Tag: NAPABA

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NAPABA Names Sylvaine Wong as Its 2017 Military and Veteran Service Award Winner

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the inaugural 2017 NAPABA Military and Veteran Service Award to Commander Sylvaine W. Wong, deputy director of the United States Navy Office of the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, Military Manpower Division. The NAPABA Military and Veteran Service Award — a brand new award — seeks to recognize individuals within the Asian Pacific American legal community serving the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including Reserve and National Guard) as uniformed personnel or as civilians or as veterans of the Armed Forces whose outstanding achievements (1) greatly enhanced the mission of the Armed Forces; (2) contributed to the advancement of rights for service-members, their families, and/or veterans; or (3) furthered the administration of justice.

The 2017 NAPABA Military and Veteran Service Award will be presented at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala at the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Commander Wong’s military career has seen her traverse the globe from U.S. military bases to the Pentagon to deployments in support of the most historically significant combat operations over the last two decades. Her tireless dedication to advancing the principals of justice and the rule of law has left lasting impacts not only on the individual service members and their families she has represented, but also on policymaking and programmatic efforts at the national and international levels.

A few highlights of Commander Wong’s military career include:

  • Multiple deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, including to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and on board the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson;
  • Establishing one of the most robust and precedent-setting waterfront legal assistance programs to bring legal services directly on to the decks of combat ships;
  • Championing for the rights and advocacy on behalf of military sexual assault victims; and
  • Contributing to the repeal of the U.S. government’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on military service by homosexuals and bisexuals.

Upon moving to Washington, D.C., in 2007, Commander Wong became one of the JAG Corps’ subject matter experts on administrative law, specifically pertaining to personnel law and military rights and benefits. As part of the Department of the Navy’s Equal Opportunity program, Commander Wong reviewed hundreds of investigations by individual sailors for alleged violations of military regulations and statutory law, including congressional inquiries. Her review of the specific administration of the program for compliance with federal law also contributed to the Navy’s long-term preparations leading up to the 2011 repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in military service by homosexuals and bisexuals.

Commander Wong returned once again to Washington, D.C., in 2016 after a posting in Italy to serve as the deputy director for Recruiting and Diversity for the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Military Personnel Division). Currently, she is responsible for the policy development and execution oversight of the entire JAG Corps’ recruiting, accession, and retention mission. In addition to managing the recruiting program, which spans the over 200 American Bar Association-accredited law schools throughout the nation, she has reinvigorated the JAG Corps’ diversity and inclusion efforts, compelling new initiatives to bring diversity and inclusion into all aspects of career development and retention within the JAG Corps.

Among the efforts Commander Wong has spearheaded is the Diversity Liaison Program, empowering both junior and senior officers within the Navy JAG Corps to work substantively with national affinity bar associations and law student organizations to develop meaningful long-term partnerships. This program is designed to offer mentorship, resources, and subject matter expertise to the members of these various organizations while simultaneously promoting public service in the legal profession.

NAPABA congratulates Sylvaine W. Wong as the inaugural 2017 NAPABA Military and Veteran Service Award recipient.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 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 on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter(@NAPABA).

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So You Want to be a Prosecutor—Upholding Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work as prosecutor at the federal, state or local level? Do you have what it takes to be an elite trial lawyer or argue in front of Supreme Court Justices? Have you ever wanted to work at place where the job description is to pursue justice? Do you want to help keep your community safe? Do you want to be the voice for individuals who can’t speak for themselves? If your answer is “yes” to any of the questions above, join us for a candid discussion with prosecutors from around the country as they discuss their on the job experiences and share their secrets on how to put together a competitive resume and ace the interview process.

Informational session (elimination of bias credit pending in CA)

2017 NAPABA Convention
Friday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
Room: Supreme Court

Scheduling Interviews

To schedule interviews with individual offices, please click here. Interviews will be conducted on-site during the NAPABA Convention on Saturday, Nov. 4.

About the NAPABA Convention

The NAPABA Convention is an annual gathering of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and more than 80 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Join us as we celebrate our 29th Convention and convene over 2,000 attendees in Washington, D.C.!

Click here for more information about the Convention.

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NAPABA Announces Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area as Its 2017 Affiliate of the Year

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has selected the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA) as its 2017 Affiliate of the Year. This award recognizes outstanding NAPABA affiliates for their best practices and accomplishments in their respective communities. AABA is one of over 80 national, state, and local bar associations that are affiliated with NAPABA.

