We would like to extend a special thank you to Vishal Chander for providing remote immigration assistance, and to everyone who stayed past 2:30 p.m. to ensure all clients were seen. We are especially grateful to Beatrice Leong, who traveled from Queens in a foot brace and stayed past 3:30 p.m. to assist our final client. Your dedication, including staying later than necessary to ensure no client was turned away, is truly admirable!
In addition to answering legal questions, these clinics aim to train law students and young attorneys on how to communicate complex legal concepts in layman’s terms. We appreciate you taking the time to listen to our clients’ stories and providing them with a space to be heard.
Here’s one of the clients’ comments –”Gary is the best lawyer…. Thanks very much.”
Volunteer attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Victoria Cheng
Francis Chin
Jack (Zixu) Hsia
Kwok Kei Ng
Beatrice Leong
Arthur Lin
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Gary Yeung
Interpreters/shadowers:
Sam Chen
Philip Han
Nikita Kohli
Tianyuan Shu
Albert Tong
Please join us at our upcoming clinics:
January 21st [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
February 4th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
March 14th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
Thank you for making a significant difference in our community!
On November 1, 2025, The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) participated as exhibitors at Asian Americans for Equality’s (AAFE) inaugural Financial Access Resource Fair. This event was organized in response to the growing economic pressures affecting local families, businesses, and older adults. Held at the Glow Cultural Center in Flushing, Queens, the fair took place from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
The Financial Access Resource Fair aimed to provide immediate assistance to residents and small business owners facing challenges such as paying rent, affording healthcare, securing food for their families, and sustaining small enterprises. Additionally, the event served as a dynamic platform for local nonprofit organizations to engage with community members, form connections with community partners and elected officials, share valuable resources, and promote collaboration. AABANY and AALFNY’s presence was marked by meaningful engagement and a strong commitment to community empowerment.
Throughout the three-hour event, AABANY and AALFNY welcomed approximately 73 attendees to its table. Gary Yeung, a Co-Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee (PBCS), and Nandar Win Kerr, Treasurer and Consultant to the PBCS, represented the organizations and interacted directly with guests, taking time to understand their needs in providing information and answering questions. The PBCS team ensured that every visitor left with valuable information and a sense of support.
Gary and Nandar, on behalf of AABANY and AALFNY, provided personalized information sessions. Attendees could stop by for one-on-one conversations with the PBCS team to learn about the organizations’ joint free legal clinics in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, and Legal Referral and Information Service (“LRIS”). These clinics and LRIS offer vital legal assistance to individuals who might otherwise face cultural or language barriers to accessing justice. By detailing the clinics’ services and answering specific questions, Gary and Nandar empowered attendees to make informed decisions about their legal needs.
To further enhance the fair experience, PBCS distributed practical items to attendees. Each visitor received a drawstring bag filled with pens and notebooks—useful tools for everyday life and especially beneficial for those seeking to organize legal documents or take notes during the information session and clinic visits. These giveaways served as both a thoughtful gesture and a tangible reminder of the resources available through AABANY’s free legal clinics.
AABANY and AALFNY’s involvement in AAFE’s Financial Access Resource Fair exemplified the spirit of collaboration and service that defines the nonprofit sector. By engaging personally with 73 attendees, providing informative one-on-one sessions about free legal clinics, and offering practical gifts, AABANY and AALFNY strengthened their relationship with the community and reaffirmed its commitment to making legal support accessible to those who need it most.
We invite you to join AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics taking place on:
November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
January 10th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Big congratulations to AAFE for successfully organizing their inaugural Financial Access Resource Fair!
— Written by Nandar Win Kerr, AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service Committee
On October 18th, 2025, the Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP) held its Annual Entrepreneurship Training. The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) partnered with CMP to deliver a legal workshop on Business Entity Formation and Partnership Agreements, designed to assist small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Thanks to May Wong, former Co-Chair of the Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and Nandar Win Kerr, Treasurer and Consultant to the PBCS Committee for providing invaluable insights on the crucial topics of business entity formation and partnership agreements, equipping aspiring and current entrepreneurs with the foundational legal knowledge necessary for success.
The engaging training covered essential aspects of choosing the right business structure, including understanding the implications of diverse entity classification and the critical components of strong partnership agreements. Attendees gained a clearer picture of how to protect their businesses, navigate legal complexities, cultivate productive collaborations and promote a sustainable business model.
