Tag: NAPABA

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NAPABA Partners Summit

August 29-30 | New York, NY
Application Deadline: May 15 at 8 pm ET

The application for the 2024 NAPABA Partners Summit is open! 

The NAPABA Partners Summit is an interactive program designed to deepen relationships and bolster the collective impact of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) law firm partners. Participants will collaborate on issues facing AANHPI partners, strategies to successfully lead and progress within law firms, and how to forge meaningful connections with the next generation of AANHPI partners. This program is hosted in parallel with the In-House Summit, providing law firm partners an opportunity to expand their network and demonstrate support for current and former public company senior and experienced in-house AANHPI attorneys who seek to elevate into general counsel positions at Fortune 1000 companies. Content of the Partners Summit is designed for partners from large law firms. 

Partners Summit programming will begin at lunch time on Thursday, August 29th and conclude at lunch time on Friday, August 30th. There will be a joint reception with In-House Counsel Summit attendees the evening of Thursday, August 29th. 

Participation in the 2024 Partners Summit is open to law firm partners who meet the following criteria:

  • NAPABA Member
  • Experienced Law Firm Partner in a leadership position at firm 
  • Demonstrated leadership within and commitment to NAPABA

The deadline to apply is May 15 at 8 pm ET so make sure your application is in before time runs out. 

Eligibility requirements and more information: napaba.org/page/partnerssummit. We hope to see you at the 2024 Partners Summit in New York! 
NAPABA | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20006 | www.napaba.org
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NAPABA Lobby Day Registration Deadline Extended

Register by Wednesday, May 1 at 8 pm ET

Have you registered for NAPABA’s 2024 Lobby Day, May 21-22, in Washington, DC? If not, we’ve extended the deadline for you to register.

This is our chance to advocate for issues that impact the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community with leaders on Capitol Hill. This year, we’ll be focusing on the following priority issue areas:

Anti-Asian Hate

  • Support legislation to preempt discriminatory alien land laws.
  • Support legislation to teach AANHPI history in K-12 education.
  • Support mental health resources in our community.
  • Oppose anti-Asian rhetoric.

Civil Rights

  • Support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
  • Support the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Support funding for legal services and public defenders.

Immigration

  • Support the right to counsel for individuals navigating the immigration system.
  • Protect the rights of asylum seekers.

Judicial and Executive Nominations

Don’t delay. Make sure your voice is heard and register by May 1!

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Anne Hwang to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 24, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Anne Hwang to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

“NAPABA applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for nominating Judge Anne Hwang,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Active in the AANHPI community, Judge Hwang is a 2019 APABA Los Angeles Trailblazer in the Law awardee. She is well qualified to serve on the U.S. District Court, and we encourage the Senate to confirm Judge Hwang swiftly.”

In 2018, former governor Jerry Brown appointed Judge Hwang to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Prior to her appointment, Judge Hwang served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California from 2006 to 2018, becoming Chief Deputy Federal Public Defender in 2018. Before entering public service, Hwang was an associate at Irell and Manella LLP from 2002 to 2006. Hwang received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California School of Law.

“The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California is the most populous federal judicial district, serving over 19 million, including a significant AANHPI population with nearly 12% of the Los Angeles population alone. If confirmed, Judge Hwang is well suited to serve the people of the Central District of California,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Anne Hwang and Senators Padilla and Butler for supporting her nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA Urges the U.S. Senate to Confirm Adeel Mangi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit


For Immediate Release: 
Date: April 2, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) joined 125 national, state, and local organizations from across the country to urge the United States Senate to confirm Adeel Mangi swiftly to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In a letter spearheaded by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAPABA and its partners highlighted Adeel Mangi’s exceptional qualifications and condemned “the baseless and bigoted attacks being waged against this exceptional and historic nominee.”

In November 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Mr. Mangi to the Third Circuit. If confirmed, Mangi would be the first Muslim American judge on any federal appellate court in the nation. As NAPABA noted when he was nominated, Mr. Mangi is a 2014 NAPABA Best Under 40 awardee and an active leader in the Asian American community. His long record of accomplishments, including his pro bono work supporting the Muslim American community, is groundbreaking.

