Official blog of the Asian American Bar Association of New York
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit invites applications from qualified candidates for the position of Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of New York.
The term of office is four years, with potential for appointment to successive terms. If you applied earlier, there is no need to re-submit your application. The extension deadline to submit an application is June 13, 2025.
For announcement, please click here. For application, please click here.
On Wednesday, January 15, 2024, two dozen people braved the chilling morning winds of Times Square to join a prayer walk commemorating the anniversary of the death of Michelle Alyssa Go.
Three years before, on an early Saturday morning, as Michelle stood near the edge of the downtown R subway platform, Martial Simon charged toward her and pushed her to her death onto the front of an oncoming train. Simon, a 61-year-old homeless man with a history of schizophrenia and prior arrests was charged with second-degree murder for Michelle Go’s death.
Simon was found mentally unfit to stand trial and has been incarcerated at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center, a maximum-security state psychiatric institution. Doctors have been treating Simon and in April 2024, he passed a mental health evaluation. However, he refused to take medications after being moved to Rikers Island. When brought into court on April 30, 2024, Simon began yelling uncontrollably and was removed from the courtroom. Simon has since been incarcerated at Kirby.
Participants in the walk included Justin Go, the father of Michelle, and Michelle’s brother, Jefferey Go, who both live in California and had flown to New York City the weekend before. A number of the walkers were AABANY members, including Jennifer Wu and Larry Wee, Board Directors of AABANY, who have devoted much time assisting victims and the families of victims of anti-Asian violence in New York City; Marilyn Go (no relation to Michelle), retired U.S. Magistrate Judge and former AABANY Board member, helped organize the prayer walk for this year’s commemoration, as well as walks on the first and second anniversaries of Michelle’s death. Also participating in the walk were community organizer Liz Ouyang and members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The walk began shortly after 10 a.m. with Reverend Cristobal Tong, a Pastor at 3Stone/NYCAC welcoming the group and saying a prayer in remembrance of Michelle. Rev. Tong then led the group to the R subway station, walking down Broadway and entering the station at the 42nd Street entrance. After going down the escalator and praying, the group walked down the stairs to pray on the platform where Michelle was standing when pushed by Simon.
Michelle Go, only 40 at the time of her death, was beautiful, bright, and kind. She earned an M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business. She worked first at Barclays Capital and then joined Deloitte, where she concentrated on mergers and acquisitions. A member of the Junior League, she volunteered for over ten years to help the poor and homeless before her senseless death.
The killing of Michelle Go has impacted many residents of New York City in many ways, including raising fears that they could be the next victim of random violence. For Asian Americans, such fears are heightened given the dramatic rise in anti-Asian violence and hate since 2020, as documented in two reports issued by AABANY and the Asian American Law Fund of New York, A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions, and Endless Tide: The Continuing Struggle to Overcome Anti-Asian Hate in New York. Although the NY Police Department officer did not check the box that this killing was a hate crime in his crime scene report, Simon admitted when he voluntarily surrendered to the police that he was aware of Michelle’s race.
Moreover, the status of the trial of Simon for Michelle’s murder raises the troubling question why was he released from a psychiatric institution in the first place? Referring to Michelle’s case, Governor Hochul in her State of the Union address on January 14 announced that she is trying to expand mental health treatment and strengthen security as part of efforts to allay fears of crime.
As seen in this ABC News report featuring the prayer walk, the prosecution is determined to bring Simon to trial. The rest of us, including those of us on the walk, can only pray that justice will be achieved.
— Written by Marilyn D. Go
In the op-ed “Time for Change: Addressing Underrepresentation of Asian American Judges in the New York State Judiciary,” published on January 14, 2025, in the New York Law Journal, former Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng (Ret.) addresses the longstanding underrepresentation of Asian Americans in the New York State judiciary. While progress has been made since his historic appointment as the first Asian American judge in the state in 1983, the numbers remain glaring. Asian Americans, who constitute about 15% of New York City’s population, occupy only 5% of the judiciary statewide. Of the 1,300 state-paid judges, just 68 are Asian American, and many counties have never had an Asian American judge in positions of significant judicial power.
Justice Eng stresses the significance of leadership roles in the judiciary, pointing out that “there are 105 administrative and supervisory positions throughout the state… only five are held by Asian Americans, and there are none within OCA’s [Office of Court Administration] executive leadership team.” He also draws attention to historic firsts, such as Kathy Hirata Chin being shortlisted for the Court of Appeals vacancy in 2012 but emphasizes the need for urgent action, because to date no Asian American has been appointed to the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
Despite some progress, systemic inequities persist. For example, only three counties – Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn – have elected Asian Americans to the Supreme Court, while the remaining 59 counties remain without representation. Justice Eng asserts that true progress requires collective effort and advocacy: “We need to take it to the next step. We need to start saying as a community ‘it should be us.’” He calls on the community to expect and demand nominations for future vacancies, ensuring that representation reflects the diversity of the state.
