Tag: sandra leung

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AABANY Hosts “The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action” on April 9

On April 9, 2021, AABANY and a coalition of bar associations from across the country presented a CLE program titled, “The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action.” About 500 attendees from all across the United States joined an esteemed panel of corporate in-house leaders in a discussion on how corporate employers can address the surge in anti-Asian violence and support their Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) employees. The panel included:

  • Sara Yang Bosco, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Emerson
  • Sam Khichi, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Becton, Dickinson and Company
  • Sandra Leung, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
  • Allen Lo, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Products, IP, and Legal Operations, Facebook
  • Susan Moon, Principal Counsel, The Walt Disney Company
  • Caroline Tsai, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Western Union
  • Michael C. Wu (Moderator), GAPABA Board Member

Moderator Michael Wu began the panel discussion by describing how the coronavirus pandemic has become a virus of hate, with the increase of violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans. To add to this, Sara Bosco emphasized the importance of reporting and providing visibility to these incidents and stated, “You cannot manage what you cannot measure.” Asian Americans comprise 6% of the United States population, yet have been historically overlooked despite being part of U.S. history since the 1800s. Due to Asian Americans being viewed as perpetual foreigners and the model minority, coupled with the inaccurate information disseminated about the origins of the pandemic in 2020, Asian Americans have been perceived as an easier target to perpetrators of anti-Asian violence.

When asked how Corporate America should address anti-Asian violence, many of the panelists shared initiatives their workplaces started and gave suggestions on what companies can do. A main focus of the panelists was discussing how Asian employees can be supported in the workplace. To create a supportive environment, companies should reach out to AAPI employees and create an AAPI employee resource group in the workplace if there is not one already. Even if the organization does not have many AAPI employees, it is important for AAPI employees to meet others to increase their circle and build a larger voice. In addition, mental health resources and allyship training should be offered to employees within the workplace’s HR department. Panelists also agreed that not only should the diversity officers in the company address anti-Asian violence, but even CEOs need to speak up and make statements to show support for the AAPI community.

As individuals in the AAPI legal community, Sandra Leung said, “We are in a crisis situation right now with the rise of anti-AAPI hate, but it’s also an opportunity for us to band together to do our part individually or collectively in groups. We have to turn the emotion and anger that we have into action.” She further emphasized that we need to take leadership roles, speak loud, and educate people on anti-AAPI hate. In discussing leadership roles, Sandra Leung remarked, “I feel so compelled right now and so moved by everything we are facing in our community that I would love to run for President-Elect of NAPABA…” AABANY applauds Sandra Leung’s intent to run during these critical times and agrees that we have to continue working collectively to address anti-Asian violence.

Thank you to Sara Yang Bosco, Sam Khichi, Sandra Leung, Allen Lo, Susan Moon, Caroline Tsai, and Michael Wu for this important discussion on anti-Asian violence and corporate social responsibility. Non-transitional New York attorneys were eligible to receive a maximum of 1.5 CLE credit hours applied toward the Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias requirement. CLE credits were also approved in California and Colorado, and CPE credits were approved in British Columbia and Ontario. CLE credits have been applied for in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and are pending approval. To view a recording of the program, click here or on the image above.

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AABANY Fall Conference: APA Women in the Legal Profession Panel

“Stronger Together: APA Women in the Legal Profession – Strategies to Support, Lead, and Advance” was one of the many panels presented at AABANY’s Fall Conference this year. Held on Saturday, September 26 from 10:45 am to 12:15 pm, the panelists consisted of:

Moderators:

  • Connie Montoya, Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson
  • Sandra Yamate, CEO, Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession

Speakers:

  • Anna Mercado Clark, Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
  • Judy Lam, Partner, Maynard Cooper & Gale
  • Honorable Grace E. Lee, Administrative Law Judge, State of New York
  • Sandra Leung, General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
  • Sapna Palla, Partner, Wiggin and Dana

The panel was not recorded to create a safe environment for panelists as well as listeners so that there could be a candid conversation about race and the experiences APA women have had to face throughout their legal careers.

The panel started off with discussing the challenges and barriers of being an APA woman in the legal profession. Shared experiences among the panelists were that they were often overlooked in the courtroom, being perceived and mistaken as the court interpreter or court reporter rather than as the lawyer or judge. Even when they were correctly perceived as the lawyer, the panelists were still treated differently compared to their white male counterparts. In response to these challenges, the panelists discussed how it was okay to feel uncomfortable about these topics and it is important to focus on the microaggressions. If people are more vocal about the uncomfortable situations and share their experiences with the community, it creates a greater ability to mobilize and create change.

The panelists stressed the importance of seeing more APA women in higher positions and one way of achieving that is through having role models and mentors for rising APA lawyers. Current AABANY President, Sapna Palla, highlighted the AABANY Leadership Development Program which has been successful in teaching participants the skills to advance into executive positions, and she hopes to see more programs that do the same.

The panel ended with each panelist going over one action item they were willing to commit to within the next year that will help support and advance APA women in the legal profession. The general consensus among the panelists was to start a mentoring circle. Not only do the panelists want to be an available resource for people who come up to them and have questions, but also they want to be active in following up with mentees and seeking feedback from them.

The panelists also vow to use their positions as a platform to continue this dialogue. Advancing APA women in the legal profession is an ongoing conversation and hopefully, listeners of the panel are inspired to continue the dialogue with their friends, peers, and colleagues.

Thank you to the panelists, Anna Mercado Clark, Judy Lam, Honorable Grace E. Lee, Sandra Leung, and Sapna Palla, and moderators, Connie Montoya and Sandra Yamate for sharing their experiences and leading an important discussion about supporting APA women in the legal profession.

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KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

A Shot in the Dark:  The Peter Liang/Akai Gurley Tragedy

Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot on November 20, 2014, in Brooklyn’s Louis H. Pink Houses, by rookie NYPD Officer Peter Liang, who had entered a stairwell with his firearm drawn. The shooting was declared an accidental discharge; the bullet ricocheted off the wall and Gurley was struck once in the chest and later died from the shot. On February 10, 2015, Liang was indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter, assault, and other criminal charges, and on February 11, 2016, Liang was found guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct, becoming the first NYPD officer in over a decade to be found guilty of shooting and killing a citizen while on duty. The shooting and trial touched off a firestorm of opinion and protests, and in the post-Ferguson era, the case has added another twist to the intense ongoing debate about race and accountability in policing, as well as the Asian American community’s place in that debate and race relations.

This panel will explore criminal procedural issues in the context of the Peter Liang trial, such as the indictment and grand jury process, what is the standard for homicide versus manslaughter, and will also look at the civil rights aspect of the case. How did the APA community respond to the tragedy and what can we learn from it going forward?

  • Alexander M. Lee, Esq., Principal, The Law Offices of Alexander M. Lee
  • Christopher M. Kwok, Esq., Supervisory ADR Coordinator, U.S. EEOC (appearing in individual capacity)
  • Jin P. Lee, Esq., Principal, The Law Office of Jin P. Lee
  • Sandra Leung, Esq., Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
  • Vinoo Varghese, Esq., Principal, Varghese and Associates, P.C.
  • Thomas Ong, Owner, Ong Investigative Group, LLC
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America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel

America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel

Congratulations to the America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel named by National Law Journal! Click on the link above to check out these outstanding legal leaders. Of special note to AABANY for their diversity and inclusion efforts are: 

Sandra Leung, General Counsel of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Sandra Leung arrived at Bristol-Myers Squibb in 1992 as a staff attorney after eight years as a prosecutor with the New York County District Attorney’s office. She’s climbed the pharmaceutical company’s ranks ever since, and in 2007 became general counsel. At that time, the company’s top leaders had just been pushed out amid a federal investigation over its blooder-thinner Plavix. She re-engineered the company’s legal department by cutting costs, and today her portfolio includes shaping the company’s legal strategy and its environmental, health and safety, corporate security and philanthropy policies.

Lee Cheng, Chief Legal Officer of Newegg, Inc.

As Newegg Inc.’s “chief troll hunter,” Lee Cheng has earned a reputation in recent years as a fierce foe of so-called patent trolls. Cheng, the online retailer’s chief legal officer, has aggressively defended against patent infringement claims by companies that he’s labeled “legal terrorists” and gone after legal fees when successful. He’s made headlines for his aversion to settling. Earlier this year, after Minero Digital LLC dropped a patent case against Newegg subsidiary Rosewill Inc., Newegg struck back with a lawsuit of its own, seeking a court order that would ensure that Minero couldn’t refile the claims in the future.

Simone Wu, General Counsel of Choice Hotels International

Simone Wu, Choice Hotels Interna­tional Inc.’s general counsel, is a leader in diversity in the legal field. A 2013 recipient of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Justice in Action Award, Wu oversees the Rockville, Maryland-based corporation’s litigation matters, transactions and regulatory affairs. She also serves as counsel to the company’s senior management and board of directors. Recently, the company expanded its Cambria hotel line with a grand opening in Times Square and has partnered with CapStar Hotel Co. to develop sites in Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles.

Please join us in congratulating these friends of AABANY. 

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Press Release: AABANY Congratulates NAAAP-NY’s 2014 Most Influential APIA New Yorkers Glenn Lau-Kee and Sandra Leung

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2014  

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director
(718) 228-7206

NEW YORK – November 5, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that AABANY Past President and current New York State Bar Association President Glenn Lau-Kee and AABANY Advisory Committee Member Sandra Leung have been announced as the National Association of Asian American Professionals – New York Chapter (NAAAP-NY) 2014 Most Influential Asian Pacific Islander American New Yorkers. Mr. Lau-Kee and Ms. Leung will be honored at NAAAP-NY’s Moon Festival Honoree Gala at the Harvard Club of New York City on November 7, 2014.

NAAAP-NY has selected Glenn Lau-Kee (Partner, Kee & Lau-Kee PLLC) as its Public Service Honoree. Mr. Lau-Kee assumed office in June 2014 as the 117th President and first Asian American to lead the New York State Bar Association, an organization with over 75,000 members. NAAAP-NY has named Sandra Leung (General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Bristol-Meyers Squibb) as its the Corporate Legal Honoree. As legal advisor to the Board of Directors and company executives, Ms. Leung is responsible for shaping Bristol-Meyers Squibb’s legal strategy, as well as the company’s Environment, Health & Safety, Corporate Security, and Philanthropy groups.

“AABANY is delighted that NAAAP-NY has chosen to recognize Glenn Lau-Kee and Sandra Leung among New York’s most influential Asian Pacific Islander American New Yorkers,” says Executive Director Yang Chen. “Both Glenn and Sandra have made major impacts in the legal profession through their work and leadership, and have paved the way for generations of APIA lawyers and professionals. We congratulate Glenn and Sandra and all the honorees at this year’s Moon Festival Gala.”  AABANY President Clara Ohr adds, “We strongly support NAAAP-NY’s decision to honor such Asian American trailblazers in the legal profession as Glenn Lau-Kee and Sandra Leung, and we appreciate its past recognition of our own Executive Director, Yang Chen, whom NAAAP-NY named its 2013 Community Excellence Awardee.”

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For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, 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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America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel | National Law Journal

America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel | National Law Journal

The National Law Journal recognizes lawyers who have what it takes to run exemplary in-house legal departments.

Congratulations to AABANY Advisory Committee members Don Liu of Xerox and Sandra Leung of Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company for being recognized as being among America’s 50 Outstanding General Counsel!

Both Don Liu and Sandra Leung have been recognized as AABANY’s Annual Dinner Honorees in 2009 and 2010, respectively. AABANY also extends congratulations to other AABANY Annual Dinner Honorees in the 50 Outstanding General Counsel list: Ivan Fong (1998), Thomas Sager (2010), Susan Blount (2012), and Randal Milch (2014). 

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Prosecutors’ Committee’s 4th Anniversary Reception

Brian Lee, Deputy Chief of the County Court Bureau, Nassau County D.A.’s office, reports:

On June 28, 2012, the Prosecutors’ Committee held its 4th Anniversary Reception at the New York University School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall. This year, the Prosecutors’ Committee, co-chaired by Cristina S. W. Park of the Bronx County D.A.’s Office and James S. Lin of the New York County D.A.’s Office, honored Sandra Leung, General Counsel of Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Thomas M. Chan, Assistant Chief of the New York City Police Department. Ms. Leung was the first female Asian American prosecutor in the New York County D.A.’s Office, and in her speech, recounted how her invaluable experience as a prosecutor propelled her rapid rise in the ranks at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Assistant Chief Chan is the highest ranking Asian American officer in NYPD’s history, and during his address, spoke of his passion to help the community as the driving force behind his illustrious career. These two individuals were honored for their dedication to diversity and as trailblazers for the Asian American community in New York.

The honorees and attendees were welcomed by Jeannie Forrest, the Vice-Dean of NYU School of Law. Nearly 120 guests attended the reception and congratulatory remarks were given by: Charles J. Hynes, the District Attorney of Kings County; Daniel R. Alonso, the Chief ADA for New York County; Daniel L. Master, the Chief ADA for Richmond County; Jesse J. Sligh, an Executive ADA for Queens County; and Steven M. Goldstein, the Chief ADA for the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. Closing remarks were delivered by Jean Lee, the President of AABANY.

Dignitaries in attendance at the reception included Judge Doris Ling-Cohan, New York State Supreme Court, Judge Gilbert C. Hong, New York City Criminal Court, Daniel D. Chu, Chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and Hugh H. Mo, one of last year’s Trailblazer Honorees. The reception was covered by members of the media.