Tag: PBCS

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the December 4th Pro Bono Clinic in Queens!

On December 4th, volunteers had the opportunity to participate in AABANY’s Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Queens, hosted by the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE). The clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, with a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers providing free thirty-minute legal consultations to members of the community facing various legal challenges.

The volunteers met with 11 clients, answering questions related to housing, torts, and contracts. One key issue that came up frequently was unreasonable rent increases. As New York continues to grow more expensive, attorneys volunteering at our clinics would be well-served with some basic knowledge to protect tenants’ rights.

Under the Good Cause Eviction law, tenants in covered housing are protected against unreasonable rent increases that exceed the local rent standard. The local rent standard is determined annually based on the inflation rate in the area, plus 5%, with a maximum cap of 10%. As of May 1, 2024, the local rent standard for the New York City area is 8.82%, which means any rent increase over this percentage may be considered unreasonable by the court, provided it occurred after April 20, 2024. See here:  https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/good-cause-eviction.page.

Landlords may provide justification for higher rent increases, such as significant repairs or increased property taxes, but the final decision rests with the court. Pro Bono Clinic attorneys encourage all tenants to open their mail and file an answer in court to protect their rights.

Clients expressed gratitude for the assistance, including the following comments:

  • “Extremely grateful. Appreciative of your supported services. Helped me decide on many of my bigger problems.”
  • “Attorney Yeung’s attitude was superb – he provided translation and advice.”

Thank you again to our volunteers: 

Volunteer Attorneys
Beatrice Leong
Gary Yeung
Johnny Thach
Kevin Hsi
Lina Lee
Jack Chen
May Wong
Richard In
Interpreters & Shadowers
Eugene Seong
Xiaocen Zhang
Xuxia Zhao

Please come back and join us at our upcoming clinics:

December 18, 2024, from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 12/16/2024)

January 11, 2025, from 12:00 – 2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 01/08/2025)

January 15, 2025, from 6:30 – 8:00pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 01/13/2025)

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! 

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this blog post should be deemed to be legal advice. Do not take any action or refrain from any action in reliance on anything contained in this blog post.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the November 9th Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn!

On Saturday, November 9th, AABANY members had the opportunity to volunteer at AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic, hosted by the Chinese-American Planning Council. The Clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, staffed by a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers, offering free thirty-minute legal consultations for community members facing pressing legal challenges. The volunteers met with 17 clients, who had questions about torts, family, matrimonial, and immigration issues.

As usual, the Clinic facilitated a positive and supportive environment; each client was paired with an attorney, who thoughtfully listened to and addressed their legal concerns. Shadowers observed the attorneys in action, taking notes and learning from these real-world interactions. Language interpreters were also available, ensuring that there were no language barriers between clients and attorneys. This collaboration reflected the Clinic’s commitment to community engagement and empowerment.

Thank you again to our volunteer attorneys: 

Volunteer Attorneys
Anna Chen
Jieman Tan
Gary Yeung
May Wong
Interpreters & Shadowers
Jaymark Hawlader
Junjie Wang
Nandar Win Kerr
Wendy Zeng

If you’re interested in making a difference in the community through future Pro Bono Clinics, we invite you to join us at the following upcoming events:

  • Wednesday, December 4, 2024 [register here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
  • Saturday, January 11, 2025 [register here], from 12:00 – 2:30pm, Tentative Location – CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232 

We hope to see you there!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the August Pro Bono Clinic in Queens

Thank you AABANY, PBCS, AAFE, and our volunteers who assisted with the August 7th pro bono legal clinic in Queens! Our volunteers spent the rainy night meeting 13 clients and answered questions involving housing, divorce, and immigration law.

The clinic saw some returning clients at the pro bono clinic, and attorneys were able to connect them to more resources to help them resolve their cases. New clients were satisfied with the legal advice given, with a clear understanding of what actions to take next. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters collaborated with one another to address concerns with clients that spoke Spanish and Chinese. AABANY Interns had the opportunity to shadow attorneys and watch them work to address client problems and provide referrals. Interns helped to collect the intake forms and surveys, delivering them to organizers for data collection.

