Tag: legal profession

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NAPABA President A.B. Cruz III Testifies before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property on the Importance of a Diverse Federal Judiciary

For Immediate Release: 
Date: July 12, 2021

Contact: Edgar Chen, Policy Director

Click here for Testimony.

WASHINGTON – This morning, NAPABA President A.B. Cruz III testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property at a hearing entitled, “The Importance of a Diverse Federal Judiciary, Part 2: The Selection and Confirmation Process.” President Cruz’s testimony on behalf of NAPABA highlighted the challenges that Asian Pacific American attorneys often encounter as they attempt to advance in the legal profession. According to the 2017 landmark study “A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law” (“Portrait Project”) published jointly by NAPABA and Yale Law School, the most often cited issues are lack of mentorship and role models, lack of leadership training, and work going unrecognized. President Cruz’s testimony also drew on the Portrait Projects finding that the selection process for clerkships or law firm promotion – often a prerequisite for judicial consideration, involves not only measures of objective criteria but also access to mentorship and subjective criteria which are often amorphous factors that decision makers rely on to determine whom they regard as their proteges. President Cruz was joined on the panel by his Coalition of Bar Associations of Color (CBAC) colleague and Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) President Elia Diaz Yeager.

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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 APA 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..

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AABANY Fall Conference: APA Women in the Legal Profession Panel

“Stronger Together: APA Women in the Legal Profession – Strategies to Support, Lead, and Advance” was one of the many panels presented at AABANY’s Fall Conference this year. Held on Saturday, September 26 from 10:45 am to 12:15 pm, the panelists consisted of:

Moderators:

  • Connie Montoya, Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson
  • Sandra Yamate, CEO, Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession

Speakers:

  • Anna Mercado Clark, Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
  • Judy Lam, Partner, Maynard Cooper & Gale
  • Honorable Grace E. Lee, Administrative Law Judge, State of New York
  • Sandra Leung, General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
  • Sapna Palla, Partner, Wiggin and Dana

The panel was not recorded to create a safe environment for panelists as well as listeners so that there could be a candid conversation about race and the experiences APA women have had to face throughout their legal careers.

The panel started off with discussing the challenges and barriers of being an APA woman in the legal profession. Shared experiences among the panelists were that they were often overlooked in the courtroom, being perceived and mistaken as the court interpreter or court reporter rather than as the lawyer or judge. Even when they were correctly perceived as the lawyer, the panelists were still treated differently compared to their white male counterparts. In response to these challenges, the panelists discussed how it was okay to feel uncomfortable about these topics and it is important to focus on the microaggressions. If people are more vocal about the uncomfortable situations and share their experiences with the community, it creates a greater ability to mobilize and create change.

The panelists stressed the importance of seeing more APA women in higher positions and one way of achieving that is through having role models and mentors for rising APA lawyers. Current AABANY President, Sapna Palla, highlighted the AABANY Leadership Development Program which has been successful in teaching participants the skills to advance into executive positions, and she hopes to see more programs that do the same.

The panel ended with each panelist going over one action item they were willing to commit to within the next year that will help support and advance APA women in the legal profession. The general consensus among the panelists was to start a mentoring circle. Not only do the panelists want to be an available resource for people who come up to them and have questions, but also they want to be active in following up with mentees and seeking feedback from them.

The panelists also vow to use their positions as a platform to continue this dialogue. Advancing APA women in the legal profession is an ongoing conversation and hopefully, listeners of the panel are inspired to continue the dialogue with their friends, peers, and colleagues.

Thank you to the panelists, Anna Mercado Clark, Judy Lam, Honorable Grace E. Lee, Sandra Leung, and Sapna Palla, and moderators, Connie Montoya and Sandra Yamate for sharing their experiences and leading an important discussion about supporting APA women in the legal profession.