The presentation of the 2017 Affiliate of the Year Award will take place at the 29th Anniversary Gala during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Since its inception in 1976 in the San Francisco Bay Area as one of the nation’s first Asian American bar associations, AABA has stood up for justice by coming together as a community and mobilizing its members to defend the civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) and other minorities. In the early 1980’s, a group of AABA members, including NAPABA Trailblazers Dale Minami, Don Tamaki, and the Honorable Edward Chen, mobilized with others to overturn Fred Korematsu’s conviction. In 2017, AABA redoubled its efforts to protect the rights of APAs and other minorities.  The significant work AABA accomplished in 2017 includes, among others:

  • Leading an immigration and naturalization clinic for communities affected by the immigration Executive Order of early 2017, where AABA trained over 100 volunteers on immigration issues and served more than 50 clients in just a few hours;
  • Organizing semi-monthly pro bono legal clinics in Oakland and San Francisco, serving over 200 indigent clients, including many APA immigrants; and
  • Working directly with local and national leaders to urge a District Attorney to investigate the attack on Maan Singh Khalsa in Richmond, California as a hate crime; ultimately, two men were sentenced to three years in prison for felony assault and a hate crime.

Throughout 2017, AABA set out to inspire, equip, and mobilize its over 1,200 members to defend civil rights and to help its members advance to higher positions of influence and leadership within the profession. AABA accomplished this by organizing regular CLEs on hot topics and developing areas in the law, offering training on substantive legal and soft skills tailored for different sectors and career stages, and creating opportunities to actualize these skills through speaking engagements, referrals, clinics, and networking events.

NAPABA is pleased to present its 2017 Affiliate of the Year Award to the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and congratulates its leaders on a successful year serving their members and community.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555or 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 almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American 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, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Announces Nassiri & Jung LLP as its 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has named Nassiri & Jung LLP as its 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year. NAPABA created the Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award to recognize Asian Pacific American-owned law firms that have achieved prominence and distinction while maintaining the highest ethical and legal standards in the profession, and have demonstrated a strong commitment to the Asian Pacific American community. The Award also celebrates growing Asian Pacific American ownership and entrepreneurship in the legal marketplace.

The presentation of the 2017 Asian Pacific American-Owned Law Firm of the Year Award will take place at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Nassiri & Jung was founded in June 2006 by two friends — Kassra Nassiri and Charles Jung — focusing on sophisticated litigation as a small firm for both plaintiffs and defendants. On the plaintiff’s side, Nassiri & Jung has represented attorneys, executives, and classes of workers and consumers, earning several tens of millions of dollars at trial and through settlements. On the defense side, they have represented global companies such as eBay, Hitron Technologies, and Flextronics in multimillion dollar lawsuits.

Nassiri & Jung’s foundation has made it a priority to support pro bono direct legal services to their local and Asian Pacific American communities. Since 2013, they have supported public interest attorney scholarships to NAPABA and provide an annual scholarship to a public interest attorney through the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California. They also began a partnership with the Asian American Bar Association – Bay Area’s Law Foundation in 2015 and have awarded a total of $80,000 in grants to direct legal services providers. This year, the Jung Foundation donated $30,000 to the NAPABA Law Foundation to support an annual public interest scholarship.

With the spike of hate crimes and incidents in the days after the 2016 presidential election, some in their San Francisco-based community suspected that incidents against Asian Pacific American were underreported. After discussions with community members, Nassiri & Jung launched a website,www.standagainsthatred.org, to collect and report hate crimes and incidents against Asian Pacific Americans. The website gained attention after stories ran in the Huffington Post and NPR, and has since been donated to Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Advancing Justice who use it to track hate crimes nationally.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 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, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of BJay Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Byung J. “BJay” Pak to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Pak is the first Asian Pacific American to hold this position.

“We congratulate BJay Pak on his confirmation to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “A respected community leader and attorney, Mr. Pak’s confirmation is an inspiration for young Asian Pacific American attorneys across the country.”

A longtime member of the Asian Pacific American legal community, Pak has served on the board of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a NAPABA affiliate, and was a former chair of the NAPABA Government Enforcement and Compliance Committee. He has also spoken on legal education courses sponsored by NAPABA and is a recipient of the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award.

An experienced litigator and former prosecutor, Pak is currently a partner at Chambers Pak Burch & Adams LLC, where he focuses on complex litigation. Previously, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia for six years, a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP and Schiff Harding LLP, and an associate at Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Pak also served in the Georgia House or Representatives.

Pak clerked for Judge Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. He received his B.B.A. from Stetson University in 1995 and his J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Illinois College of Law in 1998.

NAPABA is proud to have supported Pak during his nomination and thanks President Trump for nominating him to the position.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 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, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of James C. Ho to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated James C. Ho to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. If confirmed, Ho would be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and would be the sixth active Asian Pacific American federal appellate judge in the nation.

“Jim is one of the foremost appellate litigators in the nation and we strongly support and applaud his nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Jim has been a leader in NAPABA for close to a decade. He is widely respected throughout the NAPABA membership and he is consulted by both sides of the aisle.”

NAPABA recommended Ho to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit earlier this year.

He is co-chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. He has presented over 45 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including 16 arguments before the Fifth Circuit. He has argued and won cases before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the entire Fifth Circuit en banc.

