Tag: members

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AABANY Descends on Seattle for the NAPABA Convention

From Nov. 7 through 9, NAPABA held its National Convention in Seattle at the Hyatt Regency, for three days of programming, meetings, plenary sessions and the 36th Anniversary Gala capping things off on Saturday night.

AABANY members and friends once again came out in large numbers, with nearly 150 people signed up for AABANY’s WhatsApp group. The group’s members updated each other on programs they planned to attend, made lunch and dinner plans, and connected with each other about various receptions, parties and events around Seattle.

The AABANY Trial Reenactment Team presented its latest production, “AAPIs and Education: Tape v. Hurley and Gong Lum v. Rice” on Friday afternoon, Nov. 8, to a capacity audience. The program told the stories of Mamie Tape and Martha Lum and their efforts to fight discrimination in public education, through narration, reenactment of court proceedings and historic photographs. This was the sixteenth in a series of historic reenactments presented by the Asian American Bar Association of New York. For more information about AABANY’s trial reenactments, visit reenactments.aabany.org. 

We congratulate all the awardees and honorees recognized at the Convention, with special shout-outs to the following AABANY member honorees:

We also congratulate Sapna Palla, past AABANY President, and Anushree Bagrodia, current Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee, for joining the NAPABA Board as At-Large Members!

Thanks to all the outgoing NAPABA Board members for their service, and congratulations to AABANY member and past Board officer, Anna Mercado Clark, on her highly successful year as President.

We congratulate Muhammad Faridi, AABANY Member and President of the New York City Bar Association, on receiving the Pro Bono Service Award.

Thanks and congratulations to the many AABANY members who organized a panel or spoke at one. We know that it is not easy to get a program selected for the NAPABA Convention and that much hard work goes into putting on a quality program for the many attendees who come from across the continent to learn from you all. Please send us your photos and, if possible, a short recap about your program. You can send it to [email protected].

Many bonds were made and strengthened among AABANY attendees over the course of the Convention, and many new connections were made with the approximately 3400 registered attendees from across North America. Judging by many social media posts from those who attended, a great time was had by all. We hope everyone got back to New York City safe and sound, and we are looking forward to another inspiring NAPABA Convention when it moves to Denver, Colorado, Nov. 6-9, 2025.

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Join Us in a City Near You

The NAPABA Meet & Greet Series, designed to foster connections within the NAPABA community and nurture meaningful relationships, is an excellent opportunity for our members in cities across the country to network and engage with one another and NAPABA leadership. Visit our events page and mark your calendars for these upcoming dates! 

Philadelphia, PA
July 11 | 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Toronto, ON, CA
July 11 | 6:30-7:30 pm
Fasken

Chicago, IL
August 2 | 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Perkins Coie LLP

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AABANY Marches in the Third Annual AAPI Cultural and Heritage Month Parade in Midtown Manhattan


Photo credit: AABANY

On Sunday, May 19th, 2024, AABANY members and friends marched together in the Third Annual AAPI Cultural and Heritage Parade in Midtown Manhattan.

Around noon, our group gathered on West 44th Street and Sixth Ave at a designated meeting spot to line up for the parade. As everyone was arriving, the street filled with people anticipating the start of the procession, many practicing their dances, taking pictures with their groups, and enjoying conversation with the organizations around them.


Photo credit: Nandar Win Kerr

As we did in last year’s parade, we wore matching red t-shirts, the front showcasing the AABANY logo and the back printed with a large QR-code that directs onlookers to the AABANY Pro Bono website. To attract more attention, AABANY President Joseph Eng, along with his son Max and friend Alfred Kurtz, brought a Chinese lion head and a drum to perform a traditional Chinese Lion Dance during the parade. While waiting for the parade to begin, other marchers took pictures with the lion and enjoyed the music and dance as Joe, Max, and Alfred practiced for their performance. They also taught any willing members of our group how to do a lion dance and play the drums.


Photo credit: AABANY

Around 1:00 pm, we saw the floats in the front begin to move, excitement rising as our time to take the street drew near. Once we reached the entry point on Sixth Avenue, the drum was beating and the sun was shining, making it the perfect time to walk along the avenue with pride. Those who were shown how to perform the lion dance took turns with Joe and Alfred to operate the lion costume. Others helped Max keep the drum beat as our group marched. Everyone was enjoying the 10-block march, especially as we got to see the performances of other groups and the costumes they dressed up in, including an eye-catching panda suit.


