Tag: south asian

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AABANY Student Outreach Committee and Government Service and Public Interest Committee Co-Host Panel on Public Defense and Public Interest Sector Careers

On September 22, 2026, AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee and Government Service and Public Interest Committee co-hosted a panel discussion at St. John’s University School of Law on public defense and public interest careers, bringing together law students, attorneys, and community members. Three lawyers –  Eugene Kim, Criminal Defense; Shirley Luong, Tenants’ Rights; and Rex Chen, Immigration – provided insight on their day-to-day, the work that keeps them going, and how their practices confront systemic struggles while serving and representing the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. 

Criminal Defense: Eugene Kim

After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, Eugene began his career at the Legal Aid Society, where he spent many years representing approximately 3,000 clients. He went on to  work in the Mayor’s Office, but during the panel, Eugene reflected on his time at the Legal Aid Society. He has also served previously as Vice Chair and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee. 

When asked to describe what his typical day at work looked like, he talked about time spent staffing the courtroom, moving between court appearances, legal research, and visits to Rikers Islands to take on new cases. 

Eugene described both the challenges and rewards of his practice. The biggest challenge, he said,  was that there are “no moral victories in court,” especially in criminal defense. For Eugene, the most rewarding aspect is “winning for a client when their family is in the room,” which he said is what kept him going. 

On the issue of racism in his profession, Eugene was direct: In the criminal justice system, racism is unfortunately a “feature” of it. As a public defender, his goal was to provide “the best defense that money can’t buy.” Turning to the AAPI community, Eugene expressed his belief that AAPI residents are underrepresented because there are fewer  attorneys who share their backgrounds and can understand them, and he called for greater advocacy towards proper representation. His advice for attorneys entering the profession: leadership cannot be forced. “Figure out who you are and stay true to it, because people will notice if you don’t.” 

Tenants’ Rights: Shirley Luong 

A lifelong New Yorker born and raised in Flushing, Shirley attended Brooklyn Law School. From 2024-25, she served as Vice Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee and is currently Vice Chair of AABANY’s Government Service & Public Interest Committee. She is a Staff Attorney in housing justice and tenant defense at the Legal Aid Society, where she has worked for the past decade. Shirley is passionate about pursuing justice for her clients’ housing circumstances. For example, just before the pandemic struck, she compelled a landlord to build a wheelchair-accessible ramp so that her client could safely and conveniently access his own home. 

For Shirley, secondary trauma is the greatest challenge of her direct service work. As a client’s first line of defense, she found it difficult to balance sympathy with maintaining the emotional distance needed for her profession. The reward is the flip side: the impact on people’s lives is immediate and tangible. 

When asked about racism in her area of practice and how her work addresses it, she describes it as systemic and deeply rooted – a theme all the panelists shared. Housing policies like redlining, she explained, historically excluded communities of color from homeownership and, with it, generational wealth. This turns into exclusion from employment opportunities, education, and other benefits, rights, and privileges. Though such practices are now illegal, they have lasting effects, and minority communities continue to be targeted in housing court today. To Shirley, tenants’ rights form an essential aspect of  racial justice work. For AAPI clients specifically, language access remains a barrier, as housing law is difficult to understand, even for attorneys, and interpretation often can’t accurately communicate legal terminology. 

Immigration Law: Rex Chen 

Rex Chen has over 20 years of immigration law experience. After graduating from New York University School of Law, he worked at the Legal Aid Society and the Safe Passage Project, later served as Director of Immigration at Legal Services NYC, and now serves as Supervising Attorney for Immigrant Rights at LatinoJustice PRLDEF, where his work includes impact litigation meant to benefit whole groups of people. His days mix client consultations, tracking constant shifts in immigration law, and mentoring pro bono attorneys on their own cases.

