Tag: NAPABA

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KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

Ethical Consideration for In-House Attorneys

In-House Attorneys serve dual roles in that they act as both attorneys for their respective companies, as well as clients in working with outside counsel.  As such in-house attorneys have added responsibilities to keenly understand ethical issues both as attorneys and clients.  Seasoned panelists will consider and discuss issues such as who the client is, escalating potential issues/violations, and attorney client privilege/work product from both in-house and outside counsel perspectives.

  • An-Ping Hsieh, Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Hubbell Incorporated
  • Edward S. Cheng, Esq., Partner, Sherin and Lodgen LLP
  • Jung Choi, Esq., Senior Counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
  • Clara Ohr, Esq., Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer, LUKOIL Pan Americas, LLC
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KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

A Shot in the Dark:  The Peter Liang/Akai Gurley Tragedy

Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot on November 20, 2014, in Brooklyn’s Louis H. Pink Houses, by rookie NYPD Officer Peter Liang, who had entered a stairwell with his firearm drawn. The shooting was declared an accidental discharge; the bullet ricocheted off the wall and Gurley was struck once in the chest and later died from the shot. On February 10, 2015, Liang was indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter, assault, and other criminal charges, and on February 11, 2016, Liang was found guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct, becoming the first NYPD officer in over a decade to be found guilty of shooting and killing a citizen while on duty. The shooting and trial touched off a firestorm of opinion and protests, and in the post-Ferguson era, the case has added another twist to the intense ongoing debate about race and accountability in policing, as well as the Asian American community’s place in that debate and race relations.

This panel will explore criminal procedural issues in the context of the Peter Liang trial, such as the indictment and grand jury process, what is the standard for homicide versus manslaughter, and will also look at the civil rights aspect of the case. How did the APA community respond to the tragedy and what can we learn from it going forward?

  • Alexander M. Lee, Esq., Principal, The Law Offices of Alexander M. Lee
  • Christopher M. Kwok, Esq., Supervisory ADR Coordinator, U.S. EEOC (appearing in individual capacity)
  • Jin P. Lee, Esq., Principal, The Law Office of Jin P. Lee
  • Sandra Leung, Esq., Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
  • Vinoo Varghese, Esq., Principal, Varghese and Associates, P.C.
  • Thomas Ong, Owner, Ong Investigative Group, LLC
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Register for NAPABA Convention in San Diego

From NAPABA:

Have you registered for the 2016 NAPABA Convention in San Diego? Don’t miss out on what we have in store for you and over 1,600 legal professionals on Friday, Nov. 4!

  • 27 CLE breakout sessions featuring a diverse array of cutting-edge legal topics and experts in their fields!
  • 3 NAPALSA sessions to develop skills as law students and jump-start your career in the legal profession!
  • Luncheon & Plenary Session | The Portrait Project: A Portrait of Asian Americans in Law ​
    Generously supported by Duane Morris
    Presenting findings from a first-of-its-kind comprehensive study on the past, present, and future of Asian Americans in the legal profession, this plenary session will be led by California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu and Yale Law Professor Ian Ayre. Over the past three decades, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing group in the legal profession. Asian American enrollment in law school has more than quadrupled since the mid-1980s, and today there are nearly 50,000 lawyers who are Asian American, a 250% increase since the year 2000. Within the span of a generation, Asian Americans have become a visible presence in all sectors of the legal profession. Yet there has never been a systematic study of the career paths of Asian Americans in the law. The Portrait Project is the first such effort.
  • Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award Reception
    Generously supported by Walmart
    The Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award, NAPABA’s highest honor, recognizes the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of lawyers who have paved the way for the advancement of other Asian Pacific American attorneys. Trailblazers have demonstrated vision, courage, and tenacity in their practice. They have also made substantial and lasting contributions to the Asian Pacific American legal profession, as well as the broader Asian Pacific American community. Join us as we celebrate this year’s exceptional award recipients.
  • ​​Networking Receptions
  • In-House Counsel Reception | Generously supported by Prudential
  • Insurance Law Committee Reception
  • Joint Corporate Transactions, Real Property & Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Creditors’/Debtors’ Rights Reception
  • Solo & Small Firm Network Reception
  • Women’s Leadership Network Reception
  • Late Night Karaoke
    Generously supported by JAMS
    Take part in the official NAPABA late night activity and annual tradition of karaoke!