Many immigrants arrive in the United States seeking better economic prospects and face barriers to traditional employment, such as language barriers and lack of local networks. CMP offers employment support to people from all walks of life, including immigrants and second-generation immigrants. CMP also hosts comprehensive entrepreneurial workshops and seminars, provides one-on-one consulting services to small business clients, and refers clients to partnering resource organizations for government assistance, legal consultation, financial literacy, and micro-lending.
Wong and Kerr also highlighted the availability of free 30-minute legal consultations through the PBCS Committee’s legal clinics in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. These clinics, co-sponsored by AABANY and AALFNY offer accessible legal guidance to the community. The PBCS Committee encourages pro bono legal service from AABANY members, informs the community of their legal rights, and works with other not-for-profits to bring free or low-cost legal services to the AAPI, immigrant, and other New York communities. AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (“LRIS”) connects members of the New York community with qualified legal counsel, overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers and increasing the accessibility of legal referral services in the Greater New York area for an underserved demographic.
We believe that empowering entrepreneurs with legal education is vital for fostering thriving businesses and communities. As a gesture of our appreciation and support, all attendees were presented with special Pro Bono Clinic items at the conclusion of the training, a small token to remind them of the resources available to them and the importance of legal guidance in their entrepreneurial journey.
AABANY collaborates with CMP to create this legal workshop to help small business owners and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. AABANY also helps provide legal advice to small business owners and young entrepreneurs at our upcoming legal clinics. We invite you to join AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics taking place on:
November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
A big thank you to CMP for their continued dedication to fostering entrepreneurship, and to all the attendees for their enthusiasm and engagement. We look forward to future collaborations that uplift and empower our community.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AAFE, AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on October 15th, 2025.
During the clinic, our volunteers provided free legal services and information to 16 clients, addressing a range of matters including housing, immigration, family and matrimonial, estate and property. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.
We thank all the volunteers at the October 15th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and dedication:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Yen Yi Anderson
Jack (Zixu) Hsia
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Arthur Lin
Jieman Tan
Anthony Wong
Gary Yeung
Interpreters/shadowers:
Kaleah Haddock
Emily Kam
Nikita Kohli
Qi (Ellie) Wang
Ruixuan Yi
Shang Zhai
Wendy Zeng
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:
November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
November 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.
December 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. This clinic is preceded by an Immigration Basics Training at 6pm.
We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! To learn more about how you can get involved with AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinics, visit probono.aabany.org.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, CPC, RaisingHealth and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic and our community outreach activity at RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration in Brooklyn on September 20th, 2025.
Kwok Kei Ng (Co-Chair), May Wong (former Co-Chair) and Nandar Win Kerr (Treasurer and Impact Consultant) of the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted a community outreach table at the RaisingHealth’s Health Empowerment Celebration event. We effectively referred guests with legal questions to the pro bono legal clinic in real-time and distributed “Know-Your-Rights” brochures on immigration law in Chinese and Spanish, upcoming pro bono clinic flyers, and information about AABANY’s legal referral and information service. Our participation highlights our commitment to community lawyering and addressing current immigration rights issues, including constitutional rights and fraudulent schemes targeting vulnerable immigrants. By utilizing our legal knowledge, language skills, and resources, we aim to build relationships with local communities and advocate for policy and social changes.
During the clinic, our small but mighty team of volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 28 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.
We especially want to thank all the volunteers at the September 20th Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and invaluable contributions. Your dedication, including staying later than necessary to ensure no guest was turned away, is truly admirable.
Volunteer attorneys:
Ben Choi
Arthur Lin
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Karen Yau
Interpreters/shadowers: Elaine Ou Yang
Qi (Ellie) Wang
Francisco Yau-Smith
Wendy Zeng
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355 (We have guest speakers from NYC MOIA regarding immigration resources. Please join us!)
October 15th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
November 8th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, AAFE, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Manhattan on August 20, 2025.
During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 13 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, personal injury and employment. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.
Thanks again to all the volunteers at the August 20th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:
Volunteer attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Marcus Cheung
Francis Chin
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Lily Li
Andrew Sun
Peter Wei
Cecilia Yang
Gary Yeung
Interpreters/shadowers:
Sam Hou
Emily Kam
Xiaofei (Lucy) Liu
Dazhen Lu
Albert Tong
Shang Zhai
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
September 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
October 1st [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Queens on August 6th, 2025.
