NEW YORK – November 20, 2012 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates its members Steve Choi, Rio Guerrero, Blossom Kan, Teena-Ann V. Sankoorikal, and Vinoo Varghese as 2012 recipients of the Best Lawyers Under 40 Award presented by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”).
NAPABA Appoints AABANY Officer Judy Kim as Northeast Regional Governor
NEW YORK – November 20, 2012 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates our own Executive Officer, Judy Kim, on her election as NAPABA’S Northeast Regional Governor.
Judy H. Kim is an associate counsel in the Bureau & Estates Litigation Section of the Legal Division at the New York Liquidation Bureau. The Bureau is a unique 100 year old quasi-state agency that assists the Superintendent of Financial Services of the State of New York in his capacity as receiver of insolvent insurance companies. She has been with the Bureau since 2008. During that time, she has been involved in all aspects of litigation involving the Superintendent and the estates in his receivership. From December 2010 through June 2011, Ms. Kim was interim Section Chief of the Bureau & Estates Litigation Section. Prior to joining the Bureau, Ms. Kim worked at Snitow Kanfer Holtzer & Millus, LLP as an attorney focusing on commercial litigation, employment discrimination litigation, and matrimonial litigation matters. Ms. Kim began her legal career at Kennedy Lillis Schmidt & English, a boutique maritime law firm. Ms. Kim received her J.D. from Tulane Law School, and her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Congratulations to Judy Kim, NAPABA NE Regional Governor
AABANY congratulates long-time member and current Membership Secretary Judy Kim on being selected as NAPABA Northeast Regional Governor. As such Judy sits on the NAPABA Board of Governors for a two-year term. The Northeast Region encompasses 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It also includes Canada.
“I am so honored to be selected as the next NAPABA Northeast Regional Governor,” says Judy, “and I look forward to working alongside my co-RG, Jason Leung, the NE Region’s Presidents and the Board during my term to further NAPABA’s mission and the Region’s goals. Hope to see everyone at the DC Convention in November!”
Judy H. Kim is an associate counsel in the Bureau & Estates Litigation Section of the Legal Division at the New York Liquidation Bureau. The Bureau is a unique 100 year old quasi-state agency that assists the Superintendent of Financial Services of the State of New York in his capacity as receiver of insolvent insurance companies. She has been with the Bureau since 2008. During that time, she has been involved in all aspects of litigation involving the Superintendent and the estates in his receivership. From December 2010 through June 2011, Ms. Kim was interim Section Chief of the Bureau & Estates Litigation Section. Prior to joining the Bureau, Ms. Kim worked at Snitow Kanfer Holtzer & Millus, LLP as an attorney focusing on commercial litigation, employment discrimination litigation, and matrimonial litigation matters. Ms. Kim began her legal career at Kennedy Lillis Schmidt & English, a boutique maritime law firm. Ms. Kim received her J.D. from Tulane Law School, and her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Judy served as Treasurer of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) from 2002 through 2005, and was Co-Chair of AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee from 2006-2008, and has been a member of AABANY’s Litigation Committee since 2000.
She is a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Secretary of the Korean American Lawyers’ Association of Greater New York, and a Steering Committee Member of the Korean American League for Civic Action. Ms. Kim is also a member of the Diversity Committee at The Spence School and a member of the Leadership Committee at the Young Survival Coalition.
Please join us in congratulating Judy on this great honor and achievement. You can send Judy email at judy.kim@aabany.org or post your congratulatory message here by clicking on the Comments link below.
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Thanks to everyone who came out to the Fall Conference on Saturday, September 15, at Gibson Dunn. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to hold a conference, and we had well over 200 attendees, including speakers, Board members, Committee Chairs, volunteers, and numerous participants for eight CLE programs, the all-day Trial Advocacy Program, the pitch sessions, the In-House Counsel Forum and the Judicial Forum.
During the luncheon, Debra Wong Yang, Gibson Dunn Partner from the Los Angeles office, welcomed all the attendees. Wells Fargo Senior Economist Anika Khan flew in from Charlotte, North Carolina, to give an informative and engaging presentation about the current economic outlook in the United States.
After a long day, many attendees stayed for the cocktail reception, at which the 2012-13 AABANY Mentorship Program was officially launched, with some mentors and mentees for this year’s program meeting face-to-face for the first time. Cynthia Tomm, Development Coordinator for the MinKwon Center, our community partner, addressed the audience to talk about the work MinKwon has been doing in the community and to seek attorneys to volunteer their time in support of those efforts, especially with the recently-announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Jason Leung and Jin Hwang, NAPABA Northeast Regional Governors, were on hand to encourage everyone to register for the NAPABA National Convention in Washington, DC in November.