For a more complete schedule of our Friday programming and a look at what the rest of Convention has to offer, view the Convention agenda here.

Early-bird registration for the 2016 NAPABA Convention will close on Aug. 26. NAPABA members save an additional $200 off the non-member rate. Not a member? Become a member today and save!

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PRESS RELEASE | NAPABA Supports Judges Lucy Koh and Florence Pan at Nomination Hearing

NAPABA Supports Judges Lucy Koh and Florence Pan at Nomination Hearing

WASHINGTON — Today, Judges Lucy H. Koh and Florence Y. Pan sat before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing on their nominations to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, respectively.

“Today’s hearings demonstrate that Judge Lucy Koh and Judge Florence Pan are two highly qualified nominees,” said Jin Y. Hwang, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) president. “Both are experienced and fair jurists who were unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate for their current positions, and they continue to receive strong bipartisan support. It is also important that these two nominees have been and would be trailblazers for Asian Pacific American women in the federal judiciary.

“NAPABA urges for a prompt vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee and for the Senate to swiftly confirm Judge Koh to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Pan to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.”

Judge Lucy H. Koh was unanimously confirmed by the Senate, 90-0, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2010. She enjoys bipartisan support, including former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appointed her to the Superior Court of California – County of Santa Clara. If confirmed, Judge Koh would become the first Korean American woman to be a circuit court judge and only the second Asian Pacific American woman to serve as a federal appellate court judge.

Judge Florence Y. Pan was confirmed to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by unanimous consent by the Senate in 2009, following her nomination by President Obama. She enjoys bipartisan support for her nomination, including former Attorney General Michael Mukasey. If confirmed, Judge Pan will be the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve on the federal district court bench in the District of Columbia.

NAPABA provided testimony in support of Judges Koh and Pan, stating: “Judge Koh and Judge Pan would both make an immediate contribution as a federal circuit court judge and a federal district judge, respectively. Their qualifications, integrity, intellect, and commitment to the justice system are unquestionable. They bring a talent and understanding of the issues before the court, and a willingness to tackle complex issues, that is inspiring… [T]he swift confirmation of both Judge Koh and Judge Pan is important to NAPABA and the Asian Pacific American community.”

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

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NAPABA Affiliate Dinner | San Francisco| Friday, Aug 5th, 2016

Join NAPABA in San Francisco! NAPABA would like to invite you to join NAPABA and NAPABA Law Foundation leadership at the affiliate dinner. The cost to attend the dinner is $55/person. Guests are welcome, but must be registered. Space is limited.

Click here to register by Aug. 1. Online payment must be received in advance of the dinner.

NAPABA Affiliate Dinner | 7-10 p.m.
Fang Restaurant
660 Howard St.

Looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco!

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2016 Presidential Town Hall & Voter Protection Training

Join NAPABA and its partners to elevate the voices of the Asian Pacific American community and protect voting rights. Be a part of the 2016 National Asian American and Pacific Islanders Presidential Town Hall in Las Vegas and learn how you and your affiliate can host voter protection trainings and monitor elections.

1)      2016 Presidential Town Hall | Aug. 12 | Las Vegas

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and the Asian American Journalists Association are co-hosting the 2016 Presidential Town Hall, which NAPABA is joining as a National Partner.

  • Since 2008, the Town Hall has served as a non-partisan forum for Asian Pacific  Americans to discuss issues relevant to our communities and ensure that our concerns are addressed and by campaigns and the media. By giving presidential candidates a forum to directly address AAPI community members, leaders, and organizers, the Town Hall has become one of the few spaces that allows candidates to speak directly to AAPIs, about AAPIs.
  • Reserve your seat, book a room, and learn more HERE.

2)      NAPABA Voter Protection Training (CLE) | Aug. 13 | Las Vegas

As part of the 2016 Presidential Town Hall community programming, NAPABA will be offering a CLE about non-partisan voter protection and poll monitoring. Participants will learn from experts from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA  about how to monitor elections for compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act, including ensuring language access, and how to prepare other attorneys to engage in voter protection work. The CLE is free and open to the public.

  • When: Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016 | 2-5 p.m. PDT
  • Registration information coming soon.

3)      Host a Voter Protection Training

Teach your members how to protect the rights of voters, including individuals who are limited English proficient, on election day. NAPABA affiliates interested in hosting voter protection trainings in their communities may apply for Affiliate Grant programs to help cover costs associated with the trainings. Partner with advocacy organizations such as AALDEF and Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliates (AAJC, ALC, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles) to help provide technical assistance to voters.