“From the time that the President nominated Adeel Mangi nearly five months ago to today, nothing in Mr. Mangi’s tremendous record of achievements has changed,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Instead, since his nomination, Mr. Mangi has been the subject of baseless attacks that smack of Islamophobia. Our community is all too familiar with the rise of hate, and what Mr. Mangi has had to endure is unacceptable. We urge the U.S. Senate to confirm his nomination.”

“The baseless attacks against Mr. Mangi have a chilling effect,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “As we have raised in an op-ed and in a recent news article, Mr. Mangi’s treatment, if left unanswered, runs the risk of losing an entire generation of legal talent from entering public service and the opportunity to compose a federal bench that reflects the changing demographics of the United States. History will remember this moment. NAPABA stands behind Mr. Mangi’s nomination and looks forward to his confirmation.”

Adeel A. Mangi is a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP. He began his legal career there as an associate in 2000, became counsel in 2009, and was elevated to partnership in 2010. Mr. Mangi received his LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 2000. He qualified as a Barrister and received his Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Skills from the City University London Inns of Court School of Law in 1999 and his First Class Degree in Law from the University of Oxford, Pembroke College, in 1998.

We urge the U.S. Senate to move expeditiously on Mr. Mangi’s nomination and confirm him.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA Applauds the Confirmation of Jasmine Yoon and Judge Sunil R. Harjani to the U.S. District Court

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For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 12, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Senate confirmed Jasmine Yoon to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia and Judge Sunil R. Harjani to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 

“We congratulate Jasmine Yoon and Judge Sunil R. Harjani on their confirmation to serve on the U.S. District Court,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Ms. Yoon, a board member of APABA-VA, is the first Asian American to serve as an Article III judge in Virginia. Judge Harjani, the first South Asian American to serve as a U.S. Magistrate in the Northern District of Illinois, brings deep experience to the bench.”

“Today, President Biden has appointed 32 AANHPI Article III judges that the U.S. Senate has confirmed. We thank President Biden for nominating Ms. Yoon and Judge Harjani and his continued efforts to extend his record-breaking benchmark of AANHPI judges,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA.

Jasmine H. Yoon has been the Vice President of Corporate Integrity, Ethics, and Investigations at Capital One Financial Corporation since 2022. Previously, Ms. Yoon worked as Interim University Counsel and Associate University Counsel at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville from 2019-22. Prior to that, Ms. Yoon served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2010-16. Ms. Yoon was also an associate at Crowell & Moring LLP in Washington, DC, from 2006-09 in its White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement group. She served as a law clerk for Judge James C. Cacheris on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2009-10. Ms. Yoon received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2006 and her B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2003.

Judge Sunil R. Harjani has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019. Judge Harjani served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois from 2008-19. He also practiced federal civil litigation as a senior counsel at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission from 2004-08 and as an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago from 2000-01 and 2002-04. Judge Harjani served as a law clerk for Judge Suzanne B. Conlon on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2001-02. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2000 and his B.A. from Northwestern University in 1997.

NAPABA thanks President Biden Senators Durbin and Duckworth of Illinois, and Senators Warner and Kaine of Virginia for supporting their nominations.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA Applauds the Confirmation of Judge Edward S. Kiel and Judge Eumi K. Lee to the U.S. District Court


For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 21, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the United States Senate confirmed Judge Edward S. Kiel to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and Judge Eumi K. Lee to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

“We congratulate Judge Edward S. Kiel and Judge Eumi K. Lee on their confirmation to serve on the U.S. District Court,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “Judge Kiel is the first Korean American to serve in the district, a 2010 NAPABA Trailblazer awardee, and an active member of the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey. Judge Lee was the first Korean American to serve as president of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, and she was a recipient of the 2011 NAPABA Best Under 40 Award. We are exceptionally proud of their commitment to the AANHPI community and are pleased to have supported their nominations.”