We thank the Fall Conference Planning Committee, the program organizers, the panelists and moderators for many months of hard work. We thank all the volunteers who helped things to run smoothly from early in the morning and into the evening.
We thank our sponsors Wells Fargo, Hudson Reporting and Holtz Rubenstein Reminick for their generous support. We thank Gibson Dunn for hosting the event and for donating so many resources to make the conference a success.
For those who still had energy left to go to the after-party, it was held at Chelsea Manor, and we thank Skadden for sponsoring the after-party.
We hope everyone had an enjoyable time at the Fall Conference (and afterwards), and if you have any feedback to share, please post it here on the blog or email us at main@aabany.org.
Call for Senate Hearing on Hate Crimes
NAPABA Policy Director Emily Chatterjee passes along this request from Rajdeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the proliferation of hate crimes and hate groups in this country:
Dear Colleagues:
Please find attached our group letter here, urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings next month on hate crimes. A grand total of 154 organizations endorsed the letter. Thank you for your tireless efforts to spread the word about this letter through your networks!
During the next few days, as the Judiciary Committee reviews our letter, please consider taking the additional steps:
1. Contact the Senate Judiciary Committee directly and urge them to prioritize hearings.
2. Ask your members to contact the offices of Judiciary Committee members by phone and email.
3. Create awareness about this issue through community advisories, blog posts, Facebook, and Twitter.
4. Issue press releases to your media contacts to generate public awareness about this issue.
5. Write op/eds about the need for increased focus by policymakers on hate crimes in America
Let’s hope for the best. Again, we are grateful for your support and look forward to working with you again soon.Best regards,
Raj–
Rajdeep Singh
Director of Law and Policy
The Sikh Coalition
Phone: (202) 747-4944
Email: rajdeep@sikhcoalition.org
Website: www.sikhcoalition.org
Donate: www.sikhdonate.org
NAPABA Scholarship Opportunity: 2012 NAPABA Convention Scholarship Application
NAPABA strives to keep the Convention affordable for our members and offers one of the best values among legal education conferences. NAPABA also maintains a scholarship fund to help further defray costs for attendees through full or partial registration waivers, travel stipends, and lodging stipends.
Scholarship applications for the 2012 Convention are due July 31! Apply today if you need assistance with travel and registration costs. We look forward to seeing you in DC on November 15-18.
Please fill out the online form by clicking https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFoyZ0stXzRyRFlTY3daYmZtVE81N2c6MQ.
Dear Members and Friends:
Early Bird Registration Has Been Extended To Friday 5/18 For The Eastern Super Regional Conference!
On behalf of the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (“APALANJ”) and my fellow Conference Co-Chairs, Ed Kiel, Esq. and Florelee Wan, Esq., we cordially invited you to join us in “Changing the Game” at the 2012 NAPABA Eastern Super Regional Conference as hosted by APALANJ:
WHO: The Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (“APALANJ”) is one of the member affiliates in the Northeast Region of NAPABA that also comprises of – MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA & Toronto, Canada. APALANJ is the host of this year’s 2012 NAPABA “Super Regional Conference.”
WHAT: Unlike the usual and annual “Northeast Regional Conference,” this year’s 2012 NAPABA Eastern Super Regional as hosted by APALANJ is the first “Super Regional” to be held on the East Coast that would bring the NAPABA Northeast Region and the NAPABA Southeast Region together at one time at one place. The Southeast Region includes the following members from FL, GA, MD, TN, VA, & DC.
It is anticipated that this historic two and a half day “Eastern Super Regional” conference will draw between 250 to 400 legal professionals to meet, network, and attend substantive legal programs designed and presented to accentuate and emphasize how Asian Pacific Americans attorneys are “Changing the Game” as attorneys and or judges.
The conference will conclude with a Saturday Evening Gala Dinner and Installation of the APALANJ Officers.
WHEN: Thursday, May 31st through the evening of Saturday, June 2, 2012.
WHERE: Trump Taj Mahal Resort & Conference Center, Atlantic City, NJ.
OFFICIAL CONFERENCE WEBSITE, INFO & REGISTRATION (Early Bird Rates to end 5-18-2012):
http://2012napabasuperregional.apalanjevents.com/
This is a tremendous opportunity to be seen, be counted upon, and be a part of history. We look forward to having you join us as a fellow “Game Changer” in Atlantic City!
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Very truly yours,
Moly K. Hung, Esq.
