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.
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NEW
YORK, January 25, 2019 – New York City will celebrate its 2nd annual Fred
Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution on Wednesday, January 30,
2019, hosted by the New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) at 14 Vesey
Street from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. This event marks Korematsu’s 100th birthday.
The Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is already
officially recognized in four states and was first officially celebrated in New
York City in 2018. Spearheaded by the Asian Practice Committee of NYCLA, the
Asian American Bar Association of New York joins the New York Day of
Remembrance Committee and numerous community groups to organize this historic
event.
At the
celebration, Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) members will perform
“Fred Korematsu and His Fight for Justice,” a reenactment of legal proceedings
in Korematsu v. United States. Judge
Denny Chin, United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and
Kathy Hirata Chin, Partner at Crowell & Moring, will narrate the reenactment.
“Why
the Korematsu Case Still Matters Today,” a panel discussion, will follow the
reenactment. The panelists are Prof. Rose Cuison Villazor of Rutgers Law School
and Afaf Nasher, Executive Director for the New York Chapter of the Council on
American Islamic Relations, and Chris Kwok, AABANY Board Director and Issues
Committee Chair, will be the moderator.
Fred
T. Korematsu was a national civil rights hero. In 1942, at the age of 23, he
refused to go to the government’s incarceration camps for Japanese Americans.
After he was arrested and convicted of defying the government’s order, he
appealed his case all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1944, the Supreme Court
ruled against him, arguing that the incarceration was justified by military
necessity.
In
1983, in light of new evidence of government misconduct, Korematsu’s
40-year-old case was reopened. On November 10, 1983, Korematsu’s conviction was
overturned in a federal court in San Francisco. It was a pivotal moment in
civil rights history.
Korematsu
remained an activist throughout his life. In 1998, he received the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Bill
Clinton.
“AABANY
is proud to help celebrate Fred Korematsu’s 100th birthday, on the occasion of
the second annual Korematsu Day in New York City,” states Yang Chen, AABANY’s
Executive Director. “AABANY was among the groups in New York that testified
before the New York City Council in 2017 in support of commemorating January
30th each year as the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the
Constitution in New York City. We were there last year for the inaugural
celebration, and we are honored to be able to present one of our trial reenactments
to recount the story of Fred Korematsu and his struggle for justice. The only
way we can ensure that we as Americans never again repeat the gross injustice
Japanese Americans suffered during World War II is to tell his story and share
its many lessons with the general public.”
For
more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (212)
332-2478, or [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).
###
Additional information about AABANY is available
at www.aabany.org
NEW YORK – July 17, 2018 – the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) is proud to partner with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) and Manhattan Legal Services (MLS) to host a Know-Your-Rights Presentation and Clinic on rent overcharge on August 1, 2018 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at VNSNY Chinatown Community Service Center, 7 Mott Street. The event is free and open to any community member.
The Know-Your-Rights presentation will address whether units are entitled to rent protections, rent overcharges and the legal remedies that are available. After the presentation, attendees can meet one-on-one with an attorney to discuss their rent issues and review their rent histories. Therefore, attendees should obtain and bring their rent histories from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) by calling (718) 739-6400 or going to 25 Beaver Street (or another DHCR office). Mandarin and Cantonese interpretation will be available. Due to the limited availability of individual appointments, those who are interested should call (646) 442-3119 immediately to schedule an appointment.
Through the Know-Your-Rights clinic, AABANY hopes to make important legal information more readily available to the public by partnering with VNSNY and MLS, two organizations that are committed to addressing the dire need for social and legal services for underprivileged communities in New York City. VNSNY has long served the area as the United States’ largest nonprofit home- and community-based health care organization, providing high quality health care programs. MLS, as a branch of the Legal Services NYC, has worked to protect the rights of low-income residents by providing legal services and engaging in social justice advocacy for over 50 years.
“AABANY is pleased to be able to work with VNSNY and MLS on this Know-Your-Rights clinic in Chinatown,” stated James Cho, AABANY President. “Our theme this year is ‘Serving Our Community, Advancing Our Professions,’ and we look forward to meeting this goal by engaging our members as volunteers to serve the community as pro bono attorneys while at the same time advancing the legal profession through community service.”
“Unscrupulous landlords are attempting to charge tenants too much for rent and not give tenants the protections from rent increases and evictions that the law provides,” asserted Amy Luo, Senior Staff Attorney at Manhattan Legal Services. “Through this clinic and partnership, we can make sure that Chinatown tenants know and enforce their rights and protect our community.”
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).
###
Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org
WASHINGTON — Last night, President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the United States Supreme Court. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates Judge Kavanaugh on his nomination.