The clinic began with an orientation by Gary Yeung, Co-Chair of the PBCS committee, where volunteers were instructed on how to fill out intake forms and interact professionally with the clients.
At the clinic, our volunteers offered essential support to clients facing challenges in housing, worker’s compensation, finance, and immigration. Seasoned volunteer attorneys, along with student observers and interpreters, helped alleviate client stress by providing legal insights, language assistance, and access to a broad range of legal resources including referrals to AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
College and law students gained legal knowledge and experience through shadowing, notetaking, and asking intake questions. Many clients had limited proficiency in English, and volunteers who spoke Mandarin and Cantonese aided both attorneys and clients by acting as interpreters.
Clients most frequently encountered housing-related issues and immigration issues. These included problems such as co‑op boards neglecting to hold their required annual shareholder meetings and landlords breaching leases. Clients also brought concerns about their loved ones’ immigration status, for example, asking if they would be let back into the country if they were to travel outside the United States. Volunteers helped clients understand their circumstances and outlined general next steps should they choose to pursue further legal action.
Many volunteers stayed afterwards to connect. Law students were able to converse with experienced lawyers about the types of problems encountered during the client consultations and asked them further questions about their various legal fields. Afterwards, some remaining volunteers went to grab dessert at Yuan Yang, located on Prince Street nearby.
We thank again all the volunteers at the August 6th Queens Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:
Lawyers
Wendy Cheng
Richard In
Lord Chester So
Wendell Y. Tong
May Wong
Meng Zhang
Shadowers
Katelyn Hai
Cindy Huang
Nikita Kohli
Haau-Yi Li
Zhibiao Peng
Albert Tong
Shang Zhai
Haoyue Wang
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
August 20th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 17th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic.
We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on July 16th, 2025.
During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to clients with issues ranging from housing, personal injury, finance, and immigration. The experienced volunteer attorneys, shadowers, and interpreters assisted each client in reducing their stress by offering legal insight, language assistance, and a diverse pool of legal resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
College and law students contributed significantly by gathering valuable legal knowledge and experience through shadowing and notetaking. They also provided much-needed linguistic and translational support as interpreters. Numerous clients had difficulty communicating fluently in English, and the Mandarin and Cantonese speaking students offered substantial assistance to their attorneys and clients.
The most frequently-raised issues during this clinic involved housing (such as retroactively-raised rents) and personal injuries (such as high medical expenses). Many clients struggled to understand their rights and legal documents (especially those involving transactions) due to inexperience in legal matters and limited English proficiency. We provided each client with satisfactory, step-by-step legal and personal guidance to ensure that they fully understood their case and if needed, connect them with lawyers for potential litigation.
Many volunteers stayed after to celebrate another successful Pro Bono Clinic. Both the attorneys and students enjoyed this time to network and connect with each other.
We thank again all the volunteers at the July 16th Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic for their time, professionalism, and contribution:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Marcus Cheung
Beatrice Leong
Mike Tse
Yilan Wang
Anthony Wong
Shadowers/Interpreters:
Sisu Chou
Katelyn Hai
Kenny Ip
Emily Lai
Dazhen Lu
Priyanka Mukhara
Carrie Nie
Tammy Tam
Albert Tong
Jennifer Juang-Korol
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
August 6th [Queens link here] from 6:30-8:30 pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
August 20th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.
We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
AABANY extends our sincerest gratitude to the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), CPC Brooklyn Community Center, and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic on July 12, 2025. We also express our heartfelt appreciation to our distinguished guest speakers, NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro and Lydia Li, Senior Manager of Community Outreach at MOIA, for their support and valuable participation.
Lydia Li, Senior Manager of Community Outreach at MOIA, spoke passionately about the agency’s mission to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, have access to city resources and services. MOIA plays a vital role in serving New York City’s 3.1 million immigrants, comprising 38% of the city’s population, by connecting immigrant communities to essential resources for navigating the city’s complex system—all while protecting their privacy, including their immigration status. MOIA’s multilingual team, proficient in over eight different languages, provides diverse language assistance to those with limited English proficiency.
