On November 16th, 2023, AABANY hosted a Pre-Holiday Multi-Bar Association Gathering at Broadridge Financial Solutions, located at 605 3rd Avenue. This event served not only as an opportunity for members of different bar associations to come together but also represented AABANY’s continuing commitment to this year’s theme, “Embracing Wellness and Well-Being – Strengthening the Legal Profession by Investing in Ourselves.” The event was co-sponsored by the Armenian Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey, FALA New York, the Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York,the Jewish Lawyer’s Guild, the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, the LGBT Bar of New York, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association,the New York City Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the South Asian Bar Association of New York, and the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean Bar Association of Queens.
Recognizing that the holiday season can be challenging for many attorneys, AABANY aimed to spread the pre-holiday cheer and create a supportive network within the legal community. The event kicked off with a Potluck Dinner, to foster a sense of community and camaraderie among attendees. Each co-sponsoring bar association brought something special to the table, contributing to the potluck, bringing to the table culinary offerings as diverse as the New York legal community. From savory dishes to sweet delights, the spread featured an array of flavors that tantalized the taste buds and sparked conversations around the communal tables. Breaking bread together, attorneys from different backgrounds shared stories and experiences, creating connections that extend beyond the legal realm.
After the Potluck Dinner, attendees settled in for a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program, delving into crucial aspects of attorney well-being. Steering the discussion was Joseph Eng, Counsel at King & Spalding LLP and AABANY’s President-Elect. In a heartfelt address, Joseph openly shared his personal struggles with burnout and the ongoing pursuit of a healthy work-life balance. He took the opportunity to introduce the Lawyers Assistance Program by the NYC Bar, emphasizing its profound impact on the legal community. Building on Joseph’s poignant remarks, Eileen Travis, the Executive Director of the program, provided in-depth insights into the comprehensive services offered by the Lawyers Assistance Program. Following her, Sara Ellis, the Interim President of the Lawyers Depression Project, offered her perspective on the mental health and wellness challenges attorneys face. The narrative continued with Gayle Damiano, a motivational speaker, sharing compelling insights into the nuances of drug abuse and the transformative power of embracing change. The program culminated with a thought-provoking Q&A panel, allowing attendees to engage directly with the speakers. This interactive session provided a platform for meaningful dialogue, fostering a deeper understanding of the well-being resources available to legal professionals.
AABANY’s Pre-Holiday Multi-Bar Association Gathering was ultimately more than just an event—it was a testament to the legal community’s commitment to well-being and mutual support. By combining the joy of the holiday season with a focus on mental health resources, AABANY demonstrated the importance of fostering a strong, interconnected legal profession.
If you have ideas for programs or speakers on the topic of wellness and well-being, please contact President Karen Kim at [email protected].
On March 20, City & State published their 2023 list of the Law Power 100 in New York. As stated in the article:
City & State’s Law Power 100 recognizes the most influential legal professionals in the world of New York politics and government. The list features high-profile elected officials, powerful prosecutors, high-ranking appointees, partners at prominent firms, defense attorneys, public defenders, legal scholars and others in the profession who advise or oversee governmental bodies, advocate for policy changes or argue cases before our highest courts.
AABANY is pleased to announce that President William Ng has been named one of City & State’s Law Power 100 at 96 on the list. (At the time of publication, William Ng was AABANY President. His term ended on March 31, and he currently sits on the Board as Immediate Past President.)
Please join AABANY in congratulating William Ng along with attorneys from the following affinity bar associations that were featured in the 2023 Law Power 100 List (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking):
·Carl Forbes Jr., President, Metropolitan Black Bar Association (93)
·Deborah Rosenthal, President, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (95)
·Anthony Perrotto, Board President, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York (97)
·Megha Jain, President, South Asian Bar Association of New York (99)
·Lejla Hadzic, President, Muslim Bar Association of New York (100)
We also congratulate the attorneys from the following AABANY sponsors (2022-23) for being featured on the 2023 Law Power 100 List (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking):
·Glen G. McGorty, New York Managing Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP– Silver Sponsor (81)
Congratulations to our sister affinity bar associations and our 2022-23 sponsors and to everyone who made the 2023 Law Power List 100. For the full list, click here.
