PRESS RELEASE: THE ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK, THE KOREAN AMERICAN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YORK, THE SOUTH ASIAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK AND THE FILIPINO AMERICAN LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK URGE INCLUSION OF ALL VOICES IN SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS LEGISLATION

NEW YORK, June 19, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”), the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (“KALAGNY”), the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (“FALA New York”) condemn the process by which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio formulated his plan to reform admissions to the city’s specialized high schools because he has shut out Asian American leaders and organizations from any meaningful participation.  We believe that any legislation with such wide-ranging impact on all communities should not be permitted to move forward when the process by which it has been advanced to the legislature has been marked by excluding the voices of the Asian American community.

In June 2018, Mayor de Blasio announced his support for New York State Assembly Bill A2173 which calls for eliminating the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), to be replaced by a new selection process.  He did so without seeking any input from the Asian American community or any of the New York Asian American elected officials at the Federal, State, or local levels. We are deeply concerned, because we believe this exclusionary process illustrates how the current debate has largely ignored and dismissed the reality that Asian Americans also face racial discrimination.

Asian Americans currently make up more than 60% of enrollment in the specialized high schools.  Pronouncing that the specialized high schools had a “diversity” problem,” Mayor de Blasio’s rhetoric problematically casts the Asian American populations in these schools as a problem that needs to be fixed and ignores the incredible diversity that exists at the schools.  

In March 2019, the Mayor recognized that his rollout was flawed and that he “wish[es] he had done it better,” promising to meet with Asian American community leaders.  That meeting finally took place three months later, on June 13, with less than a week left in the State legislative session. Even though the Mayor finally apologized to the Asian American community at that meeting, Assembly Bill A2173 continues to move forward in Albany.

We recognize that the proposed elimination of the SHSAT is a divisive issue, even within the Asian American community.  AABANY proudly led public discussions on this issue, hosting a community forum in Flushing in 2014, another forum in Manhattan in 2015 and a documentary film screening about the SHSAT called “Tested” in 2015. AABANY used these opportunities to engage speakers on opposing sides of the debate in an effort to educate the public on the differing viewpoints, including those within the Asian American communities, on SHSAT reforms.   

The Asian American community is not monolithic.  We celebrate both the diversity within the Asian American community and the diversity Asian Americans bring to American society.  We fully support improving access to quality education for all. We are invested in true diversity, one that does not envision a small pie that must be divided among competing groups.  We support building more specialized high schools and the revival of gifted and talented programs in every elementary and middle school. We support city funded SHSAT test prep for any student that wants to take it.

Given the flawed process that produced the Mayor’s plan, we oppose New York State Assembly Bill A2173.  We call upon the Mayor to withdraw his current plan and provide Asian Americans a seat at the table to develop a new plan for the specialized high schools that benefits from having all stakeholders heard and represented in developing legislation on the vital issue of a fair, equitable and diverse public education system for all.

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The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

The Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) is a professional membership organization of attorneys and law students engaged with the issues affecting the Korean American community in Greater New York.  Incorporated in 1986, KALAGNY seeks to encourage the professional growth of its members as well as provide legal support for the Korean American community.

Founded in 1996, the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) is an organization of South Asian attorneys practicing in the New York City metropolitan region. The mission of the SABANY is to enhance the professional development of the South Asian legal community and act as a resource to the South Asian community at large by increasing access to justice, upholding the rule of law and improving our justice system.

FALA New York was formally organized in 2015 in New York as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Filipino American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, legal assistants or paralegals and law students. The mission of FALA New York is to promote the vibrant Filipino American legal community in New York by connecting Filipino American attorneys in order to share our experiences and expertise and to explore issues, cases and laws that affect the Filipino American community.