Thank you again to everyone, including volunteer attorneys:

  • Anthony Wong
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Gary Yeung
  • Kevin Hsi
  • Lina Lee
  • May Wong
  • Richard In
  • Shirley Luong
  • Willow Liu

Thanks also to the non-attorney volunteers:

  • Rita Zheng
  • Emily Kam
  • Ruo Yang

Overall, the event was a success as clients took the attorneys’ advice to take the next step in their cases. If you would like to participate in future Pro Bono clinics to help serve the community, please join us at these upcoming events:

Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on August 21, 2024 at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002. Sign up here – https://forms.gle/SD2VMY8X6yE4vsxW9

Queens Pro Bono Clinic on October 2, 2024 at AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. Sign up here – https://forms.gle/5PjG8A73EE1XENyV9

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AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service Committee Hosts Inaugural Rooftop Fundraiser for Pro Bono Clinic

On Wednesday July 24th, 2024 AABANYs Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted their inaugural rooftop fundraiser, holding a silent auction and collecting donations to contribute towards the committee’s Pro Bono Clinics. AABANY’s Pro Bono Clinic provides free legal services and information for low- to middle-income members of the community, including New York’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Skilled legal practitioners as well as non-legal volunteers all contribute their time and effort in support of the clinics. 

The event was hosted at the Lookup, a rooftop bar atop the Kixby Hotel with a spectacular view of the Empire State Building. Complimentary food and beverages were served featuring exotic cocktails and mocktails, as well as elevated American Classics like grilled cheese and lobster rolls.

The guests in attendance ranged from AABANY Co-Founder Rocky Chin, law school students, practicing attorneys, AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen, current and former Co-Chairs of the PBCS Committee, numerous AABANY members, as well as high school and college students. Everyone mixed and mingled, exchanging colorful anecdotes and reuniting with old friends, while bidding on the silent auction items.

The following bidding items, were all donated by prominent members of the legal and AABANY community for the silent auction to raise funds for the Pro Bono Clinic:

  • Pre-nuptial or postnuptial agreement, from consultation, negotiations, to execution was generously donated by Beatrice Leong 
  • Two admission tickets to Summit Vanderbilt were generously donated by Dianna Lam 
  • One day golf experience for 2 people, including admission to golf course, cart and equipment rentals, and dinner, was donated by Hardy Zhou
  • One hour virtual private chess training was donated by Hassan Minhas
  • Two hour private kung fu/defense class was donated by Joseph Eng, President of AABANY
  • Thirty minute resume review by professional headhunter/legal recruiter was donated by Katherine Loanzon
  • $100 Skyfoods Supermarket Giftcard was donated by Kevin Yam
  • One handcrafted and customized artwork was donated by May Wong
  • A private yoga class was donated by Tsui Yee
  • A bottle of Ron Barcelo Blanco Rum was donated by Yan Sin

In total the event, through ticket sales, donations, and bids, raised $8,800 in contributions to the clinic. The winning bidders will be contacted separately by the PBCS Committee on how to claim their auction prizes. 

Throughout the night members of the PBCS Committee leadership gave speeches. Co-Chair Lina Lee began by applauding every volunteer, thanking them for their time and effort but especially their drive to go above and beyond for each client. Every lawyer that volunteered their time and expertise expressed a desire to do good for the community. Lina continued discussing the life-changing services the clinic provided, sharing anecdotes of young mothers, asylum seekers, new Americans, and recent immigrants who had desperately needed the legal services provided.

Next to speak was Co-Chair May Wong, who regaled the crowd with anecdotes on the portrait of Yang at the event and encouraged everyone present to bid on the auction item she had donated, which was a handcrafted and customizable piece of artwork created by her.

