NAPABA Archives - Page 45 of 78

June 23, 2017

Chicago and National Bar Associations Support Local Victims of Alleged Hate Crime

For Immediate Release

June 22, 2017

For More Information, Contact:

Brett Schuster, Communications
Manager
bschuster@napaba.org,
202-775-9555

Press Release

CHICAGO — A coalition of
Chicago-area and national Asian Pacific American bar associations expressed
their support for Sufyan Sohel, deputy director of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations Chicago (CAIR-Chicago), and CAIR-Chicago, victims of
a series of threating
calls recently charged as a hate crime.

On May 16, 2017, Sohel received a
threatening voicemail on his office phone from Marvin Meyer stating, “Hey.
Guess what? This is America calling. You are not welcome here… We will kill
you.” His message insulted Allah and Democrats, and Meyer also asked, “Do I
seem afraid of you?” This was one of four calls left at CAIR-Chicago that
morning, all with a similar message.

Meyer admitted to calling Sohel and
he has been charged with a felony count of a hate crime and a misdemeanor count
of a telephone threat.

The Chicago-area bar associations
(the Asian American Bar Association of Chicago, the Chinese American Bar
Association of Chicago, the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago,
the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association
of Chicago) and the national bar associations (the National Asian Pacific
America Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association North America)
condemn the threatening calls and the rising level of hate witnessed around the
globe against Muslim, South Asian and other minority communities. The bar
associations praise the Cook County State’s Attorney Office and the Chicago
Police Department for investigating the specific allegations raised by the
voicemails and taking action to ensure that all residents, regardless of
gender, race and national origin, feel welcome and safe in the City of Chicago.

Sohel, past president of the South
Asian Bar Association of Chicago, is an American-born attorney whose parents
came to this country from India. As deputy director at CAIR-Chicago, Sohel
oversees the organization’s legal strategy and is a frequent speaker on social
justice and civil rights issues. CAIR-Chicago is a non-profit organization
that defends the civil rights or Muslim Americans through outreach, advocacy
and litigation.

The bar associations urge attorneys,
other legal associations and community members to help stem the rise of hate
crimes by reporting incidents and seeking assistance immediately. Please visit
the respective bar associations’ websites for additional information.

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 almost 50,000 attorneys and
more than 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.

June 19, 2017

NAPABA Honors the Legacy of Vincent Chin 35 Years after His Death

News Release

For Immediate Release
June 19, 2017

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

NAPABA Honors the Legacy of Vincent Chin 35 Years after His Death

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) commemorates the 35th anniversary of the murder of Vincent Chin. On June 19, 1982, Vincent Chin was beaten in a xenophobic attack during a wave of anti-Japanese sentiment and died a few days later. Vincent Chin’s death and his killers’ lenient sentences marked a turning point in Asian Pacific American civil rights advocacy in the United States.

“Vincent Chin’s murder inspired a generation of Asian Pacific American community leaders and lawyers to join an inclusive movement for civil rights,” said NAPABA President Cyndie M. Chang. “His death and subsequent trial underscored the importance of the Asian Pacific American community standing together in the fight against racism and advocating in the courts. We must continue to build on this legacy by continuing to oppose hate and xenophobia in all forms.”

Chin’s murder and the sentences of his killers highlighted the lack of a strong national voice for Asian Pacific Americans in the legal sector. Recognizing the need to establish such representation, NAPABA was founded in 1988 to give voice to values of justice, equity, and opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans. Since that time, NAPABA has been strongly committed to civil rights advocacy. With the current rise in hate crimes targeting diverse communities, NAPABA hopes that the historic weight of Chin’s case serves as a persistent reminder of the importance of protecting and advocating for civil rights.

NAPABA honors Vincent Chin’s memory and the continued legacy of advocacy that emerged in the wake of his death.

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 almost 50,000 attorneys and more than 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).

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

June 14, 2017

NAPABA Congratulates Jessie K. Liu on Nomination to be the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia

For Immediate Release
June 13, 2017

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager

bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — On
Monday, President Trump announced the nomination of Jessie K. Liu to be
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. If confirmed, Liu
would be the first Asian Pacific American and the second woman to serve
as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

“We
congratulate Jessie K. Liu on her nomination to serve as the United
States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” said Cyndie M. Chang,
president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
(NAPABA). “An experienced and respected attorney with a record of
leadership at the U.S. Department of Justice, Ms. Liu has demonstrated
the ability to lead the U.S. Attorney’s office. We are encouraged to see
Asian Pacific American women like Ms. Liu continue to break barriers
and serve as role models.”

