On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY) held the Annual Summer Reception. The event celebrated the recipients of the 2026 AALFNY Public Interest Scholarship. Each year, AALFNY grants Public Interest Scholarships to law students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the Asian American community. Since 1997, AALFNY has awarded over 60 scholarships, supporting law students and encouraging them to apply their legal education to benefit the Asian American community and to foster commitment by law students to public service. The Reception took place at McDermott Will & Schulte in their Midtown Manhattan office.
Upon arrival, attendees enjoyed a variety of hor d’oeuvres and drinks, mingling until the Reception officially started. The program began with Sylvia Chin, AALFNY President and Partner Of Counsel at White & Case LLP, delivering welcome remarks to all attendees and formally introducing AALFNY directors to the attendees. Additionally, Sylvia read NAPABA’s statement issued earlier that day about the Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship. Sylvia then asked AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen to introduce the AABANY Board members in attendance.
The event then proceeded with the honoring and introduction of the three scholarship recipients: Julie Phan, UC Berkeley School of Law, Class of 2028, interning with Safe Passage Project; Sarah Raterta, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2027, interning with the National Immigration Project (NIP); and Mikail Husain, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2028, interning at the New York State Office of the Attorney General, Labor Bureau. As each recipient was presented with a certificate, the honorees offered personal reflections on their journey and expressed their deep appreciation to AALFNY for providing support through these scholarships.
The program concluded with remarks from Jenna Agatep Slater, a current Labor & Employment Associate at Wilson Elser and Immediate Past President of the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA New York), who was a past recipient of the Public Interest Scholarship. Jenna shared her personal journey to becoming a lawyer, as well as the impact of the scholarship on her life.
Later, after the Reception was over, each recipient was interviewed to discuss their personal backgrounds, their discovery of the scholarship opportunity, and their current activities. They were also asked to provide reflections on the award, share their future professional goals and offer words of advice for aspiring law students.
Julie Phan:
Growing up in a refugee community, Julie saw how daunting it was to navigate a complex legal system without support. Witnessing her family and friends struggling to bridge that gap deeply inspired Julie’s journey in pursuing immigration law and public service. Today, that goal is not only powered by an incredible village of family, friends, and mentors back home, but also the clients she meets through the programs she has been involved in while attending law school.
With this scholarship, Julie plans to serve the immigrant community and practice cultural humility within those spaces. She currently volunteers at a variety of legal clinics, focusing on forming true connections with clients in a direct services capacity. In the future, she hopes to apply to a legal fellowship to work with an organization dedicated to advancing immigrant rights.
“I want to thank AALFNY for this incredible opportunity,” Julie stated. “Scholarships like these help alleviate financial barriers that many law students encounter when deciding to pursue a career in public interest law and encourage us to pursue our passions. I also want to thank my amazing mentors and friends from Asian Americans Advancing Justice SoCal for sending me this scholarship opportunity. I am so grateful for their friendship and support.”
Sarah Raterta:
Sarah Raterta was introduced to an internship at the Migrant Center of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Manhattan by Father Julian Jagudilla, a Filipino friar, in 2017. This internship allowed her to work directly with clients and see firsthand the true impact of her efforts, securing green cards, legal status, and citizenship, thus inspiring her to pursue a legal career in immigration advocacy.
With this scholarship, Sarah wants to give back to her community by making immigration processes more accessible. Currently interning with the National Immigration Project (NIP), she focuses on high-impact legal work, including recent projects in which she researches attorneys’ fees through the Equal Access to Justice Act, tracks pending habeas petitions in circuit courts, and more. In the future, Sarah wants to help indigent immigrants and the broader community, working with nonprofit organizations or pro bono immigration services.
Sarah stated, “I hope to become the kind of advocate who helps people feel like they never have to walk alone.”
Mikail Husain:
Mikail Husain works as a researcher in the labor movement, hearing workers’ stories about enduring difficult—and often dangerous—working conditions. This deeply angered him but also sparked a strong desire to acquire better tools to advocate for workers’ rights. Additionally, working alongside brilliant, dedicated attorneys further fueled this ambition, showing him firsthand that a career in law is a powerful way to fight for what he believes in.
With this scholarship, Mikail hopes to give back to his community by ensuring workers’ rights are both known and respected. Currently interning with the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Labor Bureau, he assists with the Bureau’s legal battles to obtain justice for workers.
“I would recommend that aspiring lawyers not be afraid of reaching out to lawyers, law students or any other potential mentors with questions or for advice about pursuing a legal career,” Mikail suggested. “Speaking to my law school’s career planning advisor is how I found out about this in the first place!”
Thank you to everyone who attended the Summer Reception at McDermott Will & Schulte to celebrate the 2026 recipients of AALFNY Public Interest Scholarship. To see the full photo album, featuring photos taken by AABANY Legal Intern Clive Chong, click here.
Thank you to McDermott Will & Schulte for generously providing the space for this event.
