Tag: network of bar leaders

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AABANY Hosts Inaugural Wellness Day at Brooklyn Law School

On July 22, 2023, AABANY successfully hosted its inaugural Wellness Day in commemoration of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The event, held under the theme “Embracing Wellness and Well-Being: Strengthening the Legal Profession by Investing in Ourselves,” took place at Brooklyn Law School. This event was made possible through the generous support of our distinguished speakers and sponsors, enabling us to address crucial topics such as fostering wellness, seeking therapy, building resilience, and more.

Mental health and well-being, particularly within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and in the context of the legal profession, have often been overlooked and under-discussed. With this event, AABANY sought to break barriers and shed light on these critical issues, providing a safe and supportive platform for these conversations to take place.

Wellness Day registration started at 9 a.m. with the first 25 attendees to sign-in receiving a free stainless steel AABANY water bottle. Attendees were encouraged to come in casual attire and the program was also offered via Zoom, to be inclusive of those unable to attend in-person. The full-day event kicked off with breakfast from Paris Baguette, allowing participants to network and connect with one another over pastries and coffee for an enjoyable hour. Soon after, AABANY President Karen Kim delivered welcoming remarks. She extended her appreciation to all the attendees who joined this meaningful event and the pivotal role of the speakers and sponsors, recognizing their significant contribution to wellness and mental health advocacy.

Anu Gupta, the Founder of BE MORE with Anu, began with an enlightening presentation. His program, titled “Mindful Embodiment as a Means to Heal Burnout and Internalized Anti-Asian Bias,” commenced with a guided meditation, allowing attendees to clear their minds, relax, and focus on the session.

Anu introduced his PRISM ToolkitⓇ. PRISM is designed to help reduce unconscious bias and stereotyping, enhance social connectedness, strengthen relationships, and alleviate stress. Anu emphasized the significance of “love and kindness for oneself” and how true wellness is rooted in understanding and managing our internal environment. He stressed the importance of self-love as the foundation for extending that love to others, fostering connections beyond our differences.

Anu, a lawyer, scientist, and educator, shared his personal healing journey, which began during his 2L summer in law school when he went to Taiwan to become a monk. Continuing his quest for healing, during his 3L year, he became a certified yoga teacher. Toward the end of his presentation, Anu highlighted the wisdom of the Asian diaspora, citing the teachings of HH Dalai Lama, who emphasized the philosophy of kindness. Anu firmly believes that kindness and love should form the “foundation of society.” Thank you, Anu Gupta, for setting a meaningful tone for the day and reinforcing the importance of prioritizing wellness and meditation for personal and professional growth.

For more information about PRISM and Anu Gupta, please visit his website here. 

Next, Dr. Nadine Chang, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist at Gracie Square Hospital, and Alice Zhang, CEO of Anise Health presented their program, “Mental Health 101 for the Asian Community.” They talked about misconceptions of mental illnesses, signs of depression and anxiety, importance of culturally informed care and barriers to mental health treatments. 

During her presentation, Alice highlighted that “[the] current solutions [in the mental health care system] are not often tailored for minorities,” including the process of deciding to seek care, browsing for providers, conducting consultations, and continuing care. Alice then introduced the attendees to Anise Health, a culturally-responsive digital mental health and wellbeing platform dedicated to meeting the unique needs of communities of color, starting with a focus on the AANHPI population. Following up, Dr. Chang spotlighted the much-needed steps towards breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in the AANHPI community and fostering a more understanding and supportive environment for those facing mental health issues, such as learning to support your loved ones struggling with mental illness by being more present, listening, and empathizing with the other person’s situation by reflecting on how they may think and feel being in their shoes. 

For more information about Anise Health, Dr. Nadine Chang, and Alice Zhang, please visit here. 

To conclude the morning session, speaker Ona Lu and moderator Maggie Poon presented their fireside chat titled, “How to Find a Therapist and Mental Well-Being Tips.” Ona Lu, a former AABANY Legal Intern, began the conversation by reflecting on her journey and offering advice to her 18-year-old self. She emphasized the importance of recognizing that “everything happens for a reason” and that life experiences are opportunities to “learn and grow from.” She shared her personal journey of redirecting and rediscovering her passion for law after leaving her job as an attorney. Ona also opened up about the challenges she faced in seeking therapy, particularly coming from a conservative family. She reflected on the process of finding a therapist, admitting that it felt somewhat scary due to fear of judgment and the daunting fact of opening up to a stranger. “Finding a therapist is like dating,” she says, and advised that one should not give up on finding the right therapist. Through her inspiring story, Ona encouraged others to prioritize their mental health, emphasizing that it is okay to seek help and take care of oneself without feeling guilty or selfish. We thank Ona Lu for her openness and vulnerability of her journey and Maggie Poon for moderating a personal and intimate conversation. 