A
longtime member of the Asian Pacific American legal community, Liu
served as a co-chair of the 2012 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C.
She is also a recipient of the NAPABA Best Under 40 Award.

A
litigator with almost 20 years of experience, Ms. Liu has a history of
federal government service. She is presently the Deputy General Counsel
for the Department of the Treasury. She previously served as an
Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia for four years and
in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice for three
years, including as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil
Rights Division, counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, and Deputy
Chief of Staff for the National Security Division. She also was a
partner at the law firms Morrison & Foerster LLP and Jenner &
Block LLP.

Ms.
Liu clerked for then-Chief Judge Carolyn Dineen King of the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas. She received her
A.B., summa cum laude, from Harvard University and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

NAPABA commends President Trump for announcing the nomination of Jessie K. Liu to serve as the U.S. Attorney.

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 approximately 75 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.

June 13, 2017

Press Release: NAPABA Applauds Ninth Circuit Decision Upholding Block on Revised Muslim Ban

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2017

Contact: Brett Schuster, Communications Manager, bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s per curiam ruling
maintaining a lower court’s block on President Trump’s March 6, 2017,
revised executive order barring individuals from six Muslim-majority
countries and refugees from entering the United States.

In
March 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Derrick K. Watson of the District
of Hawaii issued a preliminary injunction on the travel restrictions in
this lawsuit, State of Hawaii v. Trump, which was brought by the state and individuals impacted by the executive order.

Today’s
unanimous Ninth Circuit opinion affirmed the plaintiffs’ right to
challenge the executive order and upheld their statutory claims under
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The court agreed with the
plaintiffs’ assertion that the President’s broad authority on the entry
of foreign individuals has constraints, and that the executive order
exceeds the scope of the authority delegated to the President by
Congress under the INA, including the statute’s prohibition against
nationality-based discrimination.

On April 21, NAPABA filed an amicus brief
in support of the plaintiffs, supported by 43 NAPABA affiliates, after
joining this first challenge to the revised executive order with an
amicus brief filed in the district court. NAPABA’s briefs describe the
history of the statutory exclusion of Asians and Pacific Islanders under
early U.S. immigration law — including the first federal law to ban a
group of people from entering the country on the basis of race — prior
to the passage of the INA of 1965, which outlawed nationality-based
discrimination. NAPABA argued that President Trump’s revised order, with
its anti-Muslim underpinnings, violates this unambiguous prohibition on
discrimination established by Congress.

NAPABA
awaits the decision on the government’s petitions to the Supreme Court
in both this case and the parallel case from the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Fourth Circuit, International Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump, and will continue to work to ensure the executive order is permanently struck down by the courts.

Read NAPABA’s amicus briefs in the Fourth and Ninth Circuits and before the district court here.

Read the March 6, 2017, statement of NAPABA and the South Asian Bar Association – North America, joined by 14 affiliates, against the revised executive order.

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 approximately 75 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.

May 26, 2017

Press Release: NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Judge Amul Thapar to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Judge Amul Thapar to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

For Immediate Release
May 25, 2017

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Judge Amul R. Thapar as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Thapar is the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the Sixth Circuit and the second South Asian American federal appellate court judge in the history of the United States.

“We congratulate Judge Thapar on his historic confirmation,” said Cyndie M. Chang, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) president. “The confirmation of Judge Thapar gives testament to the strides made by the Asian Pacific American community in recent years. It is a fitting and momentous way to conclude and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.”

With Judge Thapar’s confirmation, five Asian Pacific Americans sit as federal appellate court judges out of almost 175 nationwide.

Judge Thapar is a 2015 recipient of the NAPABA Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award and served as the keynote speaker at the 2007 NAPABA Convention. In 2007, NAPABA strongly supported President George W. Bush’s nomination of Judge Thapar to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, where upon confirmation, he became the first South Asian American Article III judge in the U.S.

Throughout Judge Thapar’s career, he has shown thoughtfulness, fairness, and understanding of his roles in public service. Prior to his service on the bench, Judge Thapar was the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky and was an assistant U.S. attorney. He began his legal career in private practice following clerkships with Judge S. Arthur Speigel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He is a graduate of Boston College and the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

NAPABA is proud to have supported Judge Thapar, including providing testimony in support of his nomination and meeting with Senators during NAPABA’s annual Lobby Day. We thank President Trump for nominating Judge Thapar, and NAPABA thanks Senators McConnell and Paul for recommending Judge Thapar to the White House.

