and help our members embrace their true and authentic selves.
At the soft-launch, Willow Liu, Esq., a steadfast member of the Professional Development Committee and podcast team, moderated the event. The hosts and interviewers, Maggie Poon and Ona Lu, Vice-Chairs of the Professional Development Committee, shared their insights on conducting engaging and open conversations. The event’s special guest, Celina Lee, a former big law attorney turned career coach, author, and host of the “Live Your Dream” podcast, provided deep insights during her interview. A 13-minute podcast clip was presented featuring Celina Lee, who discussed how she focused her goals so that they would align with her values, and enable her to live her dreams. Celina’s advice was that “there’s no one path to create a fulfilling life,” which resonated with the audience and served as a powerful reminder to stay curious.
The thought-provoking questions from our attendees were much appreciated, and the Professional Development Committee eagerly anticipates hearing more feedback from future participants! If you’re interested in contributing to this podcast, please get in touch with [email protected].
You can listen to the podcast on the following platforms:
AABANY Blog Page: https://blog.aabany.org/podcast/, which contains both “Hello…It’s Me” and our prior podcast series, “The Whole Lawyer Project.”
Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hello-its-me/id1764135581
As we bid farewell to the 2023 NAPABA Convention, we want to express our deepest gratitude to each one of you who contributed to making this event a resounding success. We welcomed nearly 2,100 attendees to Indianapolis, with nearly 700 first time Convention attendees! Your presence, engagement, and enthusiasm truly made a lasting impact.
Throughout the Convention, we witnessed the power of unity, collaboration, and the collective spirit of NAPABA. The networking, mentorship, knowledge exchange, and most importantly, the power of showing up, were all on display in real-time as we build a stronger, more connected community.
The plenary luncheons were nothing short of inspiring, featuring compelling discussions and insights from distinguished thought leaders who are not just experts from our AANHPI community, but national figures on these important issues. The session on the rights of transgender athletes provided a platform for not only understanding some of the legal complexities, but also emphasizing the humanity behind the legality. The session on law school campus discourse revealed the challenges, opportunities, and constant efforts to create inclusive and diverse environments within legal education, and could not have come at a more critical time.
At the President’s and Trailblazer Awards Reception, we honored the late David Kim and recognized six prominent and incredible trailblazers who have paved the way for others and advanced opportunities for AANHPIs at the national level.
Lastly, the Convention ended on a high note with an unforgettable celebration of our diverse community and shared achievements. At the 35th Anniversary Gala, emceed by actor, author, and activist Maulik Pancholy—who grew up in Indiana—the program kicked off with a musical procession to celebrate Diwali, where attendees were treated to an energetic Dhol performance. We came together to recognize accomplishments, forge new connections, and revel in the strength of our community. We welcomed the new Board of Governors and were privileged to hear from the extraordinary Mia Yamamoto on the importance of focused engagement. And while the Convention has wrapped up, our engagement with the communities of Indiana that have been so welcoming to NAPABA continues.
Thank you for being an integral part of the 2023 NAPABA Convention. We hope that you left the Convention with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. Your energy, passion, and commitment are what make our community so vibrant. And thank you to all the CLE program chairs, speakers, and Committee and Network chairs for leading informative and educational programming that ensures NAPABA members are on the cutting edge of legal developments across the country. We look forward to connecting with you in the coming year through our various programs and hope to see you in Seattle in 2024.
NAPABA is proud to announce the 2023-24 Board of Governors—comprised of officers, directors, regional governors, and at-large board members—who will be sworn in during the 2023 NAPABA Convention in Indianapolis.
NAPABA’s strength comes from the many volunteers who hold leadership positions across our diverse membership. From our national Board of Governors to our local affiliate leaders. From our substantive committee and affinity network chairs to the chairs of our professional development programs. NAPABA is driven by the expertise, energy, and commitment of our membership.
Congratulations to our newly elected and appointed Board members! And thank you to the countless volunteers for their leadership, service, and dedication to building a stronger AANHPI legal community.
NAPABA is committed to providing opportunities for our members to serve. If you are interested in learning more about how you can make a difference within NAPABA and the larger AANHPI community, please contact Priya Purandare.