When the morning session concluded, attendees were treated to a delightful spread of Korean food, providing an informal and relaxed opportunity for everyone to chat, mingle, and network over delicious and comforting fare.

Pema Sherpa, Founder of Pema Solutions, commenced the afternoon session with her program, “Cultivate Resilience to Thrive Amid Challenging Times.” She began with a brief mindful check-in breathing exercise, allowing attendees to de-stress. Then, Pema shared a powerful story about the earthquake that struck Nepal, highlighting how its impact differed for each individual and community. After the earthquake, she embarked on a rescue mission to a rural village, where she witnessed firsthand the trauma and distress faced by the people whose homes were destroyed. She was struck by the sight of normalcy amidst the devastation, as children were actively helping their parents cope with the aftermath. Curious about their experiences, Pema asked one of the children about how she dealt with the trauma of the earthquake. The child’s response was inspiring: she chose not to allow the trauma to overpower her. This particular encounter inspired Pema to reassess the power of resilience and the ability to find strength and hope even in the face of adversity. She shared that resilience serves as a protective mechanism: protects against stress, reduces loneliness, and enhances the immune system.

For more information about Pema Sherpa and Pema Solutions, please visit her website here. 

Alex Su, the next speaker, is a former lawyer and the Head of Community Development at Ironclad. The fireside chat,“Overcoming Setbacks and Failures,” was moderated by President Karen Kim. Alex’s career, spanning from law to technology and even social media, didn’t always go as planned and encountered several major setbacks along the way. He shared his story, beginning with the first setback he faced: failing the bar exam. Other setbacks followed: he went from a big law firm, to creating his own, to being let go from a small firm. He then explored opportunities in sales and eventually found his way into the tech and social media industry. Through each setback, Alex acknowledged that it was an opportunity for growth and “set[ting] the path [for him] to try something new.” He emphasized that “resilience is a muscle” and that muscle develops stronger with each challenge. 

Sharing his setbacks on LinkedIn proved to be a pivotal moment for Alex, as he received an outpouring of comments from peers who could relate to his experiences. This realization highlighted that many people tend to only share their successes and not their failures. When asked if he would go back in time to avoid these setbacks, considering he now gets to do what he loves, Alex responded with a resounding “Yes, 100%.” He recognized that those setbacks were necessary steps in discovering his true passions and aligning them with his personality. Each setback, “like a slap,” guided him along the right path. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your vulnerable story and serving as a powerful reminder that setbacks and failures are stepping stones towards finding one’s purpose and fulfilling career journey.

For more information about Alex Su, please visit his newsletter here. 

Concluding Wellness Day, AABANY hosted a CLE program titled, “Challenges on Being the First and Prioritizing Your Well-Being.” The program included the following panelists: 

  • Vincent Chang: first AAPI NYCLA President and former AABANY president
  • Hon. Sanket J. Bulsara (EDNY): first South Asian federal judge in the Second Circuit
  • Concepcion (“Connie”) Montoya: one of the founders of the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York, the first Filipino bar association in New York
  • Susan Jin Davis: Social Impact Officer for Al Roker Entertainment, formerly with Comcast Corporation, where she was the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer

and moderated by Yang Chen, first Executive Director of AABANY and former AABANY president. 

The inspiring panel of firsts shared their careers and discussed various topics related to imposter syndrome, work-life balance, stress and anxiety and mental well-being. Susan Jin Davis shared that her greatest challenges of becoming the first was imposter syndrome and the lack of representation. She overcame this feeling by focusing on “the second and the third and the fourth [and] lay[ing] a pathway for the future.” Similarly, Connie resonated with the same feelings, and even more so regarding her identity as a queer Filipino woman in the legal field. Vincent highlighted the significance of finding “a great support system” and his joining many different bar associations, where he found like-minded individuals who shared careers and interests similar to his own. Judge Bulsara offered valuable advice, emphasizing the importance of not comparing oneself to others and recognizing that everyone has their unique journey in life.

The shared experiences and advice from the speakers served as valuable takeaways for all attendees. AABANY thanks them all for being a powerful influence in wellness and mental health advocacy.

We hope Wellness Day provided attendees with a relaxing day of self-care and resources to help promote the well-being of themselves and their family and peers. After a full day of speakers, good food and snacks throughout the day, attendees left with a card deck on Mindfulness or Stress Relief & Selfcare, to help further prioritize wellness.

