Tag: matrimonial

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the June 18th, 2025 Pro Bono Clinic in Manhattan

AABANY extends our sincerest gratitude to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and all of our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic on June 18th, 2025. 

During the clinic, our volunteers met with clients addressing issues ranging from housing, real property, financial, family and matrimonial matters. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated exceptional expertise in addressing client concerns, answering legal questions, and connecting them with legal resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

College and law student volunteers gained valuable hands-on experience that deepened their understanding of the unique legal challenges faced by underserved individuals in the Asian American and Pacific Islander  community. By shadowing the volunteer attorneys, the student volunteers assisted with client intake and helped translate the consultations. A frequent issue clients faced at this clinic were overdue rent and unexpected payment notices. Due to the linguistic barriers that many clients faced, they often struggled to understand their rights, which led to ineffective communication with landlords and housing authorities. This confusion contributed to heightened stress about their circumstances. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters played a crucial role in clarifying legal obligations and guiding clients through potential future steps. 

We are dedicated to providing services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure support for individuals who may struggle to obtain quality legal services due to linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance concerning substantive laws and procedural issues.

Thank you again to all of our volunteers at the June 18 Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys

Justin Lee 
Beatrice Leong 
Lily Li
Bich-Nga Nguyen 
Cynthia Park 
Tammy Tran 
Mike Tse
Chenyi Wang
May Wong
Gary Yeung 
Jungeun “Evelyn” Yu 
Francis Chin

Interpreters/Shadowers

Sisu Chou
Katelyn Hai 
Emily Kam 
Nandar Win Kerr
Nikita Kohli
Emily Lai
Nasirn (Nienyin) Lin 
Carrie Nie 
Christine Shea 
Tianyuan Shu 
Tammy Tam
Albert Tong 
Shang Zhai
Kenny Ip

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:

July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30-2:30 pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232 

July 16 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30-8:30 pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 

August 6th [Queens link here] from 6:30-8:30 pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355 

Thank you once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to pro bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! 

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit  probono.aabany.org.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the June 4th Pro Bono Clinic in Queens

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Queens on June 4, 2025. Thanks to your support, our team of volunteers was able to meet with 15 clients and provide assistance on a range of legal issues, including housing and real property, consumer debt, family and matrimonial matters, and civil litigation.

Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated great care and expertise in addressing the concerns of our clients. They offered clear explanations and effectively connected individuals with appropriate legal resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We remain dedicated to providing services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure we can continue to support individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking legal guidance.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of our volunteer attorneys at the June 4th Queens Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Wendy (Wen-Hsien) Cheng
Kevin Hsi
Richard In
David Mou
Johnny Thach
May Wong
Gary Yeung
Jungeun Yu
Meng Zhang
Interpreters/Shadowers
Nikita Kohli
Emily Lai
Christine Shea
Albert Tong

We invite you to join us for our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Thank you once again for your commitment to pro bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! 

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit  probono.aabany.org.

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ADR Committee Presents CLE Program on Mental Health and Divorce Disputes: Integrating Litigation and Mediation

On January 22, 2025, the AABANY Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee held a CLE event at the Yoo Law Group’s NY office. The session was moderated by Rachel J. Yoo, Co-Chair of the ADR Committee.

The event featured four highly respected professionals, including matrimonial lawyers, mediators, and psychologists, who are experienced in the intersection of mental health and family disputes. 

Speakers:

  • Jihee Cho, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Mind in Motion Psychological Services
  • Beatrice Leong, Esq, Partner, Law Office of Beatrice Leong
  • Megan Rha, Esq, Partner, Rha Kim Grossman & McIlwain, LLP
  • Talaiya Safdar, Esq & Mediator, Safdar Law & Mediation Group, P.C.

Historically, mental health factors have often been overlooked in family and matrimonial disputes. This CLE program, offering 1.0 credits in the Areas of Professional Practice category, explored how recognizing and addressing these issues can foster more effective, compassionate, and lasting resolutions.

One of the speakers, Dr. Jihee Cho, co-founder of Mind in Motion Psychological Services, shared her expertise on the impact of emotional-regulating disorders in decision-making during disputes. She also provided insights into strategies for helping parties move forward in such challenging situations.