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PRESS RELEASE: AABANY CONGRATULATES KATHY HIRATA CHIN ON BEING SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE INAUGURAL HONG YEN CHANG AWARD BY THE COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL ASSOCIATION AND ASIAN COLUMBIA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AT THE NEW YORK COUNTY LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

NEW YORK – May 24, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Kathy Hirata Chin, Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP and longstanding member of AABANY, will be honored at the New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) at the Inaugural Hong Yen Chang Reception on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The Columbia Law School Association and Asian Columbia Alumni Association are recognizing Ms. Chin with this honor, and the reception is co-sponsored by AABANY, the Asian Practice Committee of NYCLA, the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, and the Network of Bar Leaders. Ms. Chin is a 1980 graduate of Columbia Law School.

In 1872, 13-year-old Hong Yen Chang came to the United States to be groomed as a diplomat. He earned degrees from Yale University and Columbia University’s law school and passed the bar exam. However, after passing the bar examination, he was first denied admission because of his lack of U.S. citizenship due to the Chinese Exclusion Act. A special act of the New York Legislature (N.Y. L.1887 c. 249) allowed his admission despite this bar and in 1888, Hong Yen Chang reportedly became the first Asian American attorney admitted to the bar in New York. Hong Yen Chang then moved to California and applied for admission to the bar there but was denied in 1890 due to his lack of citizenship. Not until 2015 was this exclusion remedied, when the California Supreme Court granted an application from members of the UC Davis Asian Pacific American Law Students Association for posthumous admission of Hong Yen Chang.

“Although the very first Asian American lawyer in New York State was admitted over 130 years ago, the legacy of exclusion, discrimination and bias continues to preserve a Bamboo Ceiling in 21st century America,” states AABANY President Brian Song. “We are grateful that Kathy Hirata Chin has been a vital champion, role model and trailblazer in the fight for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and are proud to count her among our most prominent members. We congratulate her on being selected to receive the Hong Yen Chang Award.”

Kathy Hirata Chin is an accomplished litigator who has handled dozens of appellate cases, concentrating her practice in healthcare and real estate. After graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University and graduating from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Editor-in-Chief of The Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, Ms. Chin joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, becoming one of the first minority and women Partners in 1990.

Nominated by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Ms. Chin served on the New York City Planning Commission from 1995-2001. Nominated by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Ms. Chin served on the New York City Commission to Combat Police Corruption in 2003. She has also served on Governor Mario M. Cuomo’s Judicial Screening Committee for the First Judicial Department from 1992-1994; the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the Eastern District of New York from 1992-1999; the Gender Bias Committee of the Second Circuit Task Force on Gender, Race, and Ethnic Fairness; the New York County Lawyers’ Association’s Task Force to Increase Diversity in the Legal Profession; and Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye’s Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections from 2003-2006; and the New York County Lawyers’ Association Board of Directors.

In December 2012 and again in December 2014, she was nominated for appointment to the State Court of Appeals by the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination. In April 2016, she was appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the First Department Judicial Screening Committee. Since January 2016, Kathy has served as a member of the Second Circuit Judicial Council Committee on Civic Education & Public Engagement, focusing on historic reenactments as a teaching tool. With her husband, the Hon. Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and teams of lawyers and judges from AABANY, she has developed and presented reenactments of famous cases such as Korematsu vs. U.S, to teach lawyers and the community about the significant contributions made by Asian Americans to the social, political and legal history of the United States.

Ms. Chin has played a critical role in initiating and sustaining change within many organizations, in the legal profession and the community. Please join AABANY in congratulating Ms. Chin on this well-deserved honor.

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332-2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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Congratulations to Hon. Lillian Wan, Recipient of the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Diversity Award

On Wednesday May 8, the Brooklyn Bar Association held its annual meeting on Wednesday and honored nine members of the local legal community during a ceremony at the Brooklyn Bar Association building on Remsen Street. AABANY is proud to note that its member, Hon. Lillian Wan, received the Diversity Award. Read the full article in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle here.