“Today, President Biden has appointed 34 AANHPI Article III judges that the U.S. Senate has confirmed. His record of 23 AANHPI Article III women judges confirmed is more than all Presidents combined,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA.

Judge Edward S. Kiel has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey since 2019. Previously, Judge Kiel was a partner at Cole Schotz, P.C., from 2001 to 2019. Before that, he was an associate at Cole Schotz from 1998 to 2001, at Beattie Padovano from 1994 to 1998, and at Jamieson Moore Peskin & Spicer from 1992 to 1994. Judge Kiel served as a law clerk for Presiding Criminal Judge Michael R. Imbriani of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County, from 1991 to 1992. He received his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1991 and his B.A. and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University in 1988.

Judge Lee has served as a judge on the Superior Court of California in Alameda County since 2018. She was the first Korean American judge ever appointed to the court in Alameda County. Previously, Judge Lee was a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, and co-founded and co-directed the Hastings Institute for Criminal Justice. Earlier in her career, she was an associate at Keker & Van Nest LLP and Thelen, Reid & Priest LLP. Judge Lee clerked for Judge Warren J. Ferguson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Jerome Turner on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Pomona College.

NAPABA thanks New Jersey and California Senators for supporting their nominations.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA and Indiana Legal Services, Inc., Welcome Legal Interns to Support Indiana’s LGBTQ+ and Immigrant Communities

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For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 11, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON/INDIANAPOLIS – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”) and Indiana Legal Services, Inc., (“ILS”) are proud to welcome two dedicated legal interns who will provide direct legal support for ILS programs serving Indiana’s diverse and underserved populations. Niran Al Naili and Emmanuel Amponsah will be joining ILS for the spring semester in support of the its Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center and LGBTQ+ Project. Both come to ILS with compelling backgrounds: Niran is a recent L.L.M. graduate of the Indiana University McKinney School of Law (“McKinney”) and previously worked as an investigator for the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq, and Emmanuel is a J.D. candidate at McKinney who has extensive community advocacy experience with vulnerable populations and is training to be a chaplain candidate with the United States Army. 

This partnership between NAPABA and ILS represents NAPABA’s ongoing commitment to meaningfully engage with the community in Indiana leading up to, during, and beyond the 2023 NAPABA Convention in Indianapolis as outlined in NAPABA’s Advocacy Action Plan.

The ILS Immigrants’ and Language Rights Center provides direct legal representation on immigration matters and language access cases to Indiana residents. The Center provides direct representation of non-citizens in a variety of matters, including asylum cases before the Chicago Asylum office, immigration court cases, lawful permanent resident and naturalization applications, petitions under the Violence Against Women Act, and petitions for immigration benefits for immigrant minors and for survivors of serious crimes who cooperate with law enforcement. The ILS LGBTQ+ Project is a statewide legal assistance program providing legal advocacy and representation to LGBTQ+ people in Indiana designed to address the disproportionate rates of poverty and violence in the LGBTQ+ community. The Project includes, among other items, representation to those seeking name and gender marker changes in Indiana courts and advocacy to protect LGBTQ+ students’ rights. 

Financial support for these legal internships is generously provided by the NAPABA Law Foundation’s Underserved Communities Fellowship, which is designed to increase legal services and advance equal justice for underserved AANHPI communities, especially in areas where such populations lack sufficient resources due to geographic isolation. For more information about the application process for interested law students, please visit here.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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.

Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a statewide, not-for-profit law firm that provides free legal services to eligible clients in civil cases through 8 branch offices. ILS is funded by the Legal Services Corporation, Indiana Civil Legal Aid Fund, United Ways, Area Agencies on Aging, and approximately 60 other funding sources.