To read Justice Eng’s call for change, op-ed in full, click here. (subscription required).
| For Immediate Release: Date: August 1, 2024 | Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director |
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, [July 31, 2024,] the United States Senate confirmed Judge Meredith A. Vacca to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Judge Vacca is the first Asian American and woman of color to serve in the Western District, which includes Buffalo, Rochester, and Elmira.
“NAPABA congratulates Judge Meredith A. Vacca on her confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “We are pleased to have supported the 50 AANHPI judges confirmed over the past eight years, spanning two Presidents. Our bipartisan judicial nominations approach and diverse membership have resulted in greater AANHPI representation on our judiciary across the country and political spectrum.”
Judge Vacca has been a judge on the Monroe County Court since 2021 and an Acting Justice on the New York State Supreme Court since 2023. She previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office in Rochester, New York, from 2007 to 2020 and as an associate at Hamberger & Weiss LLP from 2005 to 2007. Judge Vacca received her J.D. from the University of Buffalo School of Law in 2005 and her B.A. from Colgate University in 2002.
“Judge Vacca, a board member of the Asian American Judges Association of New York, is active in our community,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “As the 37th AANHPI judge confirmed by the Biden Administration, Judge Vacca will serve a rapidly growing Asian American district in upstate New York. We thank President Biden for nominating, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, and Senator Gillibrand for supporting Judge Vacca’s historic 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.
Chief Judge Margo K. Brodie announced today [July 24] that the Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York have appointed a Merit Selection Panel composed of attorneys and residents of the district. (See Administrative Order No. 2024-14 here.) The Panel will consider candidates for three United States Magistrate Judge vacancies in Brooklyn, New York, for eight (8)-year terms, to be created by the retirement of U.S. Magistrate Judges Lois Bloom and Cheryl L. Pollak, effective May 17, 2025 and August 1, 2025, respectively, and by the appointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara as United States District Judge, effective on the date of the signing of the Presidential Commission in December of 2024.
All applications for the magistrate judge vacancies must be received by October 23, 2024. The application form can be accessed online at the district’s website:
https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/forms/application-us-magistrate-judge-vacancy-docx. Please see the below public notice for instructions on how to submit applications for the magistrate judge vacancies.
Within one hundred and fifty (150) days from its appointment on July 24, 2024, the Panel must report to the Court its recommended slate of candidates for consideration for the magistrate judge vacancies.
There are three (3) upcoming full-time United States Magistrate Judge vacancies at the Brooklyn Courthouse of the Eastern District of New York at 225 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York, effective on a date to be determined in December 2024, on May 17, 2025, and August 1, 2025, respectively. The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging, and will include: (1) conduct of preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court; (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and (5) assignment of additional duties not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.
The jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636. To be qualified for appointment, an applicant must: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least five years; (b) have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (with some substitutions authorized); (c) be competent to perform all the duties of the office, of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature, committed to equal justice under the law, in good health, patient and courteous, and capable of deliberation and decisiveness; (d) be less than 70 years old; and (e) not be related to a judge of the district court. An applicant should have federal court experience and be knowledgeable in federal civil and criminal practices and procedures.
A Merit Selection Panel (appointed by Administrative Order 2024-14) composed of attorneys and residents of the district will review all applications and recommend in confidence to the judges of the district court the five persons whom it considers best qualified for each vacancy. The Court will make the appointments following FBI and IRS investigations of the appointees. An affirmative effort will be made to give due consideration to all qualified candidates, including women and members of minority groups. The salary of the position is, as of this notice, $223,836.00 per annum. The term of office is eight years.
Please note that the application form can be accessed online at the district’s website:
https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/forms/application-us-magistrate-judge-vacancy-docx.
Applications must be personally prepared by the applicant and must be received no later than October 23, 2024. Applications should be electronically submitted at
https://edny.app.box.com/f/89d572dd4ab644979ed53683c7005545. Instructions are available on the district’s website.
THE DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
On Thursday, June 27th, the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s Membership Committee hosted a Lobster Boat Night.
Attendees exchanged their legal briefs for lobster bibs as the cruise set sail with a perfect blend of cool breezes and clear skies. As the Manhattan skyline stretched out before everyone, the Statue of Liberty came into view and provided a majestic scene for the attendees to snap tons of photos.
With the sun setting and the city lights twinkling in the distance, everyone enjoyed cool summer drinks and indulged in delicious lobster rolls. Attendees shared stories, cracked jokes, had a blast, and made memories that will outlast the lobster season!
To find out more about the Membership Committee, please click here.
On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, AABANY’s LGBTQ Committee, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Goodwin Procter LLP, hosted a Pride Reception where guests were given a unique opportunity to be the first official viewers of the upcoming short film TAL 탈. The Committee gave the audience a chance to view a work from a group of minds diverse in both origin and ideas, in the continued effort of enhancing visibility and representation for Asian and LGBTQ groups.