From Yang Chen, Executive Director:

“AABANY congratulates Justice Wan on being honored with the first-ever Diversity Award from the Brooklyn Bar Association,” states Executive Director Yang Chen. “We have followed Justice Wan’s path to the bench and her rise over the years, and we commend the Brooklyn Bar Association for recognizing her with this well-deserved honor, recognizing her role as a trailblazer in the Asian American community and as a champion of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and the community.”

Read the full AABANY press release here.

PRESS RELEASE: AABANY CONGRATULATES ITS FORMER PRESIDENT GLENN LAU-KEE ON RECEIVING SOLO AND SMALL FIRM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

NEW YORK – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates Glenn Lau-Kee, Partner at Lau-Kee Law Group PLLC and former AABANY President (1997-99), on receiving the American Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors solo and small firm attorneys who are widely accepted by their peers as having significant lifetime distinction, exceptional achievement, and distinction in an exemplary way. Mr. Lau-Kee and his fellow awardees will be honored on Friday, May 3, 2019 at the ABA Solo and Small Firms Award Luncheon at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

Mr. Lau-Kee began his legal career as an associate in the Hong Kong and New York offices of Coudert Brothers LLP where he worked on bank financing, leasing, and corporate acquisition transactions. In 1977, he became a partner at Kee and Lau-Kee PLLC where he has developed a thriving real estate and bank financing practice.  He was also a partner at Koo Larrabee Lau-Kee & Lane LLP for six years.

Aside from practicing real estate and business law, Mr. Lau-Kee has spent much of his legal career tirelessly serving the Asian American community of New York City. He helped found the Chinatown YMCA, as well as the US-Asia Institute. For his long-standing service to the YMCA, he received the Order of the Red Triangle, the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Along with his father, Norman Kee, Mr. Lau-Kee received the Hon. George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award in 2010, recognizing their outstanding record of public service and commitment to providing exceptional legal services to the Chinatown community in New York City. In 2017, Mr. Lau-Kee was honored as a Community Hero by the Museum of Chinese in America.

Mr. Lau-Kee made history as the first Asian American President of the New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA”) for the 2014-15 term. He continues his involvement with NYSBA as a member of the Business Law, Health Law and Real Property Law sections. Mr. Lau-Kee has also been an active member of New York County Lawyers Association (“NYCLA”) since 2000, serving on the Board of Directors until 2004 and serving on various task forces and committees until 2010. He also served on the Board of Directors for the NYCLA Foundation and the New York Bar Foundation, which function as the charitable and philanthropic arms of their respective organizations.

Mr. Lau-Kee has been an active leader in AABANY for over twenty years.  He served as President from 1997-1999 and on the Board of Directors from 1994-2000.  He has served on the Nominations Committee, contributing to the promotion of future leaders for AABANY.

Mr. Lau-Kee is a graduate of Yale College and Boston University School of Law.

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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PRESS RELEASE: AABANY APPLAUDS DIANE GUJARATI’S RENOMINATION TO SERVE AS U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

NEW YORK – April 16, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) enthusiastically supports the renomination of Board Member Diane Gujarati to serve as a United States district court judge in the Eastern District of New York.  “We are pleased with the renomination of our former Board Director Diane Gujarati to the bench,” said Brian Song, President of AABANY.  Ms. Gujarati was first nominated by President Obama in 2016, and subsequently renominated by President Trump in 2018.  Her nomination was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Diane is actively involved with AABANY on various levels and served with distinction as a dedicated member of our Board.  Her intelligence, work ethic, judgment and dedication to serving the community will make her an exceptional federal judge,” continued Mr. Song

Asian Pacific Americans (“APAs”) are significantly under-represented in the Federal Judiciary, including in New York State.  If confirmed, Ms. Gujarati will be the first Article III judge of South Asian descent in the Second Circuit.  “We welcome the announcement of Diane’s renomination,” said Dai Wai Chin Feman, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee.  “She is a trailblazer in the community and will be an excellent addition to the federal judiciary. Diane has already been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and we look forward to her taking the bench in the Eastern District.”