For Rex,  keeping a moral compass when everything is changing has presented his biggest challenge. His reward is knowing that he and his work are on what he deems “the right side of history.” Rex spoke candidly about the systemic racism rooted in immigration law and how his team responds: commenting on proposed rules, prioritizing antiracist projects, and educating communities. On AAPI communities specifically, he pointed to how criminal convictions can lead to deportation, including Southeast Asian community members for offenses committed when they were young, and increasingly racist policies aimed at South Asians and Muslims. Stereotypes, he noted, affect AAPI attorneys and inevitably enter public interest spaces – something that continued community engagement and advocacy will help address. 

Together, the three panelists offered an introspective and candid look at what it takes to sustain a career in public defense and public interest law: the emotional weight of the work, the systemic issues it addresses, and the communities it serves. 

AABANY thanks Eugene, Shirley, and Rex for sharing their perspectives and for the work they do, and Victoria Elise and Nathan Cao of St. John’s University School of Law for moderating. AABANY also thanks St. John’s University School of Law for hosting this event and gratefully acknowledges Student Outreach Committee Co-Chairs, Helen Ding and Joseph D. Eng Jr., and the Government Service & Public Interest Committee Co-Chairs, Kevin Hsi and Johnny Thach, for organizing this event. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee and how you can get involved, go here. To learn more about the Government Service and Public Interest Committee go here.

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NAPABA, SABA Chicago, CABA, and FALA Chicago Statement in Response to Alleged Plot to Attack Hindu Temple in Aurora, Illinois

For Immediate Release:Contact:
October 21, 2026:[email protected]

WASHINGTON—The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA Chicago), Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (CABA), and Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago (FALA Chicago) condemn the alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. Last week, law enforcement authorities arrested and charged a suspect who allegedly planned an attack targeting worshippers at the temple. According to law enforcement officials, the suspect allegedly possessed white supremacist materials and expressed hate towards individuals of South Asian and Indian descent along with Jewish and Black individuals.

We are deeply disturbed by this alleged act of hate and stand in solidarity with the Hindu, Indian American, and broader South Asian communities. We are grateful to the individuals who alerted law enforcement and to the authorities whose actions helped avert a potential tragedy.

Who we are, and how and where we choose to worship, are part of the tapestry of American life. A refuge for peace and prayer must never be transformed into a place of violence by perpetrators of hate.  Hate—whether in the form of anti-South Asian hate or any other form of bigotry—has no place in our society.  We remain committed to eradicating hate in all its forms, including by urging governments at every level to fully support and strengthen hate prevention efforts.

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NAPABA Statement in Response to DHS Tipline and Condemning Racial Profiling

For Immediate Release:
September 15, 2026		Contact
[email protected]

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) condemns the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s use of certain irresponsible and potentially dangerous promotions for a new tipline for reporting suspected commercial driver’s license fraud. The federal government has chosen to advance this initiative by, among other things, calling on the public to “report illegal aliens on American roads” and using racist imagery that targets the Sikh community and those of Asian descent. These actions invite turning a government tipline into a vehicle for racial profiling.

NAPABA has long and unequivocally opposed racial profiling and actions that cast suspicion on entire communities because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. The federal government should be working to prevent such discrimination, not creating conditions that invite it. The South Asian and broader Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities should not have to fear being reported to federal authorities, investigated, or harassed simply because of who they are, how they look, or where someone assumes they are from. The government ought to immediately cease this stigmatizing campaign and ensure that its actions do not amount to impermissible racial and national origin profiling.

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AABANY is a Proud Community Partner of the 49th Asian American International Film Festival

AABANY is proud to once again serve as a Community Partner for the 49th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF49), presented by Asian CineVision (ACV). This year’s festival runs from July 30 through August 9, 2026, in New York City and virtually, and features a captivating array of films that explore themes of love, relationships, and grief, all through an Asian American focused lens. In addition to a stellar lineup of films, the festival will feature exclusive panels, receptions, and VIP events, providing unique opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow film enthusiasts.

As a Community Partner, AABANY will be promoting two film screening as part of this year’s festival:

Almost American (Shorts – Documentary)

Directed by Saritha Rothermel and Sam Soliman

Almost American follows Sam Soliman as he anxiously awaits the outcome of his DACA renewal. Just as he begins to reckon with his place in America, his world is shattered by the sudden detainment and deportation of his mother by ICE. The film reveals how today’s immigration policies not only decide who gets to stay, but shape the story America tells about who belongs. This film is shown as a part of a series of seven short films under the shorts program: On the Move: Immigrants in 2026.

Screening: Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 7:30 PM, as part of a shorts block, at Village East by Angelika.

Learn more: https://aaiff.filmbot.com/2026/movies/Almost-American/

Use AAIFF49_AABANY at checkout to receive a discount.

Seat at the Table (Features – Documentary)

Directed by Sarita Khurana and Yoav Attias

Seat at the Table chronicles the rise of South Asian Americans in U.S. politics, tracing their journey from the margins to the forefront of American power. Shot in immersive vérité style, the film follows several prominent South Asian political candidates during the 2024 election cycle, alongside a community galvanized by the groundbreaking campaign of the first South Asian presidential candidate, capturing a historic year for the South Asian diaspora as more candidates than ever ran for office.

Screening: Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 12:00 PM at Village East.

Learn more: https://aaiff.filmbot.com/2026/movies/Seat-at-the-Table/

Use AAIFF49_AABANY at checkout to receive a discount.

Tickets and passes are currently on sale on the AAIFF website. Spread the word, mark your calendars, and join us in celebrating this milestone year for Asian American cinema! Visit https://aaiff.org/ for the full festival schedule.

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NAPABA Applauds the Appointment of Justice Sanjay T. Tailor to the Illinois Supreme Court

For Immediate Release: January 21, 2026
Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) congratulates Justice Sanjay T. Tailor on his groundbreaking appointment to serve as a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court.

“Justice Tailor’s appointment marks a historic milestone in NAPABA’s mission for its members, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) lawyers, and their broader communities,” said Joseph Yao, President of NAPABA.  “In 2022, NAPABA’s Portrait Project 2.0 found that only nine Asian American jurists served on state high courts, a number that remained constant until now. As the first Asian American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court, Justice Tailor has broken barriers and serves as a beacon of achievement for our legal community and for anyone aspiring to such heights.”

Justice Tailor brings more than two decades of judicial experience to the Illinois Supreme Court. He has served for 23 years on Illinois’s trial and appellate courts, including as an Associate Judge and Circuit Judge and, most recently, as a Presiding Justice of the First District Appellate Court. Prior to joining the bench, he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County and practiced law in the private sector. Justice Tailor taught as an adjunct professor at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. He earned his B.A. from the University of Delaware and his J.D., with honors, from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.

“Through his many leadership roles, including as the president of the Asian American Judges Association of Illinois, and through his engagement with NAPABA affiliates like the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA Chicago) and the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA Chicago), Justice Tailor has demonstrated a deep commitment to public service and the community throughout his career,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “His groundbreaking appointment highlights the importance of continued efforts to ensure that those in the AANHPI legal community are recognized, supported, and elevated to positions of leadership across the country.”

“We are proud and thrilled to see Illinois become one of a small number of states that have a judge on its highest court who is Asian American,” said Stephen Lee, President of AABA Chicago.  “AABA formed decades ago in part to help Asian American attorneys become judges and to help our judiciary better reflect the people whom it serves, and this is a huge milestone not just for Justice Tailor and Asian American attorneys but for everyone.”

“The South Asian Bar Association of Chicago proudly congratulates Justice Tailor on this historic appointment as the first Asian and South Asian Justice to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court,” said Saman Haque, President of SABA Chicago. “This milestone reflects the strength of our justice system and the importance of representation. As a founding member of SABA Chicago, Justice Tailor has remained steadfast in his commitment to inclusion and equity, and to mentoring and encouraging attorneys to hone their craft. We celebrate this achievement and look forward to the lasting impact of Justice Tailor’s leadership and service.”

NAPABA extends its sincere congratulations to Justice Sanjay Tailor and wishes him continued success in his service on the Illinois Supreme Court.

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AABANY Co-Sponsors Dhamaka 2024, Cardozo Law’s SALSA Celebration of South Asian Culture and Community through Diversity

On Thursday, November 7 , Cardozo Law School’s South Asian Law Student Association (“SALSA”) hosted its annual South Asian cultural celebration called “Dhamaka.” Dhamaka, meaning “celebration” in Hindi, is a school-wide event that SALSA hosts annually to celebrate South Asian culture and promote a sense of community through diversity. The event is particularly significant to the South Asian community at Cardozo, with Cardozo’s South Asian students coming from a range of ethnic and religious backgrounds but sharing and celebrating many of the same cultural aspects of identity. By showcasing the unifying power of diversity within the South Asian community at Cardozo, SALSA hopes it encouraged other Cardozo students to share and bond over aspects of culture that are commonly enjoyed by all, regardless of background.

Key highlights of Dhamaka included a cultural presentation by the members of Cardozo’s SALSA e-board, a Bollywood dance performance, henna art, trivia, and Indian food. Over 40 students from various backgrounds participated in the celebration.

Cardozo’s SALSA extends its profound gratitude to the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) for its sponsorship of the event. This year’s Dhamaka was especially memorable, as AABANY’s generous donation allowed SALSA to provide authentic South Asian food, which everyone raved about and thoroughly enjoyed. AABANY’s support was instrumental in making this event a true celebration of South Asian culture.

AABANY has a long history, from its founding in 1989, of working closely with New York area law school student associations, and we encourage SALSA and APALSA (Asian Pacific American Law Students Association) groups in the tri-state area to connect with AABANY and get involved in our numerous activities and events, all of which are open to law students. A great way to do so is to join AABANY as member, and from now until January 31, 2025, AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee and Membership Committee are running a special promotion, the Law School Group Discount, to allow groups of law students join for a 50% discount. A minimum of 20 law students is required, with a single payment to cover all participants. For more details, click here. To learn more about AABANY’s Student Outreach Committee click here. To learn more about AABANY’s Membership Committee click here.

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to the U.S. District Court

For Immediate Release: 
Date: February 7, 2024 		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. 

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Sanket J. Bulsara on his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is an experienced jurist and has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the court since 2017,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “A native New Yorker and active member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, Judge Bulsara, who was – at the time that he was appointed a U.S. Magistrate Judge – the first South Asian American to serve as a judge within the Second Circuit, is exceptionally well qualified.  We are proud to support his nomination.”

“The South Asian population is one of the fastest growing in New York City, representing four percent of the population,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “President Biden’s nomination and Senator Schumer and Gillibrand’s recommendation of Judge Bulsara recognize the importance of having a judiciary representative of the community.”

Judge Sanket J. Bulsara has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2017. From January 2017 to May 2017, Judge Bulsara served as the Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he had been the Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement since 2015. Prior to that, Judge Bulsara worked at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr L.L.P. as an associate from 2005 to 2008, a counsel from 2009 to 2011, and a partner from 2012 to 2015. For six months between 2007 and 2008, he served as a Special Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, and he worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson L.L.P. in Los Angeles, California from 2003 to 2004. Judge Bulsara served as a law clerk for Judge John G. Koeltl on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 2002 and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1998.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Bulsara and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for supporting his nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

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NAPABA Welcomes SABA-NJ as NAPABA’s Newest Affiliate

For Immediate Release: November 13, 2023 
Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director
INDIANAPOLIS – Last week, during the first quarterly meeting of the 2023-2024 year, the NAPABA Board of Governors approved and welcomed the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey (SABA-NJ) as an affiliate of NAPABA. Founded in 2004, SABA-NJ is a voluntary association of attorneys dedicated to addressing the needs, concerns, and interest of the South Asian community in New Jersey, one of the largest in the Nation.