After May, Executive Director Yang Chen spoke on how the Pro Bono Clinic had grown from humble beginnings into an award- and grant-winning community project that helped hundreds upon hundreds of people yearly, growing from one clinic in Manhattan to three, covering Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. He mentioned that while free legal services were provided, it cost money to provide these services, and the generous donations of the many in-person and online attendees would help cover the costs of providing free legal services that the community sorely needs. 

Co-Chair Gary Yeung spoke next, discussing his personal experience with the clinic, how he grew as a legal professional as the legal clinic grew in prominence. Co-Chair Kwok Kei Ng closed for his fellow Co-Chairs by reiterating the praise for the volunteers and thanking all the guests for their support and attendance. 

The event continued into the onset of evening as the sun dipped below the rooftop’s view of the Manhattan skyline, bathing the sky in neon purples and oranges. Drinks, stories, and laughs continued to flow as the night slowly came to an end. 

AABANY gives a big thanks to AALFNY and Schulte. Roth & Zabel for co-sponsoring this event, everyone who donated items for the silent auction, those who attended the event and everyone who donated in person or online.

You can continue your support by donating here: https://probono.aabany.org/donate

Or, if easier but with fees-attached option, here: 

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/asian-american-law-fund-of-new-york-inc/pro-bono-legal-clinic-fundraiser-donations

Please join the PBCS Committee at the following upcoming events:

Queens Pro Bono Clinic on August 7th, 2024 at AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355. Sign up here – https://forms.gle/5PjG8A73EE1XENyV9

Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on August 21st, 2024 at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002. Sign up here – https://forms.gle/SD2VMY8X6yE4vsxW9  
To learn more about AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service Committee contact [email protected] or click here.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the June Pro Bono Clinics!

Thank you AABANY, PBCS, AAFE, and our volunteers who helped out at the June 5th (Queens) and June 19th (Manhattan) pro bono legal clinics!

At the Queens clinic, our volunteers met with 20 clients and discussed issues involving housing, immigration, criminal, and consumer debt matters.  At the Manhattan clinic, our volunteers met with 10 clients and discussed issues involving housing, immigration, and personal injury claims. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answered questions and connected them to lawyers through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). 

Thank you to all our volunteers for dedicating your valuable time to our pro bono clinics, especially during the Juneteenth holiday.  Your compassion and dedication are deeply valued and truly make a positive impact on the community we serve.  By offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese, we aim to continue to provide support for those who may face linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking access to legal services. 

Please join us in our upcoming clinics:

July 13, 2024 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:00 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

July 17, 2024 [Manhattan link here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

August 7, 2024 [Queens link here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

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Thanks to the Volunteers at the April Queens Pro Bono Clinic in Flushing 

On Wednesday, April 10th, AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted their Queens Pro Bono Clinic at the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) Community Center in Flushing. With the help of AABANY, PBCS, and AAFE staff and volunteers, 22 clients were assisted with housing, immigration, and employment issues.   

One of the clients paid $300 to an attorney to help her write a letter to management regarding a bed bug infestation matter. For someone with young children and a large family, the legal expense of $300 is financially burdensome. A housing attorney volunteer referred her to free legal services and advised her to document the situation and mobilize neighboring tenants to seek relief from the landlord. She was extremely grateful that the PBCS Committee, through the Pro Bono Clinic, offers free legal consultation and referral services. 

In another case, a client came to discuss student loans and consumer debt and thought that her only option was bankruptcy. After discussing the NYS Exempt Income Protection Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and specific student loan forgiveness options, she felt relieved that she had more choices and greatly appreciated the information she received. 

Here are some clients’ responses: 

“Perfect management. Impressive lawyers.”

“Excellent! Thumbs up for Ms. May Wong.” 

Please join us at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on May 15, 2024, at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002. Sign up here by May 10 to volunteer:  https://forms.gle/SD2VMY8X6yE4vsxW9.

If you are interested in speaking at an upcoming  Bring-Your-Own-Lunch (BYOL) Sidebar Meeting to discuss updates on the law, common issues asked at the Pro Bono Clinics, and other miscellaneous topics, please contact [email protected].  

Thank you to the volunteers and community partners for supporting the Queens Pro Bono Clinics!

Volunteer AttorneysInterpreters & Shadowers
Beatrice LeongJennifer Shi
Eugene KimJing Liang
Gary YeungJuliet Romero
Kevin HsiShi Tang
Lina LeeYuhan Chen
May WongNuala Naranjo (AAFE)
Richard InInaki Herrera (AAFE)
Shirley LuongGabriel Hisugan (AAFE)
Willow Liu
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Thank You to the Volunteers at the March Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn

On March 9, 2024, the AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee held its Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic at the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Brooklyn Community Services Center, the first Brooklyn clinic of the year. Beginning at 12:30, attorneys, interpreters, and other volunteers met with community members who presented legal issues pertaining to immigration, criminal, divorce, and housing law. 

Thanks to the efforts of volunteer interpreters, the majority of whom were law students and recent JD graduates, the Pro Bono Clinic was able to meet with Spanish and Mandarin-speaking clients with limited English proficiency. This unique aspect of the clinic allowed our volunteers to overcome language barriers, enabling clients to express and understand their matters with greater ease. They also had the assistance of a volunteer attorney with criminal law experience providing legal advice on the two criminal cases presented. One client traveled from Warwick, NY to seek legal advice. Clients whose matters required the retention of an attorney were referred to AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS), which connects clients to qualified lawyers within AABANY’s panel of attorneys. 

The PBSC Committee would like to thank the CPC, Councilmember Alexa Avilés, State Senator Senator Iwen Chu, Councilmember Justin Brannan, and all of their Brooklyn community partners and volunteers for joining them at the Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic. 

Please consider joining the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on April 17th, 2024 at AAAFE Community Center 111 Norfolk St New York, New York 10002. Although volunteer registration is closed, you can email [email protected] if you are still interested in volunteering at the clinic on 4/17. 

Feel free to check out www.probono.aabany.org for more information about upcoming legal clinics. 

Thank you, everyone! 

Volunteer AttorneysInterpreters & Shadowers
Andrew WuKaila Chen
Anna ChenJialin Zhu
Beatrice LeongJuliet Romero
Francis ChinLucy Liu
Kwok Kei NgNandar Win Kerr
Johnny ThachYiming (Roselyn) Chen
May WongWillow Liu
Megan GaoYiyang (Leo) Shen
Victoria ChengLi Zhi Lin – CPC
Yan SinJenny Lin – CPC
Maver Monclez – CPC
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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic in November

On November 15th, 2023, AABANY held its Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic at the AAFE (Asian Americans for Equality) Community Center, at 111 Norfolk Street. Our devoted volunteers gave up their Wednesday evening to give back to our community, providing free legal services and language assistance to all who came into the clinic. Volunteer interpreters and attorneys helped clients resolve a variety of issues, in the areas of housing, immigration, and civil practice.

Special thanks to the Student Outreach Committee for their postering campaign and passing out the lovely flyers which Mayer Brown printed for us! The majority of the 18 clients seen indicated in their intake forms that they came because of the flyers posted in stores, local libraries, and streets.  

Though AABANY attorneys assisted with a range of interesting cases, one notable situation involved a client who sought advice on how to deal with an unresponsive attorney representing his case for unpaid wages. The litigant was represented by counsel, and AABANY attorneys couldn’t provide a second opinion about the case. Nonetheless, the volunteers provided a listening ear, carefully evaluating the client’s situation before responding with helpful advice. The attorneys advised the client to consider reaching out to the NYS Dept of Labor to file a claim and seek assistance. Moreover, they suggested the client explore the Attorney Fee Dispute Resolution Program, which provides low-cost arbitration hearings as an alternative to protracted court battles. Ultimately, this case demonstrates AABANY attorneys’ commitment to empowering clients with accessible avenues for justice. The client departed the clinic content, having obtained valuable and satisfactory advice. 