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2018 NAPABA Leadership Advancement Program

There are only 13 days remaining to apply for the inaugural Leadership Advancement Program. This is a year-long program to develop mid-career Asian Pacific American attorneys’ leadership skills, while providing an opportunity to foster genuine relationships with peers within the profession, especially between in-house counsel (IHC) and law firm attorneys. This year, the program will be held in San Francisco, in partnership with the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA Bay Area). The program will commence with a weekend of teambuilding and leadership training in San Francisco, from Friday, Sept. 21, through midday Sunday, Sept. 23. The first day will consist of leadership assessments and team building. The second day will be led by Ascend, the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America, which will include training on how to obtain senior leadership positions in corporations and law firms and how to transcend the unique hurdles facing Asian Pacific Americans. The last half-day is devoted to launching team-based community projects that will allow participants to forge meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships.

Applications will be accepted through July 31.

Proposed Schedule

  • Friday, Sept. 21 | Leadership Assessment and Team Building: The program will consist of leadership exercises, assessments, and team-building.
  • Saturday, Sept. 22 | Ascend Leadership Training: Ascend will lead a program focused on corporations and law firms to help attorneys achieve the highest level of leadership and success in those organizations.
  • Sunday, Sept. 23 | Community Project (Half-day): Participants will design a community project that will encourage team-building and leadership development throughout the year.

Enrollment
Enrollment in the program is limited to 24 participants, with an even balance between IHC and law firm attorneys. All NAPABA members are encouraged to apply, although the selection committee will focus on the following criteria this year:

  • Law firm candidates: this year’s program will prefer candidates with between six and 10 years of experience
  • In-house candidates: preference for a minimum of three to four years of IHC experience, with six to 10 years of overall practice experience

NAPABA and AABA Bay Area will provide the trainers, program materials, venue, and in-program meals. If accepted, attendees will be expected to commit $100 as a program fee and provide their own travel to San Francisco and accommodations, if required.

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NAPABA Names Goodwin Liu as Its 2017 NAPABA President’s Award Recipient

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the 2017 NAPABA President’s Award to Goodwin Liu, associate justice of the California Supreme Court. The NAPABA President’s Award is given to NAPABA members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to NAPABA, the legal community, and the greater Asian Pacific American community.

The 2017 NAPABA President’s Award will be presented at the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 3, 2017.

“Justice Liu has been an exemplary leader in the legal profession and in the Asian Pacific American community,” said NAPABA President Cyndie M. Chang. “In addition to his frequent engagement with Asian Pacific American lawyers and law students throughout the country, Justice Liu’s recent publication, ‘A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law,’ has been a game-changer for awareness within and beyond our community of the successes and ongoing challenges that Asian Pacific Americans have experienced in the legal profession.”

The Portrait Project — a two-year study — revealed that Asian Pacific American lawyers have increased in number from 10,000 in 1990 to over 50,000 today, but they face challenges reaching the top ranks of the profession. For example, although Asian Pacific Americans are the largest minority group in big law firms, they have the highest attrition rates and the lowest ratio of partners to associates.

The son of Taiwanese immigrants and the first in his family to become a lawyer, Justice Liu was appointed to the California Supreme Court in 2011. He was previously a law professor and associate dean at the UC Berkeley School of Law. An influential scholar and acclaimed teacher, he received UC Berkeley’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2009. He clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge David Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He has also worked as special assistant to the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, as a litigation associate at O’Melveny & Myers in Washington, D.C., and as senior program officer for higher education at the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps).

Justice Liu serves on the Council of the American Law Institute; the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science, Technology, and Law; and the board of directors of the James Irvine Foundation. He has previously served on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and the governing boards of the American Constitution Society, National Women’s Law Center, and Public Welfare Foundation.

NAPABA congratulates Justice Goodwin Liu as the 2017 NAPABA President’s Award recipient.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

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 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 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, visitwww.napaba.org, like us onFacebook, and follow us on Twitter(@NAPABA).