We also want to express our sincere gratitude to President Karen Kim for successfully organizing this event and for convening an important and much-needed discussion. Wellness Day would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to them for their valuable contribution.

Wellness Day Speakers:

  • Anu Gupta, BE MORE with Anu
  • Alice Zhang, Anise Health
  • Dr. Nadine Chang, Gracie Square Hospital
  • Ona Lu
  • Maggie Poon, American Express
  • Pema Sherpa, Pema Solutions
  • Alexander Su, Ironclad
  • Karen Kim, QBE North America
  • Yang Chen, AABANY
  • Hon. Sanket J. Bulsara, U.S. District Court (E.D.N.Y.)
  • Susan Jin Davis, Al Roker Entertainment
  • Concepcion A. Montoya, Hinshaw & Culbertson
  • Vincent Chang, Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch

Wellness Day Sponsors:

  • Brooklyn Law School
  • Anise Health
  • BEMORE with Anu
  • Ironclad
  • Pema Solutions

Advocate Sponsor: KEB Hana Bank USA

Supporter: Faegre Drinker

Co-Sponsoring Bar Associations:

  • Asian American Judges Association of New York (AAJANY)
  • Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA-NJ)
  • Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA New York)
  • Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York (HALANY)
  • Jewish Lawyers Guild (JLG)
  • Judges & Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA)
  • LGBT Bar Association of New York (LeGaL)
  • Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY)
  • Network of Bar Leaders (NoBL)
  • New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA)
  • New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
  • The South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey (SABA-NJ)
  • South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY)

To read the full press release, please click here.

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SOC and NOBL Present: Experiences and Tips to Sustain your Legal Career

On March 31, AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee and the Network of Bar Leaders hosted a mentoring session for law students. The event was titled “Experiences and Tips to Sustain Your Legal Career” and featured five distinguished bar leaders: 

  • Vincent Chang, President, New York County Lawyers Association and Past President, AABANY (2007)
  • Jean Dassie, Treasurer, Federal Bar Association SDNY Chapter
  • Austin D’Souza, President, South Asian Bar Association of New York
  • Karen Kim, President-Elect, Asian American Bar Association of New York
  • Meredith Miller, Past President, Network of Bar Leaders and LeGal 

The moderators were Margaret Ling, Vice President of the Network of Bar Leaders, and William Lee, Vice Chair of AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee. 

Reflecting on their career paths, the speakers agreed on the importance of setting professional goals with an open mind. Both Karen and Margaret encouraged students to explore broadly, get to know their classmates and warned about tunnel vision in law school. Meredith shared that membership in a bar association has been important to her career as it helped her form many meaningful connections. Vincent added that many bar associations host mentorship programs that are especially beneficial to students and young attorneys. 

In the second part of the event, attendees had the opportunity to talk informally with the speakers. Attendees introduced themselves and received advice tailored to their areas of interest. The conversation ranged from law practice in real estate to how COVID is changing legal academia. 

Thank you to the speakers, moderators and attendees for a festive and informative event. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee, please visit https://www.aabany.org/page/121. To learn more about the Network of Bar Leaders, go to https://www.networkofbarleaders.org/. 

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AABANY and KALAGNY File Amici Brief Addressing Implicit Racial Bias in N.Y. Judicial System

An Allen & Overy cross-practice team acted as pro-bono counsel for the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) in filing an appellate brief amici curiae to the New York Appellate Division, Third Department. 

Following his mostly unsuccessful personal injury case brought against the State of New York (Byung Choon Joe v. New York), Plaintiff, Byung Choon Joe, appealed the trial judge’s decision to the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. A&O, on behalf of AABANY and KALAGNY, filed a brief amici curiae in support of Mr. Joe, urging the appellate court to consider whether the trial court’s decision was negatively influenced by implicit racial bias.

Terry Shen, President of AABANY, said, “As the largest affinity bar association in New York and the United States, AABANY is devoted to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. When we learned about the case of Byung Choon Joe, we were concerned about the trial court’s irrelevant reference to his Korean ethnicity in the context of a finding of a lack of trustworthiness, recalling age-old negative stereotypes of Asian Americans. We therefore joined with KALAGNY to file an amici brief to call attention to the fact that judges and the judicial system are not immune to implicit bias.”

The New York State Bar Association and several affiliates of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association also supported AABANY and KALAGNY’s brief including: the Asian American Bar Association of Chicago, the Asian American Bar Association of Houston, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania, the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association, the Network of Bar Leaders (a coalition of more than fifty bar associations in the Greater New York area), the South Asian Bar Association of New York, and the Thai American Bar Association.

