Tag: NAPABA

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NAPABA CELEBRATES CONFIRMATION OF NORMAN C. BAY TO THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        
July 15, 2014
Contact: Azizah Ahmad
(202) 775-9555                                                              

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Norman C. Bay to be Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) by a vote of 52-45. He is the first Asian Pacific American to lead this powerful regulatory agency. Commissioner Bay is only the third Asian Pacific American to serve as head of a government department or agency during President Obama’s second term.

“Norman C. Bay is a dedicated public servant with the stellar credentials and professional background to be an outstanding leader of FERC. We are proud of Commissioner Bay, who is a longtime NAPABA member. We applaud him on his much deserved confirmation,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “NAPABA thanks President Obama for nominating Commissioner Bay to lead FERC, and appointing well-qualified, diverse candidates to the bench and to positions in his Administration. More qualified people of color like Commissioner Bay need to be given the opportunity to lead.”

Prior to his confirmation, Commissioner Bay served as Director of the Office of Enforcement at FERC, where he received the FERC Chairman’s Medal in 2013. Before joining FERC, he was a Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico from 2002 to 2009. His career in academia was preceded by time in public service — Mr. Bay served as the U.S. Attorney for the district of New Mexico, and spent many years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice and also as an Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of State. Commissioner Bay graduated from Dartmouth College summa cum laude and Harvard Law School cum laude. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Otto R. Skopil, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland, Oregon.

NAPABA thanks Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii for their strong support of Norman C. Bay’s nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 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 engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.

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Statement of NAPABA President Bill Simonitsch on the Voting Rights Amendment Act

Statement of NAPABA President Bill Simonitsch on the Voting Rights Amendment Act

From Azizah Ahmad, Senior Programs Associate at NAPABA: “Yesterday [June 24], the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Voting Rights Amendment Act (VRAA), which proposed a new coverage formula for the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder last year. The passage of the VRAA is a policy priority for NAPABA President Bill Simonitsch submitted a testimony for the record on behalf of NAPABA—click through to read the testimony.”

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NAPABA APPLAUDS APPOINTMENT OF SCOTT H. YUN TO THE U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

WASHINGTON — On June 23, Scott H. Yun was sworn into office to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Judge Yun will be the 5th Asian Pacific American to ever be appointed as a bankruptcy judge in U.S. history.

“We congratulate Judge Scott H. Yun on his appointment to U.S. Bankruptcy Court,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Judge Yun is highly qualified, and was selected from a very competitive field. As just the fourth sitting Asian Pacific American bankruptcy judge, his appointment is significant for Asian Pacific American bankruptcy practitioners and the Asian Pacific American legal community as a whole.”

Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appointed Judge Yun to the court on June 20, 2014. Judge Yun will take the place of Judge Deborah J. Saltzman in the bankruptcy court’s Riverside division.

Prior to his appointment, Judge Yun was a shareholder at the law firm of Stutman, Treister & Glatt. Judge Yun also clerked for bankruptcy Judge Ernst M. Robles of the Central District of California. Judge Yun holds a B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles and a J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

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NAPABA AWARDS DEADLINE EXTENDED — JUNE 23

The nomination deadline for the following NAPABA awards has been extended to June 23, 2014!

Nomination forms can be found here. Completed nomination forms must be emailed to assistant@napaba.org by 5:00 pm ET on June 23, 2014. All emails will be acknowledged with a reply.

We look forward to receiving your nominations and seeing you all at the 2014 NAPABA Convention where the award recipients will be honored.

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NAPABA BOARD ELECTIONS: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS — JULY 14

The NAPABA Nominating and Elections Committee is accepting nominations for election to the officer positions of NAPABA for the 2014-2015 term. NAPABA is a nonprofit, voluntary, professional organization founded in 1989, representing the interests of over 40,000 APA lawyers, law students, and judges throughout North America and abroad.

The qualifications for NAPABA office are listed in the NAPABA Nominating and Election Rules. In order to be nominated as a candidate for a NAPABA officer position, candidates are required to submit a completed nomination petition form and a personal statement on or before July 14, 2014.

Click here for the nomination petition form or more information on the election guidelines.

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NAPABA CELEBRATES LGBT PRIDE MONTH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2014

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to join the National Queer Asian Pacific American Alliance (NQAPIA) in celebrating the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. In recognition of LGBT Pride Month, this month the NAPABA logo will proudly display the colors of the rainbow flag that is often flown as a symbol of LGBT pride.

“This month, we celebrate our family and friends in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities,” said William J. Simonistch, president of NAPABA. “NAPABA has long recognized the contributions and struggles of the LGBT community. And as we recognize LGBT Pride Month, we are reminded once again of the need to commit ourselves to fight for the equal civil liberties of all.”

LGBT equality has long been a priority for NAPABA. Most recently, The Hill published an op-ed by NAPABA’s President opposing Arizona Senate Bill 1062, which would have given businesses the right to discriminate under the guise of religion, including discrimination based on sexual orientation. NAPABA also sent a letter to Arizona Governor Jane Brewer urging her to veto the bill, noting that if she did not do so, NAPABA would have to seriously consider relocating its 26th Annual Convention from Scottsdale.

NAPABA has for many years supported marriage equality, and has joined amicus briefs in support of marriage equality in federal and state courts throughout the nation, including amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court in Hollingsworth v. Perry and Windsor v. United States in 2013.

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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 40,000 attorneys and 68 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.

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From NAPABA: ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGAL GROUPS URGE CHICAGO OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE ANTI-ASIAN AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT VIDEO INCIDENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2014

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and its Chicago-based affiliates — the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA), Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (CABA), and Korean American Bar Association of Chicago (KABA) — along with the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago (FALA) and the Indian-American Bar Association of Chicago (IABA) express concern over the actions of certain Chicago police officers captured by recently-released video surveillance, which depicts officers using racist and anti-immigrant language during an arrest last summer.

“The actions shown in the video raise questions about how people of color and immigrants, particularly those who are limited English proficient, are treated by Chicago police officers,” said Bill Simonitsch, president of NAPABA. “We urge Mayor Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to fully investigate this incident and work with the local Asian Pacific American community to ensure that immigrants and all people of color feel protected by local law enforcement officials.”

According to a lawsuit filed in federal court on May 14, 2014, Chicago police officers verbally harassed and physically abused a Chinese American spa manager during a raid on a local business in July 2013. The security video shows officers entering the spa, apprehending the woman and striking her while she was kneeling and handcuffed. Police officers can be heard on the video making racist and anti-immigrant remarks during the arrest. One officer refused to believe that the woman was an American citizen and told her “You’re not f—— American! I’ll put you in a UPS box and send you back to wherever the f— you came from.“

NAPABA, AABA, CABA, KABA, FALA, and IABA urge the City of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department to fully investigate the specific allegations raised by the video, determine whether any systemic problems of official misconduct exist, and take appropriate action to ensure that all visitors and residents, regardless of gender, race, national origin, immigration status, or English proficiency, feel welcome and safe in the City of Chicago.

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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 40,000 attorneys and 68 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service 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.

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