Photo credit: AABANY

After the parade, several of the participants enjoyed a family-style lunch at Tang Pavilion. The wait for the parade to start, followed by the march, especially for the lion dancers, took more energy out of us than expected, and the delicious meal at Tang Pavilion hit the spot.


Photo credit: AABANY

Thank you to the AABANY members and friends who celebrated AAPI Heritage Month by marching with us in this parade! For more photos and videos of our  group at the event, check out the album here.

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Labor & Employment Law Committee Co-Sponsors AAPI Heritage Month Program on Asian Entrepreneurs Sharing Their Roots to Success

On May 14, 2024, AABANY’s Labor and Employment Law, Intellectual Property, and In-House Counsel Committees co-hosted a panel discussion entitled “Roots to Success: Navigating Commercial and Legal Terrain in Asian Small Business Ventures.”  The event was an opportunity for AABANY members to gather in celebration of May’s AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month.

The event featured panelists Rachna Shah, Founder and General Counsel of External General Counsel LLC, Ayan Sanyal, Co-Founder of Kolkata Chai, and Lingfei (Teddy) Wu, Founder and CEO of Anytime AI. The event was moderated by Anushree Bagrodia, Vice President of Legal Americas of Mastercard and Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee.

The panelists shared their unique personal journeys that led them to start their businesses. They discussed the challenges that they faced when starting and growing their businesses and how they overcame these challenges, including how they navigate the legal issues that their businesses encounter. To tie the event back to AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month, the panelists also shared the importance of embracing and celebrating their Asian heritage and supporting other Asian entrepreneurs and Asian owned businesses. We thank our distinguished panelists and moderator for sharing their time, perspectives, and insights. We also thank Littler Mendelson. P.C. for hosting the event at their New York City office.

To learn more about the Labor & Employment Law Committee please click here. To learn more about the Intellectual Property Committee please click here. To learn more about the In-House Counsel Committee please click here.

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The In-House Counsel Committee Hosts a Dinner at Sagaponack

On April 23, 2024, the AABANY In-House Counsel Committee held its first dinner of the fiscal year at Sagaponack in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood. Committee members gathered to enjoy a family-style seafood dinner while getting to know new and old faces in their field. 

As the appetizers rolled in, Committee Co-Chair Kazuko Wachter began the dinner with introductions, which was followed by a table full of conversations about individual experiences working in-house and their lives outside the office. Aimed at senior in-house counsel attorneys, this dinner featured members with long-term experience in their respective companies, many of whom work in the Fintech industry. With ten people in attendance, the dinner encouraged close and personal discussions among the attendees. From talking about their busy work days to sharing their favorite K-Dramas, the event was a chance for the members to get to know each other and hopefully stay connected. 

The Committee hopes its members will use these dinners to create relationships and expand their network with attorneys who share similar interests and experiences working in-house. For more information about the In-House Counsel Committee, visit their page here.

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AABANY IP Committee Hosts Dinner at Barn Joo Nomad

On July 19, 2022, the IP Committee gathered at Barn Joo Nomad near Koreatown in a cozy, private second-floor dining area. Dishes were ordered family-style, and a seemingly endless stream of food accompanied lively conversations throughout the night. Featured delicacies included Braised Pork Belly, Seafood Krispy Paella, Nomad Bite, and many more. New connections were formed among the diverse group of attendees, which included law firm attorneys, in-house counsel, and students. Over dishes of Silky Tofu and Chili Shrimp, the lively conversations ranged from Post-Grant Reviews (PGR) and International Trade Commission (ITC) Patent Litigation to important considerations when choosing a law school and firm. Thanks to everyone who attended.

Please sign up for the IP Committee mailing list, and look out for the committee’s next event! To learn more about the IP Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/145.