The A&O pro-bono team for this case was led by Sapna Palla (AABANY member and Immediate Past President) along with associates Rebecca Cecchini and Ben Minkoff.


To view the entire press release, please click here.

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Congratulations to the Newly Installed Board Members of the Network of Bar Leaders

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On September 13, 2021, the Network of Bar Leaders held this year’s Induction & Installation Ceremony at the Museum of Korean American Heritage to welcome the new president, Eve C. Guillergan of the New York City Bar Association and all of the Network’s new board members.  Honorable George B. Daniels of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York kicked off the ceremony and swore in the new board members.  Honorable Diane Gujarati, distinguished guest speaker, tasked the bar leaders to extend their support, guidance, and mentorship to future attorneys who are embarking on their careers during challenging and unprecedented times.  The ceremony was attended by judges, past and present bar leaders, including our very own Terry Shen, President of AABANY.  Dianna Lam, co-chair of AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee and a 4L evening student from Fordham Law School and Vivian Lee, AABANY Student Leader and a 2L from Pace Law School, volunteered to assist with operational needs during the ceremony.

Please join us in congratulating the Network’s President, Eve Guillergan, and all the newly-installed Officers and Directors, including Margaret Ling as Second Vice President. We are pleased to note that both Eve and Margaret are AABANY members and that the keynote speaker Hon. Diane Gujarati is also an AABANY member. AABANY looks forward to working with the Network of Bar Leaders in the weeks and months to come. To learn more about the Network of Bar Leaders, see https://www.networkofbarleaders.org/

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Mediators Wanted – Presumptive ADR Initiative

Thanks to the Network of Bar Leaders for sharing this important announcement about the Presumptive ADR Program:

The NYS Unified Court System has launched the Presumptive ADR Program, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) initiative, which will expand existing ADR programs and develop appropriate dispute resolution programs in a broad range of civil cases statewide.

These programs will address various case types and will be implemented systemwide. Some programs will rely on the existing network of ADR programs while others will seek to develop or expand rosters of neutrals who meet the requirements of Part 146 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge. Courts may be seeking neutrals for assistance in areas that may include matrimonial and family law, personal injury, trusts and estates and commercial matters.

The court system is seeking to improve diversity in the court rosters and increase outreach in all judicial districts.  The Network of Bar Leaders is in a unique position to help promote ADR practitioners through this recruitment tool.

We encourage prospective neutrals to submit their information on or before March 20, 2020 by completing and submitting the online form at this link: https://forms.gle/SqnP8AG8irbfqt2a9 so that it can be aggregated and provided to the court system to make outreach more efficient when the time comes.

The information you provide will be forwarded to the NYS Unified Court System’s ADR office and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge’s Special Counsel for ADR Initiatives for Courts within NYC and Outside NYC, for their further consideration when the initiative reaches that stage.

Please note that the court system will contact only those respondents whose professional background, formal training, ADR and subject matter experience, and geographic availability meet the current needs of a particular roster. The court system will also communicate directly with you at a later date if they are in need of any additional information.

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Congratulations to Hon. Denny Chin on Receiving the Honorable Harold Baer Jr. Award from the Network of Bar Leaders

On January 27, 2020, the Honorable Denny Chin, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, received the Honorable Harold Baer Jr. Award from the Network of Bar Leaders. In his remarks, Judge Chin emphasized that the legacy of Judge Baer lives on in initiatives such as the SDNY’s Re-entry through Intensive Supervision and Employment (RISE) Court. Judge Chin presided over the first RISE Court, where he met with at-risk individuals on supervised release to encourage them to seek and maintain employment. Judge Chin was happy to report that at least ten of the individuals in the program were set to successfully graduate from the inaugural program. 

Congratulations, Judge Chin, on the well-deserved recognition and thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the legal profession. For more information about Judge Chin and the award, read the press release here.

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Congratulations to the Network of Bar Leaders

AABANY extends its congratulations to the Officers and Executive Council of the Network of Bar Leaders. They were installed on August 20, at the New York County Lawyers Association, in a ceremony officiated by Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, Hon. Paul G. Feinman. AABANY is a proud long-standing member of the Network of Bar Leaders.

AABANY’s own Board Officer, Margaret Ling, began the evening by welcoming everyone to NYCLA. Immediate Past President of the Network of Bar Leaders, Bridgette Y. Ahn (also a member of AABANY) introduced Judge Feinman. Judge Feinman swore in all the Executive Council members, including Margaret and Bridgette, followed by the Officers, and after them, Judge Feinman swore in Meredith Miller as President.