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

May 25, 2017

PRESS RELEASE | NAPABA Applauds Fourth Circuit Decision Upholding Block on Revised Muslim Ban

NAPABA Applauds Fourth Circuit Decision Upholding Block on Revised Muslim Ban

For Immediate Release
May 25, 2017

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
bschuster@napaba.org, 202-775-9555

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s 10-3 en banc ruling maintaining a lower court’s block on President Trump’s March 6, 2017, revised executive order barring individuals from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

In March 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang of the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction on the travel restrictions in this lawsuit, International Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump, which was brought by individuals — including U.S. citizens — and organizations impacted by the executive order. Today’s 10-3 Fourth Circuit opinion, written by Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory, affirmed the plaintiffs’ right to challenge the executive order and upheld their claims under the Establishment Clause.

On March 19, NAPABA filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs, supported by 43 NAPABA affiliates, describing the history of the statutory exclusion of Asians and Pacific Islanders under early U.S. immigration law — including the first federal law to ban a group of people from entering the country on the basis of race — prior to the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which outlawed nationality-based discrimination. NAPABA argued that President Trump’s revised order, with its anti-Muslim underpinnings, violates this unambiguous prohibition on discrimination established by Congress.

The court agreed with the plaintiffs’ assertion that religious animus motivated the revised order. The court found the government’s asserted national security interest to be a “secondary justification,” noting strongly that order “speaks with vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance.”

NAPABA awaits the pending ruling in the parallel Ninth Circuit case, State of Hawaii v. Trump, and will continue to work to ensure the executive order is permanently struck down by the courts.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or bschuster@napaba.org.

May 17, 2017

NAPALSA Conference Call for Panelists, Nov. 2-5

The National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (NAPALSA) is currently seeking interested speakers for panels to be presented during the 2017 NAPALSA Conference taking place during the 2017 NAPABA Convention in Washington, D.C., from Nov. 2-5. If you are interested in serving on a NAPALSA panel, please complete an application form no later than 7 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 2.

Since 2002, the NAPALSA Conference has taken place in conjunction with the NAPABA Convention. Law students have the opportunity to organize their own panels catered to law students as well as participate in the general NAPABA programming. This partnership provides law students the chance to further hone their skills and learn and network with current attorneys from diverse sectors.

May 8, 2017

American Bar Association Spirit of Excellence Award Nomination

Due Monday, May 22, 2017 | 5 p.m. EDT

Each year, the NAPABA Awards Committee reviews the pool of well-qualified NAPABA members and selects an individual to be nominated on behalf of NAPABA for the ABA Spirit of Excellence Award. Most recently, NAPABA nominated Hon. Jacqueline Nguyen and Peggy Nagae, both of whom were honored with this prestigious award in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The Awards Committee now seeks nominee recommendations for consideration of the 2018 award.

The Committee is looking for NAPABA members who have:

achieved professional excellence in their fields;
served as role models in overcoming hardships or barriers and achieved success and excellence in the legal profession;
influenced racially and ethnically diverse individuals to pursue and/or to succeed in legal careers;
opened doors, broken down barriers, or otherwise promoted the full and equal participation of racially and ethnically diverse individuals in the legal profession; and
worked with or on behalf of racially and ethnically diverse lawyers from racial or ethnic groups other than their own.

Please e-mail nominee recommendations to NAPABA Membership Manager AuriaJoy Asaria at aasaria@napaba.org by5 p.m. EDT on May 22, 2017. You will be notified if the NAPABA Awards Committee selects your recommendation for nomination.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

May 8, 2017

At-Large Board Member Applications

Deadline | Aug. 4, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT

Submit an Application

The NAPABA Elections and Nominating Committee is now accepting applications for At-Large Board Members.

Review the complete guidelines and apply here.
The deadline to submit an application is Aug. 4, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, D.C. 20006 | www.napaba.org

May 8, 2017

2017 Call for Nominations

2017 Call for Nominations
NAPABA Board of Governors Officer Positions
Deadline | July 11, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT

Submit a Nomination

The NAPABA Nominating and Elections Committee is accepting nominations for election to the officer positions of the NAPABA’s Board of Governors for the 2017-18 term. Please submit your nominations for the following positions:

President-Elect
Vice President for Finance and Development
Vice President for Membership
Vice President for Programs and Operations
Vice President for Communications
Treasurer
Secretary

Click here for more information or to submit a nomination. The submission deadline is July 11, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT.