Tag: PBCS

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the September Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, our community partners, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic on September 12, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including identity theft, matrimonial, housing, immigration, fraud, trust & estates, and civil litigation. We received positive feedback from the clients, expressing gratitude for the advice.

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys:

Vishal Chander

Sam Chen

Francis Chin

Angie Liao

Arthur Lin

Kwok Kei Ng

May Wong

Jameson Xu

Gary Yeung

Non-attorneys:

Nandar Win Kerr

Jiaze Qu

Wendy Zeng

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community. 

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

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

– October 21st [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002.

– November 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.

We look forward to your participation in future Pro Bono Clinics!

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the August Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers, for supporting our Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on August 19, 2026.

Our volunteer attorneys and law students met with 21 clients to provide critical guidance on various legal issues, including housing, public benefits, family law, torts, immigration, trusts and estates, employment discrimination, and civil litigation. 

One happy client remarked, “Francis took the time to listen to my situation and explained everything clearly.”

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following volunteers who attended:

Attorneys:
Sam Chen
Ivy Chien 
Francis Chin
Marcus Cheung  
Carmen Huang 
Justin Lee 
Beatrice Leong 
Susan Song
Gary Yeung 
Evelyn Yu

Interpreters/Shadowers:
Cheri Chibut
Michael Chu
Helen Ding
Emily Kam  
Nandar Win Kerr 
Alexandra Ly
Jingjing Wang 
Wendy Zeng
Shang Zhai

Thank you to our volunteers for your incredible service and for inspiring the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee.

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

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

– October 21 [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE, 111 Norfolk St., New York, NY 10002

–November 14 [ Brooklyn link here] from 12:30pm-2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Service, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232


To learn more about our work, please visit probono.aabany.org. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming sessions.

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In the News: World Journal Reports on AABANY’s Outstanding Pro Bono and Community Service Committee

Reporter Hu Shengqiao for the World Journal, the largest Chinese-language newspaper in the United States, recently featured AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee , highlighting its more than a decade of dedicated service to the community. What began as a single consultation site at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Manhattan has since expanded to Queens and Brooklyn.

Over the past decade, hundreds of pro bono lawyers and law students have served more than 3,000 Asian American residents across the three boroughs, with consultations covering housing, immigration, family law, inheritance, employment, and workers’ compensation. Most clients speak Mandarin or Cantonese, and many of them face systemic hurdles in the U.S. legal system. Each 30-minute session gives a volunteer attorney time to offer legal advice, review documents, and refer clients to more specialized services when needed.

The article showcases the three attorneys who coordinate the Pro Bono Clinics: Beatrice Leong, who manages the Manhattan clinic and specializes in family and divorce law; Kwok Kei Ng, a Court Attorney who manages the Brooklyn Clinic; and Gary Yeung, an attorney at McDermott Will & Schulte, who manages the Queens Clinic. They remarked that when they offered free legal advice, the people sitting across from them often reminded them of their own families—parents and elders who didn’t speak English facing difficulties with nowhere to turn.

Among the cases they recalled memorably was a nine-month-old girl with an inoperable brain tumor, who they helped by connecting with Yen-Yi Anderson, whose firm Anderson and Associates, P.C., provided the family with pro-bono services and established a trust fund for the girl.  PBCS has also held more than ten “Know Your Rights” and community legal education sessions over the years. The Committee currently partners with local elected representatives and various nonprofit organizations, including the Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn (CPC) and the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) in Manhattan and Flushing.

To read the full article, click here (in Chinese).

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the July Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining our Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on July 15, 2026 at AAFE’s Norfolk Street Community Center in Manhattan.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 18 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, real property, trusts and estates, labor and employment, family law, tax, public benefits, and civil litigation.  Clients who needed further assistance were directed to AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS), a resource that connects clients with qualified attorneys to represent them.

We had a large turnout at this clinic, including many new and old clients and volunteer attorneys. With the help of our attorneys and translators, we efficiently provided assistance for clients with multi-year old disputes, predetermined court dates, and emerging cases. One client expressed that they were “very impressed“ with the professionalism of the services provided.

While providing legal aid, our volunteer attorneys, shadowers, and interpreters gained a deeper understanding of the clients’ personal struggles and life stories, connecting them with deeply moving narratives that will permanently inspire and guide them throughout their future careers.

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys

Francis Chin 

Jack Hsia 

Beatrice Leong 

Arthur Lin 

Kwok Kei Ng 

Jasmine Tan 

Hin Ton Wong 

Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers

Helen Ding

Cheri Chaibut 

Kaitlyn Cheng 

Qiao Kang 

Nandar Win Kerr 

Momo Sano 

Allison Yu 

Wendy Zeng 

Zhiyi Zhang

Assisting amidst the rainstorm and showing up to serve those in need despite unbearable heat and unhealthy air quality, their dedication to our community was on full display.

We appreciate their dedicated service, serving as an inspiration to the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee.

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 5th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12th [Brooklyn link here] from 12:30-2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

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

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming clinic sessions.

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the July Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic on July 11, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, real property, trusts and estates law, labor and employment, family law, and civil litigation.  

Positive feedback from some of the clients who came included: “I received helpful information today.” and “It was respectful & calm. I learned a lot as well.”

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Michael Chu
Helen Ding
Alice Liang
Arthur Lin
Willow (Yichun) Liu
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Karen Kithan Yau
Gary Yeung

Interpreters/Shadowers
Gigi Chen
Sam Chen
Anna Chung
Philip Han
Nandar Win Kerr
Hannah J. Lee
Cynthia Li
Luana Li
Jingjing Wang
Wendy Zeng
Zhiyi Zhang
Betty Xinyue Zhu

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 invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 5th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12th [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.

We look forward to your participation in the future clinic sessions!

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the June Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and our dedicated volunteers and law students for another successful Pro Bono Clinic on June 17, 2026 at AAFE’s Norfolk Street Community Center in Manhattan.

Our Pro Bono Clinic helped nine clients this month, with varying issues ranging from housing, divorce, immigration, and a noise complaint. Due to the number of volunteers who showed up, the June Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic offered consultations that extended beyond the standard 30 minute time frame for each client, ensuring that our volunteers could provide the best possible guidance for clients with thorny legal issues. For some cases, volunteers directed clients to AABANY’s legal referral and information service (LRIS), a resource that connects clients with qualified attorneys to represent them.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in future clinics!

Volunteer Attorneys

Wendy Cheng

Keey Diep

Carmen Huang

Justin Lee

Beatrice Leong

Arthur Lin

Meng Ru

Gary Yeung

Anna Bao

Suzie Yu

Law Students and Other Volunteers

Wenwen Cao

Jason Chen

Clive Chong

Nandar Win Kerr

Wendy Zeng

Zhiyi Zhang

Livy Li

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

July 11 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30-3:00pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

July 15 (Manhattan link here], from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

August 5 (Queens link here], from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

If you are interested in supporting the work of the Clinic, we encourage you to make a donation to AALFNY. AALFNY supports the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee (PBCS), provides scholarships and internship opportunities for law students, and works with the AABANY Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. Donations can be made here.

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

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the Queens Pro Bono Clinic in June

Thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee and our dedicated volunteers for your collaboration and contribution to the success of our pro bono legal clinic on June 3, 2026.

At the clinic, our volunteers met with 12 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, medical fraud, real estate, and labor and employment matters. The collective efforts of our volunteers ensured that each client received personalized support and answers to their pressing legal questions. We are deeply grateful for everyone’s presence and contributions, and look forward to continuing this important work together!

Volunteer attorneys:
Wendy (Wen-Hsien) Cheng
Helen Ding
Richard In
Grace Ouyang
Shirley Luong
Johnny Thach
May Wong
Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers:
Nathan Cao
Haotian (Victor) Chen
Tiffany Jin
Nandar Win Kerr
Victoria Elise Sogueco
Wendy Zeng

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

  • June 17 [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
  • July 11 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 5 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Thanks 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.