Ms. Gujarati began her legal career by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable John M. Walker, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  She then worked as a litigator at Davis Polk & Wardwell before beginning a dedicated, lengthy career in public service.  In 1999, Ms. Gujarati joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Office’s Criminal Division.  Since April 2012, Ms. Gujarati has served as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.  She previously served as Deputy Chief and then Chief of the White Plains Division and as Deputy Chief of the Appeals Unit in the Criminal Division.  In addition to her work as a federal prosecutor, Ms. Gujarati taught as an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law.  In September 2016, Gujarati was nominated by President Obama to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, with the support of Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Ms. Gujarati also served as an AABANY board member and has been an active member of several AABANY committees, including as a Board Liaison to AABANY’s Prosecutors’ Committee.  Ms. Gujarati graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University and received her J.D. from Yale Law School.

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For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332-2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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Nassau County Executive Curran Warns Residents of Telephone Scam Targeting Chinese-American Community

Mineola, NY – Nassau County Executive Laura Curran [recently] issued a warning to residents about a telephone scam in which consumers receive calls from potential fraudsters impersonating the Chinese Consulate to demand payment in exchange for a package or to prevent punishment from the consulate office. As of this month, there have been continued reports of these scam calls targeting residents throughout Nassau County. Nassau residents who receive such calls should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

“These phone scams are more than just tedious; for many – especially our more vulnerable residents – they can be catastrophic,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. “I urge our residents to be vigilant, and immediately contact the FTC should they receive this scam call.”

For the full press release, click here.

AABANY Joins NAPABA’s Amicus Brief in the Supreme Court Opposing the Addition of a Proposed Citizenship Question to the 2020 Census.

On April 1, 2019, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), joined by Sixty-four (64) bar associations and AAPI-serving community organizations, submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Department of Commerce v. New York (18-966) opposing the addition of a proposed citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

In a press release, NAPABA stated:

On April 23, the Supreme Court will hear an appeal in Department of Commerce v. New York (18-966).  In January, the Southern District of New York found that the Administration’s decision to add the question was ‘arbitrary’ and ‘capricious,’ and that it violated the Administrative Procedure Act. In a related challenge, California v. Ross, the Northern District of California found the Administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Enumeration Clause of the Constitution. A decision is pending in a third challenge, involving AAPI and Hispanic plaintiffs, in the District of Maryland.

The AAPI organizations urge the Court to uphold the district court’s ruling to enjoin the addition of the citizenship question: Amici agree with the district court ’s finding that the addition of a citizenship question will likely lead to an undercount of noncitizen households of at least 5.8 percent. . . . This chilling of participation in the 2020 Census will have a disproportionate effect on the AAPI community. . . . These heightened concerns for the AAPI community come at a crucial moment, because Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the country and stand to make substantial gains in political representation based on that population growth.

AABANY is pleased to announce that it is a co-signatory to NAPABA’s amicus brief in the Supreme Court opposing the addition of a proposed citizenship question to the 2020 census. The addition of the citizenship question will negatively impact the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. It will depress response rates from Asian Americans, the fastest growing racial group and the largest segment of new immigrants in the country, and impact our ability to protect our rights and ensure political representation.

To read the full press release and the amicus brief, click here.

PRESS RELEASE: ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK RECOGNIZES DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL LLP AS THE 2019 AABANY LAW FIRM DIVERSITY AWARD HONOREE

NEW YORK – Feb. 21, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (“Davis Polk”) has been selected to receive the 2019 AABANY Law Firm Diversity Award.  Davis Polk will receive the award at AABANY’s Annual Dinner on February 27, 2019, at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall Street, in New York City.

Since 2014, AABANY has selected a law firm to recognize for its commitment to improving diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. Applications are reviewed on four main criteria, which include a formal diversity plan committed to retention and promotion of women and minorities, an established diversity pipeline of talent, external participation in diversity programs with organizations such as AABANY, and the furtherance of AABANY’s mission, which includes the active and affirmative recruitment, retention, promotion, and development of Asian lawyers in New York City.

Davis Polk’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is rooted in its traditional emphasis on excellence and respect.

The firm is actively involved in fostering an inclusive environment and culture, from its recruitment efforts that target diverse student organizations and underserved communities, to generous parental leave and reintegration programs in support of new mothers in the workplace.

“AABANY congratulates Davis Polk on receiving the 2019 Law Firm Diversity Award,” states James Cho, AABANY’s President. “We applaud the commitment Davis Polk has shown in advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, and AABANY looks forward to working with Davis Polk to continue promoting these important values in the years ahead.”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332- 2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].  The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is one of the most prominent and active minority bar associations in New York with more than 1,100 members, including practicing attorneys in the private and public sectors, in-house lawyers, judges, professors and law students. AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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Press Release: Asian American Bar Association of New York Applauds Promotion of James S. Lin to Bureau Chief of the Green Zone In Kings County District Attorney’s Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2019

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(212) 332-2478

NEW YORK – February 11, 2019 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates James S. Lin on his recent promotion from Supreme Court Deputy for the Green Trial Zone to the position of Bureau Chief of the Green Zone in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. We believe James is the second Asian Pacific American to serve as Bureau Chief at a major trial bureau in a prosecutors’ office in New York City.

In his former role as Supreme Court Deputy for the Green Trial Zone, he was responsible for overseeing felony trials and acted as DNA point person. He demonstrated a commitment to the principles of justice and the office’s intention to reduce incarcerations by focusing on the serious drivers of crime. Prior to that, James served as Deputy Bureau Chief for the Supreme Court in the Grey Zone, where he worked tirelessly on building relationships between his office and the community, by serving as one of several informal office ambassadors to Brooklyn’s growing Asian American community, as well as attending Precinct Council meetings, National Night Out Against Crime, and the West Indian Day Parade. He also fought to secure justice for victims of crimes in several significant cases, by supervising the investigation and grand jury presentations.

Before that, James served as an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. While there, he tried numerous cases to verdict, including homicides. He also held a number of supervisory positions, overseeing prosecutors handling misdemeanor and domestic violence cases. In addition, he honed his investigative skills as a member of the Asian Gang Unit and the Investigation Division Central Bureau investigating white collar crimes. With more than 28 years of public service in the prosecutors’ offices of New York City, James is an exemplar of an individual committed to justice and public service.

Outside of prosecution, James has also been an active member of the New York State Advisory Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure, which makes legislative recommendations to the Chief Administrative Judge of New York State. In addition, he also participates as a trainer and lecturer in the office’s New NYPD Officer Training program.

James helped found and is currently a co-chair of AABANY’s Prosecutors’ Committee, which has grown to be one of AABANY’s most active and vibrant committees. He also served as a member of AABANY’s Board of Directors from 2011 to 2015.

“James Lin’s dedication to public service and his record of leadership is well-known and appreciated by all of us at AABANY,” states AABANY President James Cho. “We commend the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for elevating him to the position of Bureau Chief in the Green Zone. We are proud of James’s achievements and expect that he will continue to serve the public and the community in his new role. We wish him every success in his future endeavors.”

For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212) 332-2478, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community. Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole. AABANY is a New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).


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PRESS RELEASE | Governor Cuomo Signs Landmark Legislation Modernizing New York’s Voting Laws

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation that begins the process of bringing New York State’s voting laws into the 21st Century, a central goal of his 2019 Justice Agenda for the first 100 days of the new legislative session. These historic new laws will allow for eight days of early voting before an election, synchronize federal and state primary elections, allow voter preregistration for teenagers, provide voter registration portability within the state, and close the LLC loophole.

To read the rest of the press release, please click here.