Ho has extensive experience in all three branches of government: as former chief counsel for Senator Cornyn, as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, he was the first Asian Pacific American ever appointed to serve as the solicitor general of Texas, the state’s chief appellate and Supreme Court litigator, responsible for defending the state’s most important programs and policies against legal attack.

Born in Taiwan, Ho arrived in the U.S. at the age of 1, and became a U.S. citizen at age 9. He is an active member of the Asian Pacific American community. He is co-chair of the NAPABA Judiciary & Executive Nominations & Appointments Committee, and he has written and spoken on a variety of occasions about the role of Asian Pacific Americans in the law. Ho has been recognized for his leadership and honored by organizations throughout the Asian Pacific American community, both nationally and in Texas, including the President’s Award from NAPABA, the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Asian Pacific American Leadership from the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, the Justice David Wellington Chew Award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Community Leader Award from the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the SMU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Ho has also received numerous other awards and recognitions, including the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service from the Secretary of Defense. He is a three-time recipient of the Supreme Court Best Brief Award from the National Association of Attorneys General. He has also been named as a leading appellate lawyer by Chambers, Benchmark, Law360, The Best Lawyers in America®, The Legal 500, Texas Super Lawyers, and D Magazine.

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Ho to the bench, and thanks Senators Cornyn and Cruz of Texas for recommending him to the White House. NAPABA also urges the Senate to quickly confirm Ho to the bench.

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, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA 2017 Officers Election Results

NAPABA congratulates the newly-elected officers of the NAPABA Board of Governors for the 2017-18 board year. They will be sworn into office at the 29th Anniversary Gala during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C.

The following individuals were elected by the NAPABA membership:

  • President-Elect | Daniel Sakaguchi
  • Vice President for Finance and Development | Courtney Fong
  • Vice President for Membership | Tacie H. Yoon
  • Vice President for Communications | Sun E. Choi
  • Vice President for Programs and Operations | Charles H. Jung
  • Treasurer | Eugene Kim
  • Secretary | Bonnie Lee Wolf

In addition to these newly-elected officers, Pankit J. Doshi will serve as President and Cyndie M. Chang will serve as Immediate Past President. Joining the officers on the NAPABA Board of Governors will be 10 regional governors and four at-large board members.

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NAPABA Names Jae Park as Its 2017 Pro Bono Award Winner

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to present the 2017 Pro Bono Award to Jae Park, senior managing associate, Dentons US LLP, in San Diego, California. The NAPABA Pro Bono Award recognizes attorneys for outstanding achievements in pro bono service that: 1) involved impact litigation to advance or protect civil rights, and 2) provided direct legal services to individuals in the furtherance of the administration of justice.

The 2017 Pro Bono Award will be presented at the NAPABA Anniversary Gala at the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2017.

Mr. Park began his legal career with a deep commitment and dedication to providing assistance to the underserved in his community by utilizing his skills and expertise as a lawyer. Over the course of his career, Mr. Park has amassed over 1,000 hours of pro bono service helping countless people and non-profits along the way.

Having spent much of his childhood moving from country-to-country — he was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived in Korea, Australia, and India before he and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 12 — Mr. Park empathized with the plight of refugees who are trying to adjust to a foreign country and culture. Early in his career, he was presented with opportunity to represent an Ethiopian refugee in Immigration Court. Since then, he has represented numerous victims of abuse, torture, political attacks, and other human rights violations from across the globe and helped them to obtain asylum in the United States. For his work on behalf of refugees, Mr. Park was named Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Casa Cornelia Law Center, a non-profit law firm providing pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations.

Additionally, Mr. Park has worked with several non-profit organizations whose mission is to serve the Korean American community in San Diego. He has helped establish the Korean American Community Center of San Diego and Total Youth Productions, a non-profit community group that provides mentoring and counseling to Korean American middle and high school students.

Mr. Park is a litigator at Dentons US LLP where he focuses on complex commercial litigation and construction litigation. He represents businesses in commercial disputes involving commercial torts, breach of contract, trade secrets, fraud, unfair competition, and employment issues from pre-litigation counseling and negotiations through trial. Mr. Park also works with public and private developers and contractors on a wide variety of disputes arising out of public infrastructure projects, as well as private commercial and residential developments.

NAPABA congratulates Jae Park as the 2017 NAPABA Pro Bono Award recipient.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 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, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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NAPABA Responds to Revisions to Muslim and Refugee Ban

On Sunday evening, the president announced revisions to the Muslim and Refugee ban, following a review required under the March 6, 2017, Executive Order. North Korea, Venezuela, and Muslim-majority Chad, were added to the list of restricted countries that continues to include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. The restrictions on travel vary from country to country, ranging from limits on the entry of government officials to bars on immigrant and nonimmigrant admission.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has consistently opposed this series of discriminatory executive orders. The addition of new countries does not correct the problems inherent in the original action, including its anti-Muslim underpinnings and statutory deficiencies. NAPABA will continue to oppose discriminatory immigration policies.

Read more about NAPABA’s position on the executive orders and the brief it filed in the Supreme Court here.

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