As always, AABANY thanks our Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, AAFE, our community partners, and our dedicated team of volunteers for their continued efforts and support. We would like to recognize the following individuals, for supporting AABANY at Wednesday’s clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys:

  • Casey M. Lee
  • Francis Chin
  • May Wong
  • Yan Sin
  • Yen-Yi Anderson

Interpreters and Shadowers:

  • Angela Zhao
  • Daniel Kang
  • I-Kai Lee
  • Jieman Tan
  • Wendy Xia
  • Wei Huang
  • Yiming (Roselyn) Chen
  • Yuchen Zheng

AAFE:

  • Jiwon Youn
  • Elton Ye
  • Ling Ren

For any volunteers that were unable to make it on Nov. 18th, we hope that you will be able to join us at the next Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic, taking place on December 2, 2023 at CPC Brooklyn Community Services. For more information, please click here.

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Thank You to Our Volunteers at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic in October

On October 18th, 2023, AABANY held its Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic at the AAFE (Asian Americans for Equality) Community Center, at 111 Norfolk Street. Our dedicated volunteers gathered on Wednesday evening to provide invaluable, free legal services to the community. The clinic was met with a large number of volunteers, eager to give back to the New York AAPI community. Volunteer interpreters and attorneys met with clients, discussing a range of issues, encompassing family, immigration, and employment law.

AABANY would like to thank our Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, AAFE, our community partners, and our hard-working volunteers for giving us their time and energy. Our success could not be possible without your support. AABANY hopes to continue making a positive impact on the community and providing much-needed legal services to those in need. We extend our sincere gratitude towards the following individuals:

Volunteer Attorneys:

  • Anna Wang
  • Beatrice Leong
  • Helen Lee
  • Hongye Mao
  • Francis Chin
  • Menglong (Anthony) Zhu
  • Osamu Watanabe
  • Tiange (Tim) Chen
  • Wenhsien Cheng
  • Xue Luan
  • Yan Lian Kuang-Maoga
  • Yan Sin
  • Yang Xu
  • Yi Stewart

Interpreters and Shadowers:

  • Cecilia Yang
  • Gaohany Guo
  • I-Kai Lee
  • Jieman Tan
  • Justin Lee
  • Ruo Yang
  • Shi Tang
  • Suzie Yu
  • Yiming (Roselyn) Chen
  • Yu-Syuan Huang
  • Yuwen Long

AAFE:

  • Elton Ye
  • Ling Ren

Once again, AABANY thanks all the volunteers, AAFE, community partners, and the PBCS Committee who made this Pro Bono Clinic possible. Please join the next Queens Pro Bono Clinic taking place on November 1st at One Flushing Community Center. For more information, please click here.

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Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Holds First Bring Your Own Lunch Sidebar on Sept. 28

The Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Commmittee is launching a monthly Bring Your Own Lunch (BYOL) Sidebar Meeting, on Thursdays. The first one was held over Zoom on September 28. The PBCS Committee thanks Trusts & Estates Committee Co-Chairs Pang-Mei (P.M.) Natasha Chang and Yi Stewart for speaking at the inaugural event.

At the clinics, the PBCS Committee has been seeing more and more clients asking questions about estate planning. The attendees had the opportunity to discuss issues generally asked, such as setting up trusts vs. wills, spousal elective share, advanced directives, guardianships, and intestacy vs. probate.

For this area of practice, one should be familiar with the laws under EPTL and SCPA. To learn more about the Trusts & Estates Committee and how you can get more involved, sign up for their upcoming meeting on October 4 here.

The next BYOL Sidebar is on October 12, 2023 at 1pm. Please sign up here.

The next pro bono clinic is on October 14, 2023 from 12:30pm – 3:30pm. Please sign up here to volunteer.

To learn more about the PBCS Committee, go to probono.aabany.org.

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