Tag: new york courts

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AABANY Hosts Annual Judges’ Reception in Celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

On Monday, May 24, 2022, AABANY’s Judiciary Committee hosted its annual Judges’ Reception to honor newly inducted and elevated and retiring judges in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We are pleased that this year’s event could be held in person, as last year’s event was via Zoom. The event was held at the Surrogate’s Courthouse, 31 Chambers Street, in downtown Manhattan. 

The honorees recognized at the event were individuals who represent the significant strides that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have achieved, in the ongoing effort to increase diversity in our leading institutions. The following judges were honored: 

  • Hon. Giyang An
  • Hon. Margaret Chan
  • Hon. Christopher Chin
  • Hon. Phyllis Chu
  • Hon. Vanessa Fang
  • Hon. Karen Gopee
  • Hon. Simiyon Haniff
  • Hon. Judy Kim
  • Hon. Biju Koshy
  • Hon. Andrea Ogle
  • Hon. Vidya Pappachan
  • Hon. Kim Parker
  • Hon. Raja Rajeswari
  • Hon. Omer Shahid
  • Hon. Soma Syed
  • Hon. Lillian Wan
  • Hon. Frances Wang

We are proud to celebrate these AAPI trailblazers in the judiciary. AAPIs remain significantly under-represented in New York courts. According to Secretary Johnson’s Report on New York Courts, 14% of New York City’s population is Asian but only 6% of judges are Asian. In light of current events and the rise in anti-Asian violence, AAPI representation on the bench is more important than ever. AABANY thanks the honorees for their pioneering example.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this event and the Judiciary Committee for organizing. To learn more about AABANY’s Judiciary Committee and its work, click here.

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NY Judicial Institute on Professionalism in the Law and the NY Commission to Reimagine the Future of New York’s Courts 2021 Convocation: Watchdogs or Lapdogs? The Ethical Challenges Facing Government Lawyers

In our highly charged political climate today, government lawyers face unprecedented ethical challenges; they must often make decisions that clash between ethical rules and what their superiors demand. There is a growing consensus that rules are frequently unclear, but there is no agreement in how to revise them. 

On October 14th, 2021, 11:00 a.m-4:00 p.m ET, the New York State Judicial Institute on Professionalism in the Law and the Commission to Reimagine the Future of New York’s Courts will be holding a virtual Convocation that will bring together outstanding professionals who have had decades of experience in government to address these critical issues and provide much needed reforms. 

The Convocation will kick off with Paul D. Clement and Neal Katyal, both leading members of the Supreme Court bar who have led the U.S. Solicitor General’s office. They will speak on the ethical challenges facing today’s government lawyers and whether the government lawyer can (or should) represent both the client and the public’s interest. Three additional panels will follow and will touch on a variety of topics. 

The first panel titled, “How are Government Lawyers Different from Their Private Sector Counterparts in Their Ethical Responsibilities? Let Us Count the Ways” will examine conflicts government lawyers may face when advising decision makers in the executive branch and/or the agencies they serve. The second panel titled, “The Right Recipe for Independent Candid Advice: What Should Get Thrown In? What Should Get Left Out?” will discuss what it means for lawyers to exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. The final panel titled “ Recalcitrant Clients: What to do When the ‘Client’ Rejects Your Advice (or Worse)” will dive deep into questions such as, “With whom does the government lawyer have an attorney-client privilege?” and “Whose confidential information should be protected?”

Please note that this event is free of charge. To register for the event please click here. 

To learn more about the Convocation, please click here. 

For more information regarding the Convocation Agenda, please click here. 

Please direct any questions to [email protected]

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In The News: President Terry Shen and Past President Linda Lin’s Op-Ed on the Lack of Asian-American Representation in New York’s Courts Published in City & State

On May 20, 2021, City & State published an Op-Ed written by President Terry Shen and Past President Linda Lin of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.

In the Op-Ed, President Shen and Past President Lin describe how a wave of Anti-Asian violence swept across New York City in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and how the city government’s lackluster response to these incidents has not been enough to protect the AAPI community. According to the article, stronger Asian-American representation in New York’s courts can help to solve these issues. The article also highlights Kathy Hirata Chin, the only Asian-American candidate for the New York Court of Appeals, arguing that her appointment would be a landmark step towards greater racial diversity, justice, and equity. As stated by President Shen and Past President Lin: “Our government must be diverse to fulfill Lincoln’s vision of a nation ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ The need in our city and state is urgent and necessary.”

To read the full article, click here.

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Over 100 Jurists of Color in New York, Including 6 AABANY Members from Queens, Sign Letter Affirming Equal Justice in Court

On July 8, 2020, over 100 jurists of color across New York, including 13 Queens judges of color, have added their names to a statewide letter affirming their commitment to equal justice and treatment under the law. Of the 13 Queens judges, six are members of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY): Hon. Karen Gopee, Hon. Wyatt Gibbons, Hon. Phillip Hom, Hon. Dean Kusakabe, Hon. John Lansden, and Hon. Toko Serita.

Led by Syracuse City Court Judge Derrek Thomas, the group formed to address the community in light of George Floyd’s murder and the nationwide protests that followed.