On November 17, AABANY together with several other bar associations co-sponsored a program on “Becoming an AUSA,” hosted by Cleary Gottlieb at their New York office.
Joon Kim, former Acting United States Attorney of the Southern District of New York (SDNY) (and longtime AABANY member) gave opening remarks to welcome the standing room only crowd of more than 100 attendees. He reflected on his years serving with Preet Bharara and then succeeding him after his much-publicized termination during the prior Presidential administration. To this day, Joon remembers the gravity and weight of the words, “My name is Joon Kim, and I represent the United States” whenever he appeared before a judge or jury. The seriousness of representing the United States in numerous cases of public importance has never been lost on Joon. Now a Partner at Cleary, Joon was the first Asian American Acting United States Attorney in the Southern District, following Preet Bharara, who was the first Asian American United States Attorney in the Southern District.
Una Dean, former Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and now in-house counsel at IBM, helped organize the program and moderated the opening panel with current United States Attorneys Damian Williams (SDNY) and Breon Peace (EDNY). Una was also a past AABANY Board member.
Both Breon and Damian spoke about their paths to the US Attorney’s office and their desire to work on matters that would have positive community impact. Both expressed the belief that the US Attorney’s office provides a unique opportunity to do just that. Breon talked about criminal investigations and prosecutions his office has been doing, including a case that helped prevent a potential terrorist attack at the US Open. His office prosecuted R. Kelly for human trafficking. They fight hate crimes and also work on affinity fraud cases which target vulnerable members from diverse ethnic and religious communities in New York. In criminal cases, his office actively seeks out alternatives to incarceration and diversion programs as ways to resolve criminal complaints, and also supports programs that facilitate re-entry into society for formerly incarcerated persons. On the civil side, EDNY pursues civil rights cases, fights housing discrimination and brings cases to protect the environment. His civil rights division has also been addressing claims about NYPD’s handling of sexual assault complaints from survivors.
Damian, after being trained at a prominent law firm, believed that, for his further development as a litigator and trial lawyer, the US Attorney’s office was the next logical step. Damian has served in the SDNY for a decade and spoke about his time at the SDNY with great passion and fondness, and his love for the work is palpable. “It is the best job in the world, and the best job I can ever hope to have,” he declared. Assistant US Attorneys fight bullies, he noted, and he relishes working in an environment where everyone is dedicated to doing the right thing, serving the public interest.
Una asked both Damian and Breon what qualities they look for in candidates for their offices. Damian answered that they are looking for good, decent, human beings – “no sharp elbows” – who are team oriented. In other words, they don’t want any jerks. (He used a stronger word, but you know what he means.) Candidates should be good writers who are smart, can think on their feet and exercise good judgment. They must have a strong moral compass, a sense of right and wrong, because so much authority is delegated to junior attorneys at his office, and they must be “doing the right thing, the right way – always.” Candidates need to have a tremendous amount of energy, because they will be working hard. If you are looking for a lifestyle change or money, Damian advised, working at the US Attorney’s Office may not be right for you.
Breon agreed with Damian and added that for him, any candidate that has a win-at-all-costs mentality raises a major red flag. He believes in doing justice, and that means at times, his office may have to decline cases or admit error. A candidate that rushes to judgment would not work out. He also looks for attorneys with the courage to tell investigators or judges that the evidence is not there to bring a case or to prosecute a defendant.
Una then talked about the reason why she put this program together, noting that during her time at EDNY, the composition of the office did not reflect the makeup of the community they served. Breon responded that “it is incredibly important that the [EDNY] is a reflection of the community.” He wants people of diverse backgrounds and experiences in his office to help solve problems, because “diversity is critical to getting the work done.” To promote diversity, EDNY has made changes to make hiring more diverse and inclusive, such as by making the process more transparent, has implemented a mentoring program for all new AUSAs and has sponsored trainings through the Diversity Committee.