Thanks to the panelists for a timely and insightful presentation, and thanks to all the attendees. To learn more about the ADR Committee, click here. 

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the November 9th Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn!

On Saturday, November 9th, AABANY members had the opportunity to volunteer at AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic, hosted by the Chinese-American Planning Council. The Clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, staffed by a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers, offering free thirty-minute legal consultations for community members facing pressing legal challenges. The volunteers met with 17 clients, who had questions about torts, family, matrimonial, and immigration issues.

As usual, the Clinic facilitated a positive and supportive environment; each client was paired with an attorney, who thoughtfully listened to and addressed their legal concerns. Shadowers observed the attorneys in action, taking notes and learning from these real-world interactions. Language interpreters were also available, ensuring that there were no language barriers between clients and attorneys. This collaboration reflected the Clinic’s commitment to community engagement and empowerment.

Thank you again to our volunteer attorneys: 

Volunteer Attorneys
Anna Chen
Jieman Tan
Gary Yeung
May Wong
Interpreters & Shadowers
Jaymark Hawlader
Junjie Wang
Nandar Win Kerr
Wendy Zeng

If you’re interested in making a difference in the community through future Pro Bono Clinics, we invite you to join us at the following upcoming events:

  • Wednesday, December 4, 2024 [register here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
  • Saturday, January 11, 2025 [register here], from 12:00 – 2:30pm, Tentative Location – CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232 

We hope to see you there!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

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AABANY Real Estate Committee Holds CLE Program on Matrimonial and Domestic Relations in Real Estate

On June 22, 2023, AABANY’s Real Estate Committee organized a highly informative CLE program over Zoom, entitled “Matrimonial & Domestic Relations in Real Estate,” featuring speakers Margaret T. Ling from Amtrust Title Insurance Company and Jackie Harounian from Wissleman, Harounian, & Associates. The program sought to shed light on the complex dynamics surrounding real estate disputes in cases of matrimonial and domestic relations. Wendy Yu from Yu Law, P.C. served as moderator.

Magaret T. Ling commenced the session by sharing various scenarios and real-life cases of divorced couples who found themselves entangled in real estate disputes. Following Margaret’s remarks, Jackie Harounian offered insights into the key considerations individuals should keep in mind when navigating the intersection of divorce and real estate. She emphasized the critical role of prenuptial agreements in establishing clear guidelines and protecting both parties’ rights. The presentation served as a valuable opportunity for attendees to gain a better understanding and foundation regarding proactive measures required in matrimonial and domestic relations when real estate is involved.

AABANY thanks Flushing Bank, Wissleman, Harounian, & Associates, Amtrust Title Insurance Company, and Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York for co-sponsoring this event. We also thank Margaret T. Ling and Jackie Harounian for sharing their expertise. Thanks to all the attendees for taking time out of their day to learn and support.

To learn more about the Real Estate Committee and how you can get involved, click here.

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Thank You to our Volunteers at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic in January

Thank you AABANY, VNS Chinatown Community Center, and our dedicated volunteers for joining us on January 14, 2023 at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic. Shoutout to Gary Yeung, co-chair of the Mentorship Program, for coming out to our clinics twice in a row!!!

We met with 15 clients who had questions about tort, family law/matrimonial, and housing.

Reading through our client satisfaction surveys, these are the remarks from our clients:

“Just appreciate your advice and services.”

“Made me more comfortable about my situation.”

For all law students/law graduates who are seeking to complete the 50 pro bono hours requirement, remember to reach out to us to get more information about the process and what other projects we have on hand at probono@aabany.org.

Please vist the AABANY’s Calendar and sign up for a listing of events and sign up for upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

Saturday, March 4, Queens

Saturday, March 18, Manhattan

Saturday, April 8, Brooklyn

Volunteers:

Beatrice Leong
Eugene Kim
Francis Chin
Gary Yeung
Jackson Chin
Johnny Thach
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Tammy Tran
Theresa Yuan
Chenyun Ma*
Cindy Park*
Kirin Moy*
Sue Yu*
Tiancheng Lyu*
Yixuan Lian*
Yuichi Hayashi*
Yuwen Long*

*Non-attorneys

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