The letter stated: “We reaffirm our commitment to make a positive difference within our respective courts each day and to ensure that those appearing before us are treated equally, with the respect and dignity that both the law and humanity require.”

To read more about the letter, see this Queens Eagle article.

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Co-Chair Karen Lin Published in Historical Society of the New York Courts blog for APA Heritage Month

Pro Bono and Community Service Committee co-chair Karen Lin writes about why we celebrate Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month for the Historical Society of the New York Courts blog.

The Historical Society of the New York Courts was founded in 2002 by then New York State Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye. Its mission is to preserve, protect and promote the legal history of New York, including the proud heritage of its courts and the development of the Rule of Law.

A first generation immigrant herself, Lin attempts to define what it means to be “Asian American,” noting that the term often groups a diverse collection of people into a single phrase. In actuality, she explains, there are a plethora of cultures, languages, religions, histories, and patterns of immigration within the umbrella term; perhaps what most strongly links Asian Americans to one another are the hardships they face.

“Asian Americans are often grouped together as an undifferentiated mass and many share the experience of being treated as perpetual foreigners who do not fully belong in America,” Lin writes. From the Bubonic Plague of the 1900s – when San Francisco’s Chinatown was quarantined – to the present day, when COVID-19 has propelled a new wave of anti-Asian xenophobia and racism, Asian Americans have historically faced people challenging their place in this country, Lin says.

The designation of May as Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, then, is an homage to Asian Americans who often feel invisible. Lin explains that May was chosen to celebrate Asian American history to mark the anniversary of Japanese immigrants arriving in the US, and to acknowledge the contributions of Chinese workers in building the transcontinental railroad.

Lin embeds a powerful lesson in her article: Asian Americans will no longer accept being silenced, blamed, or overlooked. This month is only the first step on the journey ahead.

Thanks to Karen Lin for sharing these important thoughts on APA Heritage Month. To read the full blog post, click here.

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Common Threads of Justice: Get to Know Hon. Peter Tom

The Historical Society of the New York Courts continues its month-long celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month with its 2017 film Get to Know: Hon. Peter Tom. At the time of the interview, Justice Tom served as the Acting Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department.
 
The now-retired Justice Tom speaks of his upbringing in Hong Kong, and how his early years in the United States brought him to an interest in the law. He traces his judicial career from Housing Court Judge to Appellate Division Justice. He also discusses the importance of boxing in his life. The film comes full circle in Justice Tom’s reflections on the American dream.

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Notice from the NYS Unified Court System: New York Courts Emergency Alert Portal

We are sharing the announcement below that was circulated by NYSBA:

Effective January 30, 2020, the Court System has initiated a new system – the New York Courts Emergency Alert Portal (“Portal”) — to send out notifications about court closures and other UCS emergencies. The new Portal is hosted by NYAlert, a state public notification platform with a well-established record of reliable performance, and will replace Twitter notifications. Among other new features, the Portal will allow users to receive information about specific counties of their choosing, and to select their preferred method of notification (text, phone and/or email). Attorneys who are currently registered for Twitter announcement will need to register for the Portal at www.nycourts.gov/alerts/.

During a brief transition period, we will be sending out alerts through both Twitter and the Portal. We anticipate discontinuing use of Twitter for emergency alerts on or about March 15, 2020.

If you or your members have any questions on this subject, please contact Barbara Zahler-Gringer at: [email protected].

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ENSURING LANGUAGE ACCESS IN NEW YORK COURTS

Judge
Raja Rajeswari made history as the first South Asian woman to be appointed to
Criminal Court in the history of New York by Mayor Bill de Blasio in April of
2015. She is a proud member of AABANY and we were pleased to support
her during her history making appointment process in 2015. Being an immigrant herself who is multi-lingual, she fully
understands the special challenges that individuals with limited English
proficiency face and her goal in becoming a judge was to provide access to
justice for every individual who encounters our court system regardless of the
language they speak. She was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Court
Interpreting in November of 2015 and is currently chairing the subcommittee for
courthouse environment.

On
Tuesday, March 28, 2017, Judge Raja Rajeswari will be joining a panel of speakers
at the New York City Bar Stimson Room at an event titled “We All Speak Justice
Here! Ensuring Language Access in New York Courts” at 6:30PM
at 42 West 44th
Street, New York NY 10036.  The
increasing linguistic diversity of our city and state poses challenges as the
court system provides access to justice for New Yorkers with limited spoken
English proficiency. The event is free and open to the public. If interested in
attending, please RSVP to [email protected]

Judge Rajeswari has requested that we publish the information
below from
the Office of Court Administration to all our members and wants to encourage everyone to pass this
information along to anyone who is bilingual or multi lingual and may be interested in becoming a language interpreter
in New York.

The Written English Proficiency Exam (LANGUAGES OTHER
THAN SPANISH) will be held on June 17, 2017. The deadline to submit applications
is on April 7, 2017. To apply Download the Per-Diem
Application Form. For more information about these exams please see the Written
and Oral Exam Guide. All applicants must successfully pass both
the Written and Oral Exams in order to provide court interpreting services in
the New York State Unified Court System. Exam
schedules are posted on the court system’s website: http://nycourts.gov/careers/exams.shtml  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and scheduled exam
dates will be posted online. Applicants will be notified by mail of the
exam date and location.