Co-Chair, 2012 NAPABA Eastern Super Regional Conference Committee & VP, APALANJ
Co-Chair, 2012 NAPABA Eastern Super Regional Conference Committee & VP, APALANJ
NAPABA Press Release: Jacqueline Nguyen and John Lee Confirmed
NAPABA Press Release: Jacqueline Nguyen and John Lee Confirmed
On May 7, NAPABA and AAJC jointly issued the following press release:
Jacqueline Nguyen Confirmed as First-Ever Asian Pacific American Female Federal Appellate Court Judge; John Z. Lee Also Confirmed For Federal District Court in Illinois
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen to be a Circuit Court Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and also confirmed John Z. Lee to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Nguyen is the first-ever Asian Pacific American female to serve as a federal appellate court judge anywhere in the nation. Judge Lee is only the second Asian Pacific American to serve as an Article III judge in Illinois.
For the full text of the press release, click on the title of this entry.
Celebrate APA Heritage Month with AABANY
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and AABANY is celebrating in a variety of ways:
- May 9 – Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Meeting at Perlman and Perlman, starting at 7 pm.
- May 11 – Society of Asian Federal Officers 21st Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet at Jing Fong, starting at 6 pm; AABANY member Pamela Chen, Chief, Civil Rights Section, Criminal Division, US Attorney’s Office, Easter District of New York, being honored as Prosecutor of the Year.
- May 12 – 33rd Annual Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Festival at DUMBO, starting at 11 am. AABANY and KALAGNY will have a table at the event. It is a free, family-friendly event and the weather is supposed to be great this weekend, so come out and join us.
- May 14 – APA Heritage Month Celebration at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office co-sponsored by AABANY.
- May 14 – Hon. Jeffrey K. Oing, Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York (and long-time AABANY member), will be speaking at Kramer Levin’s APA Heritage Month Celebration, at Kramer Levin’s midtown Manhattan office. RSVP required by May 10.
- May 16 – MOCA Community of Heroes Celebration at Golden Unicorn, starting at 6 pm. AABANY is taking seats there, and if you’d like to join us at a 50% subsidized rate, contact yang.chen@aabany.org.
- May 17 – AABANY’s IP Committee presents: Intellectual Property Ethics for In-House Counsel CLE, starting at 7 pm at Kalow & Springut; free for AABANY members, 1.5 ethics credits available.
- May 18 – Asian American Journalists Association of New York hosts a Trivia Bowl, at ABC News Studios, starting at 6 pm. Juju Chang will be the MC, and AABANY is fielding a team. Sitting New York APA judges will be serving as judges for the event.
- May 18-20 – NYSBA Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Spring Meeting, in association with the Young Lawyers Section, at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. Past President and current Judiciary Committee Co-Chair James Chou will be speaking on Sunday morning on the panel entitled, “Your Path Through the Court and to the Bench: What You Need to Know to Get Through a Day in Court.”
- May 22, Asian American Arts Alliance (a4), Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and AABANY present: “Revisiting Vincent: The Legacy of the Vincent Chin Case 30 Years Later,” a re-enactment of the Vincent Chin trial, with introduction and talkback led by Hon. Denny Chin and Dean Frank Wu, at New York Law School, starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets now available for purchase in advance.
- May 23 – AABANY’s Government and Public Sector Committee presents a CLE program entitled “Everyday Ethics for the Government & Public Sector Attorney,” to be held at Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman, starting at 6 pm. Free for AABANY members with 2.0 ethics CLE credits available.
- May 24 – AABANY’s Litigation Committee hosts a Happy Hour at the Hill on 29th and Third Ave., starting at 6:30 pm. Meet and mingle with members of the Litigation Committee.
- May 24 – AALDEF’s Young Professionals Committee and Cadwalder Wickersham & Taft host a screening of the documentary “Sing Your Song,” about Harry Belafonte and his role in fighting for civil rights for all Americans. AALDEF Staff Attorney Jerry Vattamala will take part in a Q&A after the screening and discuss the legacy of Harry Belafonte’s activism and its meaning for today’s generation.
- May 30 – AABANY joins the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) in hosting the Annual Summer Reception, open to the legal community and law students. It will take place at Edwards Wildman Palmer starting at 6 pm, and there is no cost to attend but RSVP is required by May 25.
- May 31 – June 2: NAPABA Eastern Super Regional Conference, hosted by APALA-NJ at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Many AABANY members and leaders will be there, speaking on panels and reconnecting with NAPABA friends. Registration now open.
It’s another event-filled APA Heritage Month. We hope to see you at one or more of the great programs listed above!