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NAPABA Supports the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act


For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 4, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the United States Senate’s reintroduction of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that would restore critical protections of the Voting Rights Act. Especially in a critical election year, Congress must ensure that everyone can fully participate in our democracy. This month, we commemorate the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when, on March 7, 1965, in Selma, Alabama, State Troopers attacked hundreds of unarmed protestors, including the civil rights leader John Lewis, who opposed the systematic oppression of Black voters. It led to the ultimate passage of the Voting Rights Act. As those activists knew then, and as we are reminded today, the right to vote is foundational, and as an organization advancing the interests of the AANHPI community, NAPABA realizes the critical importance for our community to have equal access to the ballot.  

“The endeavor to secure equal voting rights requires constant vigilance,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “The life and legacy of John Lewis are a powerful reminder of it. NAPABA is grateful to Senators Durbin, Warnock, Schumer, and the sponsors for reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. As the Asian American community is the fastest-growing community in the nation, coupled with recent court decisions that have limited the reach of the Voting Rights Act, this bill will go a long way to ensure that our community – and all communities of color – have a fair opportunity to make their voice heard at the ballot box.”

On top of our advocacy, if you wish to learn about ways that you can get involved in your community, connect with our partner APIAVote: https://apiavote.org/get-involved/volunteer/

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Captain Lia Mitoko Reynolds, United States Navy, to Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy


For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 1, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

President Joe Biden nominated Captain Lia Mitoko Reynolds, United States Navy, to Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy (DJAG) with the rank of Rear Admiral (two stars). If confirmed, she would be the first AANHPI Flag Officer to serve in the United States Navy JAG Corps.

“NAPABA congratulates Captain Reynolds on her nomination. She is widely recognized as one of the top officers in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. In 2019, she was presented with the Burton Award for Public Service in the Military. NAPABA also awarded her the Military & Veteran Service Award in 2019,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “An active member of NAPABA, Captain Reynolds has served as a Navy JAG officer for 26 years. She is well qualified to serve as the Navy’s DJAG, and we urge the United States Senate to confirm her quickly.”

Captain Reynolds serves as the Assistant Judge Advocate General of the Navy (Operations & Management). Her past assignments include serving as Senior Military Assistant to the General Counsel of the Department of Defense; Senior Detailer, Judge Advocate General’s Corps in Tennessee; Commanding Officer, Region Legal Services Office Hawaii; Deputy Fleet/Force Judge Advocate in Bahrain; Special Assistant for Legal and Legislative Matters to the Secretary of the Navy in Washington, DC.; Commanding Officer of Naval Legal Service Office, Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia headquarters in Naples, Italy; Deputy Executive Assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy in Washington, DC; Assistant Officer in Charge of the Trial Service Office Pacific Detachment in Yokosuka, Japan; Staff Judge Advocate for the Joint Interagency Task Force West; and trial and command services attorney for the Trial Service Office West, Branch office Lemoore, California.

“Captain Reynolds serves as a role model and inspiration to AANHPI attorneys,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “AANHPIs have been underrepresented in our military’s General and Flag Officers ranks. We are proud of Captain Reynolds’s service to our Nation, and we congratulate her on the nomination.”

Captain Reynolds is a Hawaiʻi native and received her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, JD from the University of Hawaiʻi William S. Richardson School, and LLM with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center. 

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Captain Lia Mitoko Reynolds.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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NAPABA, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay, Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, and Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association Statement in Response to Elimination of DEI Initiatives for the Florida State Bar

For Immediate Release: 
Date: February 15, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON -On January 30, 2024, the Florida State Bar confirmed following public reporting that the Florida Supreme Court eliminated all funding for the Bar’s diversity and inclusion initiatives in its next budget. This ends the existence of the Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Created in 2010, the Committee’s mission was to advance diversity and inclusion within the state’s legal profession and administer, among other programs, the Voluntary Bar Association Diversity Leadership Grant, which supported “initiatives and programs which encourage diversity, diversity training and dialogue among lawyers in Florida.”

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), together with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay (APABA-TB), the Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association (GOAABA), and the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association (JAABA) express concern with the decision to discontinue funding and its adverse impact on essential work performed by the Florida State Bar. Regardless of this action, we remain steadfast in our collective mission to support the Asian Pacific American legal community, and we will continue to focus unrelentingly on advancing diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.

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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 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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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