Damian pointed out that he is the first African American US Attorney at SDNY and acknowledged that diversity is a challenge that needs to be addressed. He believes that outcomes are better when there are diverse views on the team. He also offered that the jury box will look like New York, so the government table should try to look like New York as well. Damian emphasized that politics has no role to play in the US Attorney’s office, no matter who the sitting President happens to be. He shared that Justice Sotomayor, at the start of her career was an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, and in a recent speech, she stated that she became a prosecutor because “it gave her the broadest option to do justice.” Damian agrees with that view.
Breon and Damian both closed by extolling the virtues of public service, particularly at the US Attorney’s office. Damian finds it hard to leave his desk each night because of all the great cases he gets to work on. “When I go home at night,” Breon declared, “I feel like I’ve done something good for the community.”
After Damian and Breon spoke, the program shifted to a panel of attorneys of color from both SDNY and EDNY, in both criminal and civil divisions, moderated by former AUSA Maria Cruz Melendez, now a Partner at Skadden. The panel included:
·Sagar Ravi, Assistant U.S. Attorney & Co-Chief, Complex Frauds & Cybercrime Unit, SDNY
·Rebecca Tinio, Assistant U.S. Attorney & Co-Chief, Civil Frauds Unit, SDNY
·Hiral Mehta, Assistant U.S. Attorney & Deputy Chief, Business and Securities Fraud Section, EDNY
·Marietou Diouf, Assistant U.S. Attorney, International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, EDNY
·Camille Fletcher, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Narcotics Unit, SDNY
·Dara Olds, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Civil Division, EDNY
·Ivory Bishop, Assistant U.S. Attorney, General Crimes, EDNY
All the panelists echoed the passion of Damian and Breon in their love of their work and the weight accorded to representing the United States in court on important cases of great public interest, in both criminal and civil matters.
Hiral Mehta (EDNY) spoke about the proactive nature of the office and the flat structure. There is no hierarchy, and everyone’s input is sought. Ivory Bishop (SDNY) talked about getting to work on all types of cases, from street crimes to public corruption.
Rebecca Tinio (SDNY) mentioned that her cases were great for training, because they go to trial. Her unit works on high stakes cases, such as the tax and bankruptcy case involving Purdue Pharma, the anti-kickback cases involving Novartis, and groundbreaking cases involving the Clean Air Act.
Maria asked the panel what role diversity plays in the cases that the offices see. The panelists gave examples from cases they worked on, in which their own diverse backgrounds and experiences allowed them to connect with and relate to the witnesses in the case, ultimately leading to successful outcomes.
Maria asked the panel to address the hiring process. Dara Olds (EDNY) stated that her office has separate criminal and civil tracks. Rebecca (SDNY) explained that her office has one unified process for all applicants. Both offices have initial interviews, some conducted by those on the panel. Both offices request writing samples, which are reviewed to determine whether a candidate will advance. If the candidate gets through the first round, they are interviewed by more senior AUSAs, including section chiefs. The final round would involve the US Attorney and their executive staff.
Sagar Ravi (SDNY) stated that they are always accepting applications, and Hiral (EDNY) confirmed the same for his office, except during times when a hiring freeze is in place. Currently, there is none so right now “the doors are open.”
What if an applicant thinks that they do not have the right credentials to apply? Dara (EDNY) noted that the US Attorney’s office does not accept applicants straight from law school and encouraged everyone who has obtained several years of experience to apply, regardless of whether they are applying from a large firm or if they had clerked for a judge. Camille Fletcher (SDNY) advised that even if you don’t get called for an interview the first time, you should try again.
After the panels were done, all the attendees stayed for a reception with food and drinks generously provided by Cleary. Many of the panelists stayed to speak directly with the panelists and ask the questions they were not able to during the main program. The room was buzzing with lively conversations among prosecutors, attorneys, and law students in attendance.