“We are thrilled to begin our new Board year with welcoming SABA-NJ, an influential force within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community in New Jersey, as a part of the NAPABA family,” said Anna Mercado Clark, President of NAPABA. “SABA-NJ’s leadership in supporting the community at large, the legal profession, and advancing judicial candidates that reflect the rich diversity of New Jersey, is well known both within New Jersey and beyond. We look forward to our partnership and working together as a force multiplier for good.”

“It is truly an honor and privilege for the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey  to be accepted as an affiliate partner of the well-established and highly-revered NAPABA organization,” said Rippi Karda, President of SABA-NJ. “We look forward to contributing to NAPABA through SABA-NJ’s diverse and talented membership. Thank you to the NAPABA Board of Governors for their support and acceptance.”

SABA-NJ joins a community of nearly 90 local, state, regional, and national bar associations in the United States and Canada that are affiliates and national associates of NAPABA. The affiliates hold certain voting rights under the NAPABA Bylaws, and individual members of the affiliates are entitled to complimentary NAPABA membership and the benefits that accompany it. For more information about how to become a NAPABA affiliate, please visit our webpage here, and learn more here about the benefits of becoming a NAPABA member.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Loren L. AliKhan and Susan K. DeClercq to the U.S. District Court 


For Immediate Release: 
Date: May 3, 2023 		Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden nominated Judge Loren L. AliKhan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and Susan K. DeClercq to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. If confirmed, Judge AliKhan would be the first South Asian woman to serve on U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the only active AAPI woman judge on that court. Ms. DeClercq would be the first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge AliKhan and Susan DeClercq on their nominations,” said Sandra Leung, president of NAPABA. “Judge AliKhan is a highly respected jurist with exceptional service to the citizens of Washington DC. Ms. DeClercq is an experienced prosecutor with experience in both private practice and corporate law. We applaud President Biden for nominating this slate of highly qualified AAPI nominees. We urge the Senate to confirm them swiftly.”

President Biden nominated Judge AliKhan to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on September 21, 2021, and the U.S. Senate confirmed her with bi-partisan support on February 22, 2022. Upon her confirmation, Judge AliKhan was the first AAPI judge to sit on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Before her confirmation, she served as the Solicitor General of the District of Columbia, where she directed the District’s appellate litigation and has overseen more than 1,800 appeals before the D.C. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge AliKhan has the support of NAPABA’s affiliate, the  Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington DC Region. She has been recognized with the Public Sector Trailblazer Award by the South Asian Bar Association of Washington D.C. and previously clerked for the Hon. Thomas L. Ambro on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Hon. Louis Pollack on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. AliKhan is a graduate of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and the Georgetown University Law Center.

Susan K. DeClercq has been Director and Counsel of Special Investigations at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan since 2022. Ms. DeClercq previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Civil Division since March 2014. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in September 2004, Ms. DeClercq was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom in Washington, D.C., and she clerked for Judge Avern Cohn on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Ms. DeClercq received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Wayne State University School of Law in 1999 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1995.

NAPABA thanks Senators Stabenow and Peters of Michigan and Delegate Norton of Washington, D.C., for recommending and supporting these nominees.

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AABANY LGBT Committee Hosts 2022 LGBTQ Asian American/South Asian Lawyers Networking Reception

On October 11, 2022, to recognize National Coming Out Day, over 40 members of the bar “came out” to celebrate the diversity within the LGBT, Asian American, and South Asian communities with the LGBT Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and Allen & Overy LLP. After a 2 year hiatus from in-person events, LGBT Asian American and South Asian attorneys in corporate, commercial, government, and public interest practice gathered to build peer-support and expand their network. View the scenes from the reception below as we celebrated the growing diversity and inclusivity of our communities by building our networks and peer support.

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