  • Apply for an Affiliate Grant and learn about partner organizations HERE.
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Press Release: Coalition Calls on Inspector General to Investigate Possible Profiling of Asian American Scientists

WASHINGTON — The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice were joined by 77 Asian Pacific American, civil rights and civil liberties organizations in sending a letter today to the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz seeking an independent investigation into what appears to be a trend of Asian American scientists being arrested and indicted for espionage-related crimes, only to later have all charges dropped, without explanation.

60 Minutes recently highlighted the cases of Temple University Physics Department Chair Dr. Xiaoxing Xi and National Weather Service Hydrologist Sherry Chen, bringing these cases renewed national attention.

Last November, NCAPA and NAPABA led a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch urging her to lead a Department of Justice investigation. Forty-two members of Congress also requested a full investigation, followed by aCongressional Asian Pacific American Caucus letter to Inspector General Horowitz last month.

In April 2016, the Department of Justice issued new rules to provide greater oversight, consultation, and coordination for all national security related cases. While these are welcome improvements, they leave unanswered critical questions about what happened in the cases of Dr. Xi and Ms. Chen and whether profiling played any role.

“Members of Congress as well as the civil rights and legal communities continue to be concerned that individuals appear to have been targeted for investigations based on their perceived race, ethnicity, or national origin,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “As we have seen in the cases of Dr. Xiaoxing Xi and Ms. Sherry Chen, these investigations upend lives and have lasting impacts even after charges are dropped. We continue to urge the Department of Justice to conduct thorough and independent investigations to assure the American public that the protections afforded by the Constitution and enshrined in Department policy prohibiting profiling are being followed in the interest of preserving a fair and unbiased legal system.”

“OCA is concerned with the apparent practice of racial profiling in national espionage cases. Both Sherry Chen and Professor Xi’s cases highlight the very human costs of charges brought to court with insufficient evidence,” said OCA Chief Executive Officer Ken Lee. “The treatment that both of them endured must never happen again. That is why we, along with our partners at NCAPA, NAPABA, and the Asian Americans Advancing Justice network, sent a letter to the Inspector General’s office. We remain committed to ensuring that there is an independent investigation of the Department of Justice by the Inspector General’s office to determine whether or not race, ethnicity, and national origin is a determining factor in all national espionage cases, particularly in the cases against Asian Americans. To allow our nation’s headquarters for legal justice to use such underhanded tactics to persecute individuals would be a mockery of the advances our country has made in civil rights and equal and equitable treatment for all Americans.”

“Dr. Xi and Ms. Chen have already suffered enough professionally and psychologically. They deserve answers–and so do the American people,” said NCAPA National Director Christopher Kang. “We are deeply concerned by even the appearance of anyone being targeted because of their race, ethnicity or national origin, and we must prevent any practice of profiling from happening again. The Department of Justice must preserve our fundamental values of fairness and due process and protect our civil rights and civil liberties.”

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

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Press Release: NAPABA Disappointed in Outcome of Immigration Case Heard by the U.S. Supreme Court

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is disappointed by the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s split decision announced today in United States v. Texas. The court did not reach a decision in a challenge to the President’s executive action on immigration, including the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The split outcome leaves in place the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s decision to block implementation of the programs.

“We are disappointed in the decision of the Supreme Court to not make a clear statement on the Fifth Circuit’s decision to enjoin the implementation of these important immigration policies. The outcome leaves over four million undocumented immigrants living in the shadow of deportation,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “Today’s result underscores the importance of Congress taking swift action to pass comprehensive immigration reform.”

The lower court in this case temporarily blocked the implementation of the expanded DACA and DAPA programs, which affected an estimated 4.9 million undocumented and vulnerable immigrants, including approximately 1.3 million Asian Pacific Americans. Under these programs, eligible applicants would not be a priority for deportation and could apply for a temporary work authorization. The original DACA program remains unaffected and more than 100,000 Asian Pacific Americans remain eligible for that program.

NAPABA, along with a diverse coalition of 325 immigration, civil rights, labor, and social service groups, including the National Immigration Law Center, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in this case to urge the Court to lift the injunction that has blocked the President’s executive action on immigration from moving forward. View the brief here.

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

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