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NEW YORK – June 27, 2018 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) congratulates Susan L. Shin, Partner at Arnold & Porter LLP and former AABANY President (2016-17), on being named one of three recipients of the New York City Bar Association’s prestigious 2018 Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award. This award, created in 2006, recognizes the efforts that attorneys dedicate to creating and sustaining a more inclusive environment within their organizations and the legal community at large. Susan and her fellow awardees will be honored at the New York City Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Celebration Dinner on June 27, 2018.
A partner at Arnold & Porter, Susan is a talented lawyer and complex commercial litigator who represents a range of corporate clients including financial institutions and public companies in litigated disputes, class actions, and arbitrations. Since becoming partner at the firm in 2011 after working as a litigation associate, Susan has handled complex cases involving loan servicing, accounting, compliance, disclosure, derivatives, and mortgage and asset-backed securitizations, among other issues. Susan has also served as trial counsel in five trials to verdict in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, where she often served as lead trial counsel. In 2014, Arnold & Porter’s partnership elected Susan to the Policy Committee, the firm’s governing board.
Susan’s dedication to her community can be seen through her strong leadership and involvement in various committees and organizations. She served as the President of AABANY from 2016 to 2017 and is currently an active member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s CLE Selection Committee. Her dedication is also reflected by her frequent CLE talks on legal ethics and her extensive pro bono experience representing New York City charter schools. Susan has won a number of awards that highlight both her impressive legal career and her unwavering efforts to promote inclusion and access to justice within her community, including the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York’s 2018 Trailblazer Award.
Before beginning her legal career, Susan was an Associate at J.P. Morgan in the investment management division. While attending Columbia Law School she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Raymond J. Dearie with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York from 2002 to 2003.
“We are extremely excited and pleased that Susan is receiving this prestigious honor from the New York City Bar Association,” stated James R. Cho, AABANY President. “Having known Susan for many years and having served with her on the AABANY Board, I have observed first-hand her dedication to enhancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. We commend the New York City Bar Association and the Selection Committee on recognizing Susan’s efforts and achievements with the Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award. We extend our congratulations to her and her co-honorees, Sheila Kearney Davidson, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and General Counsel, New York Life Insurance Company; and John Mbiti, Director & Counsel, Credit Suisse Asset Management LLC.”
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).
###
Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org
NEW YORK – June 25, 2018- The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”)
congratulates the Honorable Lillian Wan on being confirmed by the New York State Senate on
June 20, 2018, to sit as a judge on the New York Court of Claims, where she will rule on cases
involving claims against the state or its agencies. As Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Brooklyn) stated
at the confirmation, Judge Wan will be “making history” by serving as the first Asian American
woman on the Court of Claims.
Prior to her confirmation, Judge Wan served as a Judge on the Kings County Family Court after
being appointed in 2012 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, where she heard a number of
complex cases pertaining to child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, and family offenses. She
also presided over “crossover youth” cases, which involve children who enter the juvenile justice
system after spending time in the state’s child welfare system or in foster care.
Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Wan led a successful legal career as an experienced
trial attorney for the Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”) in the Family Court Legal
Services Division, where she litigated cases on neglect and abuse. Judge Wan also served as a
Court Attorney-Referee in Kings County Surrogate’s Court, where she participated in settlement
conferences and held hearings related to guardianship, kinship, adoption, and estates. Judge Wan
received her B.A. from Binghamton University and her J.D. from Albany Law School, where she
served on the Albany Law Review and graduated within the top five of her class.
Judge Wan is an active member of various organizations and committees dedicated to the
advancement of justice, including the Encourage Judicial Service Committee and the New York
State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. She currently serves as a board member for the
Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association and the New York State Family Court Judges Association,
and has served as the former Co-Chair of the Government and Public Sector (now the
Government and Public Interest) Committee for AABANY. Judge Wan is active within her local
community, taking part in outreach programs such as the National Association of Women Judges
“Color of Justice” Program, which aims to introduce students to the legal profession.
“AABANY is immensely proud of Judge Wan. Her experience in the courtroom, compassion,
and unwavering dedication make her an unparalleled candidate to serve as a judge on the Court
of Claims,” said James Cho, President of AABANY. “Judge Wan’s confirmation also reminds us
of the progress we have made in advancing diversity and inclusion on the bench; Asian Pacific
Americans and other minority communities continue to be underrepresented on the bench, but
we are gratified to see that New York is appointing minority judges like Judge Wan. Her
appointment marks a historic and significant step forward in making the judiciary more diverse
and inclusive.”
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).
###
Additional information about AABANY is available at www.aabany.org
WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated Jill A. Otake to the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. If confirmed, Otake will be the 21st active Asian Pacific American federal district judge and the third active Asian Pacific American judge serving in the District of Hawaii. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds this decision.