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XEROX CORPORATION GENERAL COUNSEL AND ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DON LIU TO RECEIVE TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE             

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director (718) 228-7206

NEW YORK – June 5, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Don Liu, General Counsel & Secretary of Xerox Corporation and a member of AABANY’s Advisory Committee, has been awarded the Roderick Palmore Pathmaker Award by InsideCounsel magazine as part of its Fifth Annual Transformative Leadership Awards.  Mr. Liu and his fellow Transformative Leadership Award winners will be honored at a gala dinner on September 17, 2014 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC.

Selected for their commitment to their efforts in accelerating the economic empowerment of women within corporate law departments and law firms, the recipients of Inside Counsel’s Transformative Leadership Awards are general counsels or chief legal officers of their organizations chosen by a group of general counsels and partners respectively from top companies and law firms. InsideCounsel is a unique media outlet for news and business insights dedicated to the interests of general counsel and other top in-house legal professionals since its founding in 1991.

“AABANY applauds InsideCounsel in recognizing Don Liu with the Roderick Palmore Pathmaker Award for his efforts in promoting the advancement of women in the legal profession,” said AABANY President Clara Ohr.  “This latest award adds to an impressive list of honors reflecting Don Liu’s prioritization of diversity as a core value in his own career, the legal departments he oversees, and the law firms he engages.”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.

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 the 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

Follow our blog at www.blog.aabany.org

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aabany

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aabany

Find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/aabany

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PRESS RELEASE: Xerox General Counsel and New York Asian Bar Association Advisory Committee Member Don Liu to Receive ‘Legend of Law’ Library of Congress Burton Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 7,2014                            Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director (718) 228-7206  

XEROX CORPORATION GENERAL COUNSEL AND ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DON LIU TO RECEIVE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS “LEGEND OF LAW” BURTON AWARD

NEW YORK – May 7, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Don Liu, General Counsel & Secretary of Xerox Corporation and a member of AABANY’s Advisory Committee, has been named one of the “Legends in Law” by the Burton Awards Program in association with the Library of Congress.

Nominated by Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Don Liu was chosen among the general counsels nominated by managing partners of the nation’s 1,000 largest law firms. The winners are selected based on their reputation in the legal profession, demonstrated competence in a specialized area of law, extensive background and experience, complexity and scope of matters handled, success in global or national issues, and exemplary leadership in law. The Burton Awards were established in 1999 by the Burton Foundation, a non-profit academic effort devoted to recognizing excellence in the legal profession.

“AABANY congratulates Don Liu for this latest prestigious honor recognizing his exceptional legal career,” said AABANY President Clara Ohr.  “As one of the numerous beneficiaries of Don’s tireless efforts to champion diversity and inclusion through his guidance, individual mentoring, and raising mainstream awareness, AABANY is pleased but not at all surprised the Burton Foundation has selected him as a ‘Legend in Law.’”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.

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 the 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

Follow our blog at www.blog.aabany.org

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aabany

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aabany

Find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/aabany

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News from NAPABA: 25th Annual Convention Follow-up

Thank you to everyone who attended 25th Annual NAPABA Convention in Kansas City, MO. Without sponsors and members like you, we could not continue to serve as the national voice for the Asian Pacific American (APA) legal profession and to promote justice, equity, and opportunity for the APA community. We truly appreciate your commitment to NAPABA and to diversity in the legal profession.

Please take a few moments to read these convention updates:

Survey: Your feedback is very important to us. Click here to take our convention survey and you may be eligible to receive an iPad mini!
CLE Credits: Click here to confirm your bar number, jurisdiction, sessions attended, and to download your certificate(s) of attendance. Please note that approval is still pending in New Hampshire and Virginia. Kansas attorneys must submit an affidavit to the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Commission. The form is available on our online CLE site. If you have any questions, please email mrobinson@napaba.org.
Attendee List: Click here for a list of the 2013 Convention attendees.
Photos: Conventions photos have been posted online on NAPABA’s Facebook Page.

I look forward to continuing our relationship as we plan our 26th Annual NAPABA Convention, which will be held on November 6-9, 2014, at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. Stay tuned for information about how you can get involved in the 2014 Annual Convention.

I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a very prosperous 2014!

Sincerely,

Tina Matsuoka
Executive Director

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