As an active member of the outreach team, Lydia helps dismantle barriers by giving presentations and organizing events, webinars, and panel discussions to share the resources that MOIA offers for the immigrant community. Additionally, MOIA operates immigration legal support centers that provide free and safe legal assistance in immigrant neighborhoods. One of the key resources highlighted is the 311 hotline, which callers can use to report incidents of racial discrimination, report immigration fraud, or receive referrals for legal resources. Lydia concluded her presentation by distributing pamphlets and brochures that outline the various resources available to immigrants, including their rights if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. To learn more about MOIA legal support centers and resources, visit their website here.
Commissioner Castro shared his personal journey as an immigrant, highlighting the challenges of arriving in the United States and growing up in Sunset Park. His experience motivated his mission to protect the rights of immigrant communities across New York City. As an advocate, he marveled at the transformative potential of immigration, stating, “[o]ne generation can go from living in an indigenous community to immigrating here and becoming practicing attorneys. It’s tremendous and we need to honor that. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing it, and I wish everyone could experience it.”
When asked what inspired him to enter government, Commissioner Castro explained how serving in the government offers him a unique perspective on the intricacies of internal operations—insights that are not typically taught in academia. He emphasized that his role as New York City Immigrant Affairs Commissioner allowed him to interact directly with a wide range of communities, which he believes reflect the city’s diversity and strength. As an advocate, he firmly believes that this is what New York City should take pride in and strive to preserve.
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Similarly, our Pro Bono Clinic shares a commitment to providing accessible legal support and critical resources to our New York communities. During the clinic, our volunteers met with clients to give consultations on various topics such as immigration, trusts and estates, housing, personal injury, family and matrimonial matters. Our volunteer attorneys, assisted by law students, listened to each client’s concerns and legal questions, provided guidance, legal information, consultations, and, if appropriate, connected them with further resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
College and law student volunteers also shadowed volunteer attorneys and assisted with interpretation and client intake. With the help of multilingual volunteers, the clinic is able to offer language-accessible legal information, ensuring that clients can communicate their concerns clearly and receive meaningful assistance.
Thank you again to all of our volunteers at the July 12 Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:
Volunteer Attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Victoria Cheng
Francis Chin
Rocky Chin
Jenny (Wenjing) Dai
Megan Gao
Jack (Zixu) Hsia
Beatrice Leong
Kwok Kei Ng
Shuyao (Sherry) Wang
Carrey Wong
Gary Yeung
Interpreters/Shadowers:
Sam Chen
Eliana Jeong
Emily Kam
Nandar Win Kerr
Emily Lai
Tammy Tam
Albert Tong
Shang Zhai
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:
August 6th [Queens link here] from 6:30-8:30 pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
August 20th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
September 20th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.
We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
AABANY extends our sincerest gratitude to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and all of our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic on June 18th, 2025.
During the clinic, our volunteers met with clients addressing issues ranging from housing, real property, financial, family and matrimonial matters. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated exceptional expertise in addressing client concerns, answering legal questions, and connecting them with legal resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).
College and law student volunteers gained valuable hands-on experience that deepened their understanding of the unique legal challenges faced by underserved individuals in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. By shadowing the volunteer attorneys, the student volunteers assisted with client intake and helped translate the consultations. A frequent issue clients faced at this clinic were overdue rent and unexpected payment notices. Due to the linguistic barriers that many clients faced, they often struggled to understand their rights, which led to ineffective communication with landlords and housing authorities. This confusion contributed to heightened stress about their circumstances. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters played a crucial role in clarifying legal obligations and guiding clients through potential future steps.
We are dedicated to providing services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure support for individuals who may struggle to obtain quality legal services due to linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance concerning substantive laws and procedural issues.
Thank you again to all of our volunteers at the June 18 Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:
Volunteer Attorneys
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Lily Li
Bich-Nga Nguyen
Cynthia Park
Tammy Tran
Mike Tse
Chenyi Wang
May Wong
Gary Yeung
Jungeun “Evelyn” Yu
Francis Chin
Interpreters/Shadowers
Sisu Chou
Katelyn Hai
Emily Kam
Nandar Win Kerr
Nikita Kohli
Emily Lai
Nasirn (Nienyin) Lin
Carrie Nie
Christine Shea
Tianyuan Shu
Tammy Tam
Albert Tong
Shang Zhai
Kenny Ip
We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:
July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30-2:30 pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
July 16 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30-8:30 pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
August 6th [Queens link here] from 6:30-8:30 pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
Thank you once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to pro bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.
We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!
To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.
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