“Jill Otake is a well-qualified and dedicated public servant who will ably serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii,” said Pankit J. Doshi, president of NAPABA. “She is recognized for her skill as a prosecutor and as a longtime leader in the legal community. I urge the Senate to confirm her to the bench.”
Otake is the acting chief of the Special Crime Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, having previously served as deputy chief since 2014. She spent nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Prior to that she was a deputy prosecuting attorney in King County, Washington. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her stellar work in the legal system, including awards and accolades by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Justice.
She is a leader in her community, both in Hawaii and Washington. Otake is co-chair of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee and was a fellow of the bar’s Leadership Institute. Otake has served as co-president of the Asian American Bar Association of Washington — a NAPABA affiliate, as the judicial evaluations chair, and on the board of directors and chair of the Joint Asian Judicial Evaluations Committee in Washington. In addition to her service to the Asian Pacific American community, Otake has contributed to the advancement of women in the legal field and her community as a mentor for Hawaii Women Lawyers and volunteer attorney for Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii.
Otake serves as an instructor on issues related to trial practice. She was an instructor for the inaugural Hawaii Federal Trial Academy, sponsored by the U.S. District Court and the Federal Bar Association. She was an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the Seattle University Law School and a speaker during the Hawaii Supreme Court’s Mandatory Bar Professionalism Course.
A graduate of the Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii, she received her degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Washington School of Law. She clerked for the Honorable Associate Justice Simeon R. Acoba, Jr., of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.
NAPABA thanks President Trump for nominating Jill A. Otake to the bench and Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz for recommending her to the White House. NAPABA recommended Otake earlier this year.
For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, 202-775-9555, [email protected].
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.
NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
WASHINGTON — Yesterday, on the anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the landmark case, Korematsu v. United States (1944), Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act of 2017. The legislation would make it clear that the discriminatory detentions endorsed in Korematsu are prohibited.
“The specter of the Korematsu decision haunts us to this day,” said National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) President Pankit J. Doshi. “With this bill, Congress has the chance to repudiate the Supreme Court’s ruling and prevent the country from repeating a dark chapter of our nation’s history. We thank Senators Duckworth and Hirono, and Representative Takano, for their leadership in trying to overturn this widely condemned decision. As leaders in the legal profession and in recognition of our history as Asian Pacific Americans, NAPABA fully supports the introduction and passage of this legislation.”
“We, as a nation, must never forget or repeat the horrors thousands of Japanese Americans experienced as prisoners within our own borders. We must also continue to do everything we can to ensure such a national travesty never happens again. I’m proud to introduce this bill with Senator Hirono in remembrance of my dear friend and former colleague Mark Takai to reinstate our commitment to protecting civil liberties and strengthen our resolve to ensure we never again repeat such shameful acts,”said Senator Duckworth.
“The internment of Japanese Americans was deeply wrong and set a precedent — that it should never happen again. However, the President and his administration continue to advance divisive policies and rhetoric that demonize the Muslim community and other minority communities. By repudiating this legal precedent that could allow a travesty like the internment to happen again, we are standing up for the civil rights of all communities, a worthy cause that I’m sure our friend Mark Takai would have joined us on,”said Senator Hirono.
“This legislation is an important acknowledgement of the injustice suffered by my grandparents, parents, and more than 115,000 others who were relocated and imprisoned based on nothing more than their heritage,” said Representative Mark Takano. “This stain on our history must serve as a warning of what happens when we allow fear and hate to overwhelm our basic respect for one another. I am proud to introduce this legislation in the House, and I could not think of a more appropriate way to honor the memory of Congressman Mark Takai, who was a good friend, a great public servant, and an even better person.”
The bill, named in honor of Fred Korematsu and Rep. Mark Takai, would amend the Non-Detention Act of 1971 to bar detentions or imprisonment based on protected characteristics, including race or religion. The Non-Detention Act sought to repeal the Emergency Detention Act of 1950, a law that continued the legacy of Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of 120,000 individuals on the basis of their Japanese ancestry under the guise of “military necessity” and national security. The Supreme Court found the orders constitutional following challenges by Fred Korematsu, Gordon Hirabayashi, and Minoru Yasui.
NAPABA worked with the offices of Sens. Duckworth, Hirono, and Rep. Takano, the Korematsu family and coram nobis legal teams, and civil rights groups to draft the bill that honors the legacy of Fred Korematsu, recognizes the history of Japanese American incarceration, and seeks to overturn the impact of the Supreme Court’s holding in Korematsu v. United States.
NAPABA is proud to join leading groups in the Asian Pacific American community — the Korematsu Institute, Stop Repeating History, the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, the Japanese American Citizens League, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC — as original endorsers of the bill.
For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, 202-775-9555, [email protected].
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of almost 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.
NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