Much thanks and appreciation go to all the speakers and moderators for the evening. Thanks to Una Dean for spearheading the event, to Cleary for being such a gracious host, and to all the co-sponsors:
·Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association
·Caribbean Attorneys Network
·Dominican Bar Association
·Hispanic National Bar Association – Region II
·Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
An Allen & Overy cross-practice team acted as pro-bono counsel for the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) in filing an appellate brief amici curiae to the New York Appellate Division, Third Department.
Following his mostly unsuccessful personal injury case brought against the State of New York (Byung Choon Joe v. New York), Plaintiff, Byung Choon Joe, appealed the trial judge’s decision to the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. A&O, on behalf of AABANY and KALAGNY, filed a brief amici curiae in support of Mr. Joe, urging the appellate court to consider whether the trial court’s decision was negatively influenced by implicit racial bias.
Terry Shen, President of AABANY, said, “As the largest affinity bar association in New York and the United States, AABANY is devoted to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. When we learned about the case of Byung Choon Joe, we were concerned about the trial court’s irrelevant reference to his Korean ethnicity in the context of a finding of a lack of trustworthiness, recalling age-old negative stereotypes of Asian Americans. We therefore joined with KALAGNY to file an amici brief to call attention to the fact that judges and the judicial system are not immune to implicit bias.”
The New York State Bar Association and several affiliates of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association also supported AABANY and KALAGNY’s brief including: the Asian American Bar Association of Chicago, the Asian American Bar Association of Houston, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania, the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association, the Network of Bar Leaders (a coalition of more than fifty bar associations in the Greater New York area), the South Asian Bar Association of New York, and the Thai American Bar Association.
The A&O pro-bono team for this case was led by Sapna Palla (AABANY member and Immediate Past President) along with associates Rebecca Cecchini and Ben Minkoff.
To view the entire press release, please click here.
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY), and the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) stand in solidarity with the American Jewish community and unequivocally condemn anti-semitism and all forms of bigotry, hatred, and discrimination. We join in this statement at the start of a New Year for Jewish people around the world, in hopes that together we can bring about greater understanding, peace and harmony in all our communities.
AABANY, KALAGNY, and SABANY recognize that there has been a staggering rise of hate crimes and intolerance against Jewish people. In recent months, we’ve seen attacks on Jewish communities and Jewish-owned places of business, and senseless violence against Jewish people. Many of our friends, family, and colleagues have been victims of such anti-semitism and bigotry.
As anti-semitism surges in the United States, we must do all that we can to put a stop to these hateful incidents. We are compelled to act now. As members of the bar and officers of the court, we strive to work together with our allies to eliminate anti-semitism and to enhance awareness of this injustice.
We are deeply concerned about the increase in anti-semitic sentiment, threats, and violence against our Jewish neighbors, friends, and community. We urge U.S. legal, political, civic, and faith leaders to denounce the use of hateful, anti-semitic rhetoric, which not only endangers the Jewish community, but also damages our national social fabric.
We will continue to strengthen the alliances between our nation’s Jewish and Asian communities, fight against all forms of bigotry and hatred, and stand together with communities facing discrimination.
On December 20, AABANY joined with other diverse bar associations in New York City in a press release responding to public statements made about Hon. Evelyn LaPorte. Judge LaPorte was criticized for her handling of the arraignment of Lamont Pride in November 2011. Pride was later arrested for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of NYPD Officer Peter Figoski.
The other bar associations that signed on to the press release are: Metropolitan Black Bar Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association, Nigerian Lawyers Association, South Asian Bar Association and Association of Black Women Attorneys. New York State Senator Eric Adams, of the 20th Senatorial District, in Brooklyn, NY also signed on to the press release.
The full text of the press release can be found by following the link in the title.
Recently, AABANY, together with representatives from the Association of Black Women Attorneys, Black Bar Association of Bronx County, Dominican Bar Association, Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association of New York, interviewed judicial candidates for Civil Court and Supreme Court in Kings County and New York County and issued ratings for each candidate that appeared before the panel. The report of the qualification ratings appears in a September 9, 2011, press release, the text of which is contained in the link in the title. AABANY was privileged to serve with the other minority bar associations to carry out the important work of this screening panel.