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Thank you to our Volunteers at the May Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn

Thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, the Chinese-American Planning Council, our incredible volunteers, and our community partners for your support at the Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn on May 9th. Our volunteers met with 23 clients to address legal matters involving family, real estate, criminal, housing, and labor law.

These clinics not only answer legal questions but also focus on training law students and young attorneys to identify legal issues and explain legal concepts in everyday language. We value your willingness to listen to our clients’ stories and provide them with a safe space to be heard.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the following volunteers who dedicated their time and expertise to make this Clinic a success:

Alexandra LyHaotian Chen
Andrew SunHelen Ding
Angie LiaoKaren Yau
Anna BaoKeli Huang
Arthur LinMay Wong
Elaine OuyangNandar Kerr
Gary YeungWendy Zeng

If you are interested in continuing to support our community, we invite you to join us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

  • May 20th in Manhattan from 6:30-8:30pm at AAFE 111 Norfolk St.
  • June 3rd in Queens from 6:30 – 8:30pm at AAFE One Flushing Community Center.
  • July 11th in Brooklyn, from 12:30pm-2:30pm at CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Ave.

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

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

Thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for your collaboration and contribution to the success of our Pro Bono Clinic on April 2, 2026. 

At the Clinic, our volunteers met with 14 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, and civil litigation. Your collective efforts ensured that each client received personalized support and answers to their pressing legal questions.

We are deeply grateful for everyone’s presence and contributions, and look forward to continuing this important work together!

Special thanks to Megan Rha and D. Jenny Kim, partners from the Rha Kim Grossman & McIlwain, LLP, who came to support our Clinic and to provide valuable time and advice to the community. Also, special shoutout to Betty (Xinyue) Zhu who lives in New Jersey and came all the way out to Queens to help us out! 

At this Clinic,  we had so many intakes that we ran out of spaces and had to use the community playroom’s space. We are grateful for AAFE allowing us to expand to this area to do our work.  At this playspace, some of our volunteers enjoyed a game of mahjong in between meetings with clients.  While we would love to play more mahjong, we love helping out the community even more!

Volunteer attorneys:

Hung Yi Chien

Ting-Yu Chien

Helen Ding

Richard In

D. Jenny Kim

Emeline Kong

Grace Ouyang

Megan Rha

Sinbay Tan

Wendell Y. Tong

Anthony Wong

May Wong

Interpreters/shadowers:  

Yining Pan

Ellie Wang

Jingjing Wang

Wendy Zeng

Betty (Xinyue) Zhu

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– May 20 [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– June 3rd [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– July 11th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Thanks 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.

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AABANY’s PBCS Committee Takes on Chinatown with Community Outreach for Upcoming Pro Bono Clinics

On Saturday, April 11,  armed with stacks of flyers and information, volunteers fanned out across Chinatown in pairs to distribute flyers for AABANY’s upcoming Pro Bono Clinics in Manhattan. The Clinics provide brief in-person legal consultations in Mandarin and Cantonese, ensuring that language barriers or lack of internet access don’t stand in the way of justice.

Legal issues can be daunting, but a friendly face and a flyer in your native language can make all the difference. By walking the blocks of the “heart of Chinatown,” volunteers were able to engage directly with small business owners and residents, answer immediate questions about clinic schedules, and bridge the gap between the legal profession and the communities AABANY serves.

After volunteers distributed the flyers, they enjoyed delicious dim sum at the world famous Golden Unicorn.

Thank you to our volunteers:

Philip Han
Arthur Lin
Alexandra Ly
Zhibiao Patrick Peng
Mark Garner
Wendy Zeng
Helen Ding
Xinyue Zhu
Carmen Huang

and PBCS Co Chairs
Gary Yeung
Beatrice Leong

To learn more about the Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee click here.

Below are some of the upcoming Pro Bono Clinics expected to take place across the Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn boroughs. We encourage volunteer attorneys and students to attend, support and help expand access to justice in our communities.

– Written by Beatrice Leong

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