The film’s writer and lead actor Wesley Han and director Charlie Gillette, as well as a small group that worked on the piece––some actors, cameramen, and producers––presented their vision: TAL 탈 is a short horror film full of emotion and thrills, that grapples with ideas of filial piety and shame. They sought to shed overworked themes and motifs that often permeate the media that represents Asian-American culture, while incorporating Han’s own anecdotal experiences for inspiration. The result is a fright-fest where Gabriel, an ex-actor and young associate at a top litigation firm in New York City, is hunted by a literal inner demon.
After a script-reading of the film, the panel took questions from the audience. In their answers they expressed their hopes that the film would resonate with the quintessential modern Asian experience, and also shared the process of assembling the film. Han expressed that the film had a youthful energy and would hopefully be impactful for a broad audience, but especially with Asian-American second and third-generation immigrants. Gillette discussed how the film was born of friendship and the SAG-AFTRA strike––the core team had known each other from previous works and had not been working at the time of the first screenplay’s inception.
After the panel, everyone was served complementary beverages and delicious desserts from LGBTQ-Asian-owned bakery ANDO. Guests and panelists alike mingled, met new people, made new connections, and exchanged advice and experience with friends and colleagues new and old. All of this was made possible thanks to the support of Goodwin Procter LLP, our hosts for this event and program.
For everyone that attended the event we extend our profound thanks for your support. To learn more about the AABANY LGBTQ Commitee please click here. To learn more and support the upcoming short film TAL 탈 please click here. And to learn more about Goodwin Procter, please click here.
On May 14, 2024, AABANY’s Labor and Employment Law, Intellectual Property, and In-House Counsel Committees co-hosted a panel discussion entitled “Roots to Success: Navigating Commercial and Legal Terrain in Asian Small Business Ventures.” The event was an opportunity for AABANY members to gather in celebration of May’s AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month.
The event featured panelists Rachna Shah, Founder and General Counsel of External General Counsel LLC, Ayan Sanyal, Co-Founder of Kolkata Chai, and Lingfei (Teddy) Wu, Founder and CEO of Anytime AI. The event was moderated by Anushree Bagrodia, Vice President of Legal Americas of Mastercard and Co-Chair of AABANY’s In-House Counsel Committee.
The panelists shared their unique personal journeys that led them to start their businesses. They discussed the challenges that they faced when starting and growing their businesses and how they overcame these challenges, including how they navigate the legal issues that their businesses encounter. To tie the event back to AANHPI/APIDA Heritage Month, the panelists also shared the importance of embracing and celebrating their Asian heritage and supporting other Asian entrepreneurs and Asian owned businesses. We thank our distinguished panelists and moderator for sharing their time, perspectives, and insights. We also thank Littler Mendelson. P.C. for hosting the event at their New York City office.
To learn more about the Labor & Employment Law Committee please click here. To learn more about the Intellectual Property Committee please click here. To learn more about the In-House Counsel Committee please click here.
Vishal Chander, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair, and AABANY member Jaehee Yoo provided pro bono services at the CUNY Citizenship Now naturalization clinic. The event took place at John Jay College of Criminal Justice on May 18, 2024. The event was covered by Univision New York.
CUNY Citizenship Now! is a project of the City University of New York and is the nation’s largest university-based legal assistance program. The May 18 Spring Drive event is Citizenship Now’s largest. The event provides free application support to New Yorkers who would like to apply to become U.S. citizens. The May 18 event assisted over 300 people.
Vishal Chander and Jaehee Yoo are members of both AABANY and the New York Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA New York). Vishal Chander, who is co-chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee and co-chair of the AILA New York’s Public Interest Committee, helped to organize AILA involvement. Vishal Chander stated, “Providing pro bono services is a deeply fulfilling part of our role as practicing attorneys.” This is the second year that Vishal Chander has helped to coordinate AILA New York’s involvement with the CUNY Citizenship Now Spring Drive event. Thanks to Vishal and Jaehee for supporting the CUNY Citizenshop Now event.
For Immediate Release: Date: May 15, 2024 | Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director |
WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Senate confirmed Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
“NAPABA congratulates Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “An experienced U.S. Magistrate Judge since 2017, Judge Bulsara is an active member of NAPABA and our affiliate, the Asian American Bar Association of New York. We are pleased to have supported Judge Bulsara throughout the confirmation process.”
Judge Sanket J. Bulsara has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2017. From January 2017 to May 2017, Judge Bulsara served as the Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he had been the Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement since 2015. Prior to that, Judge Bulsara worked at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr L.L.P. as an associate from 2005 to 2008, a counsel from 2009 to 2011, and a partner from 2012 to 2015. For six months between 2007 and 2008, he served as a Special Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, and he worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson L.L.P. in Los Angeles, California from 2003 to 2004. Judge Bulsara served as a law clerk for Judge John G. Koeltl on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 2002 and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1998.
“AANHPIs are the fastest growing racial and ethnic demographic in the country. NAPABA is grateful that President Biden and the United States Senate advanced a record-breaking 35 confirmed AANHPI judges,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “NAPABA will continue our work to build the pipeline of judicial candidates, particularly in Districts and Circuits where there are growing AANHPI populations without representation.”
NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Bulsara, and we thank Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for supporting his 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.