A reception followed the installation, at which all attendees got to congratulate Meredith and the newly installed Officers and Executive Council members. Attendees also had the opportunity to take photos with them and enjoyed networking over delicious Chinese food as well as wine and refreshments. Thanks to Margaret for all her hard work planning and organizing the reception.

For some great photos from the event, check out the album here.

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Congratulations to Meredith Miller on Being Elected as President of the Network of Bar Leaders

AABANY congratulates Meredith Miller, member of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York , and Founder of Miller Law, PLLC, on her election as President of the Network of Bar Leaders for the upcoming year. Many congratulations for the rest of the elected leadership as well. AABANY is a proud member of the Network of Bar Leaders, and we are pleased to recognize Margaret Ling, AABANY’s Director of Development, as a member of the Network of Bar Leaders’ Executive Council.

Congratulations to Bridgette Ahn, Immediate Past President of the Network of Bar Leaders, for a spectacular year as President. We are proud to count her as an AABANY member!

President
Meredith R. Miller
Member Organization: LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York  

First Vice President
Yacine Barry-Wun 
Member Organization: New York Women’s Bar Association

Second Vice President
Eve GuillerganMember Organization: Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York

Treasurer
Michael Kohan 
Member Organization:  Queens County Bar Association

Recording Secretary
Edwina F. Martin 
Member Organization: Staten Island Women’s Bar Association

Corresponding Secretary
Denisse Mira  Organization: Hispanic National Bar Association 

Executive Council
Gloribelle Perez, Dominican Bar Association 
William F. Dahill, Federal Bar Association
Domenick Napoletano, Brooklyn Bar Association
Ron Katter, Jewish Lawyers Guild
Margaret Ling, Asian American Bar Association of New York 
Jason Clark, Metropolitan Black Bar Association Hon. Jeffrey Levin, New Rochelle Bar Association  
Tanya Blocker, Association of Black Women Attorneys   
Bridgette Y. Ahn, Immediate Past President (Mandatory Position)

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Congratulations to Brian Song on Being Honored by the Network of Bar Leaders

On Wednesday, June 12, the Network of Bar Leaders held its Presidents’ Dinner, a gathering to honor the Presidents of the Network of Bar Leaders’ member bar associations. The dinner was held at the Golden Unicorn in Chinatown, and AABANY was proud to be a Gold Sponsor at the event.

The program kicked off with opening remarks from New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Then, Hon. George B. Daniels, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, was honored, followed by his presentation of a keynote speech. As a multi-course banquet was served, some thirty-five Presidents from the Network of Bar Leaders’ member associations lined up to be presented with the President’s Awards by Hon. Jeffrey K. Oing, Justice of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.

AABANY congratulates its President Brian Song and all the Network of Bar Leaders’ member association Presidents who were honored and recognized at the Presidents’ Dinner. Many AABANY Board Officers and Directors and Committee Chairs were in attendance to celebrate with Brian Song and other bar association Presidents and leaders in attendance.

Photo courtesy of Network of Bar Leaders

We also congratulate Network of Bar Leaders President Bridgette Ahn on this highly successful event. To learn more about the Network of Bar Leaders, visit https://www.networkofbarleaders.org/ . For more photos from the event, see the Network of Bar Leaders’ album at https://photos.app.goo.gl/xyoR66SUX78UEDTL9

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Invitation to Town Hall on Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Opportunities

On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is holding a town hall for the legal industry at the Hilton Millennium Downtown New York, 55 Church St., New York, NY from 9 am to 1 pm.

The focus of the OFCCP is to review its compliance assistance efforts and identify options for enhancing contractors’ understanding of their nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements.

The OFCCP is holding the town hall to learn more about what is important to its stakeholders in the legal industry and to enhance the scope and the quality of OFCCP’s compliance materials.

The Network of Bar Leaders and its members (including AABANY) are invited to attend and provide feedback to help the OFCCP develop policy for stakeholders in the legal industry and related fields. OFCCP will be looking for innovative ideas on how to make its existing compliance assistance efforts more practical and collaborative.

The meetings are open to the public but will be of particular interest to human resource managers, equal employment opportunity specialists, chief compliance officers, and other personnel in the legal industry who are directly involved with ensuring their company’s compliance with OFCCP’s requirements. Workers, job seekers, community groups and anyone interested in OFCCP and our work are also encouraged to attend. Please note only two tickets are available per organization on a first come, first served basis.

You can attend a town hall by registering through OFCCP’s website.