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AABANY’s IP Committee Hosts Dinner at Sabai Thai

On June 8, 2022, the IP Committee convened at Sabai Thai in Midtown under a beautiful canopy of flowers and fairy lights. Congee artisan, lifelong Toronto Blue Jays fan and Co-Chair of the IP Committee Jeffrey Mok graciously ordered family-style dishes for everyone to share, featuring delicacies such as Thai-Style Sea Bass, Crying Tiger Beef, and many more. New connections were formed among the diverse group of attendees, which included law firm attorneys, in-house counsel, and students. Over dishes of Pad Thai Gai Yang and Yum Mamaung, the lively conversations ranged from Broadway show recommendations (Co-Chair Benjamin Hsing – a Broadway and opera aficionado – recommends “Hamilton” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and new Return to Office (RTO) policies to stories about career paths and side hustles. For example, did you know that Co-Chair Greg Pan designs and sells toys?

Thanks to everyone who attended the first IP Committee dinner of the fiscal year. There will surely be many more to come. Please sign up for the IP Committee mailing list and look out for the committee’s next event! To learn more about the IP Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/145.

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AABANY Holds its First “Restaurant Series” Event

On Friday, March 18, AABANY held its first gathering in their Restaurant Series, where AABANY members and friends gather together at Asian-owned eateries to network and support the community. 

14 People came to Hop Lee, a Chinatown institution. The attendees had a traditional 8 Course Cantonese dinner. After dinner, some members went to Chinatown Ice Cream Factory for dessert. (Fun fact: Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is owned by an AABANY member, Christina Seid, who is a 1L Law student at Touro.) 

Please review our weekly announcements for upcoming restaurant dates, where AABANY will be traveling all over NYC and trying out different cuisines for businesses that were affected by COVID.

Next in the series is a visit to Nowon in the East Village on March 31. For details, see https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1624192.

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Congratulations to AABANY Members Listed in the New York Metro Edition of 2021 Super Lawyers

AABANY congratulates the AABANY members who have been named Super Lawyers in the New York Metro 2021 edition. Super Lawyers are selected through a rigorous selection process that includes being nominated by their peers, evaluated by third-party research in 12 key categories, and reviewed by a Blue Ribbon Panel of attorneys. Only 5 percent of attorneys are selected. 

Please join us in congratulating the following AABANY members on being named to the 2021 Super Lawyers list: 

  • Joanna Chan
  • Loyti Cheng 
  • Eugene Chang
  • David Choi  
  • Elliot Choi
  • Blaise Chow
  • Anna Mercado Clark
  • Kenneth W. Eng 
  • Anthony K.C. Fong 
  • Zheng Gao
  • Flora Go 
  • Lawrence S. Han
  • Annie Huang
  • Eric Kang 
  • Albert Kim 
  • David K.S. Kim
  • Kenneth Chin
  • Steven J. Lee
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Tao Li 
  • Ge Li 
  • Lisa S. Lim
  • James Lo 
  • Tiffany Ma
  • Jay Min
  • Ran Mukherjee
  • Alysha M. Naik
  • William H. Ng
  • Simone Park
  • Sun Ah Park 
  • Zixian Qi
  • Yu Tian 
  • Gloria Tsui-Yip 
  • Katie Wang
  • Karen Wu
  • Stacy Wu
  • Ruofei Xiang 
  • Melissa Yang
  • Si Yang 
  • S. Yan Sin 
  • Stephenie Yeh
  • Michelle Yeung
  • Tsui H. Yee
  • Honghui Yu 
  • Xintong Zhang
  • Shan Zu

Are you an AABANY member who made the Super Lawyers 2021 list but not shown above? If so, please pardon the omission, and let us know so that we can update the list with your name. Contact [email protected]

To see the 2021 Super Lawyers New York Metro Edition, click on the image above.

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AABANY IP Committee Hosts Dinner at Mama Fina’s

On October 27, the IP Committee held a group dinner at the Filipino restaurant Mama Fina’s in the East Village.  For a number of attendees, it was their first in-person group activity since the beginning of the pandemic.  Many delicious Filipino dishes, like Kare-Kare, Crispy Pata, Squid Sisig, were enjoyed while attendees connected with old and new IP Committee members.  Attendees included students, law firm practitioners, and in-house counsel.  Thanks to everyone who attended.  Look out for more group dinners and other events from the IP Committee throughout the year.  New members always welcome.

To learn more about the IP Committee and to get involved, please go to https://www.aabany.org/page/145

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