Tag: thank you

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the June 4th Pro Bono Clinic in Queens

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and our dedicated volunteers for contributing to the success of our pro bono legal clinic in Queens on June 4, 2025. Thanks to your support, our team of volunteers was able to meet with 15 clients and provide assistance on a range of legal issues, including housing and real property, consumer debt, family and matrimonial matters, and civil litigation.

Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated great care and expertise in addressing the concerns of our clients. They offered clear explanations and effectively connected individuals with appropriate legal resources through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We remain dedicated to providing services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure we can continue to support individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking legal guidance.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of our volunteer attorneys at the June 4th Queens Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Wendy (Wen-Hsien) Cheng
Kevin Hsi
Richard In
David Mou
Johnny Thach
May Wong
Gary Yeung
Jungeun Yu
Meng Zhang
Interpreters/Shadowers
Nikita Kohli
Emily Lai
Christine Shea
Albert Tong

We invite you to join us for our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Thank you once again for your commitment to pro bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! 

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit  probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the May 31st Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn

We extend our sincere gratitude to Volunteers, AABANY, Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and the Chinese-American Planning Council, for your invaluable contributions to the Pro Bono Legal Clinic held in Brooklyn on May 31, 2025. Thanks to your dedication, we were able to assist 21 clients with a wide range of legal concerns, including housing, matrimonial and family law, probate, personal injury, workers’ compensation, immigration, tax, business fraud, public benefits, and civil litigation.

Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters demonstrated exceptional patience and commitment in addressing client questions, offering guidance, and connecting them with further legal support through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are proud to offer our services in both Mandarin and Cantonese, allowing us to continue our mission of providing crucial support to individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers in accessing quality legal care.

Thank you to our volunteer attorneys at the May 31st Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Francis Chin
Jenny Dai
Kwok Ng
Shuyao Wang
Yilan Wang
May Wong
Gary Yeung
Jungeun (Evelyn) Yu
Interpreters & Shadowers
Sam Chen
Jingjuan Guo
Nandar Win Kerr
Nikita Kohli
Samuel Liu
Albert Tong

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! Have a wonderful weekend!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the May 21st Pro Bono Clinic in Manhattan

We extend our sincere gratitude to AABANY, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and all the dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of our Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Manhattan on May 21st, 2025.

During the clinic, our volunteers provided invaluable assistance to 10 clients, addressing a range of legal matters including housing, immigration, civil litigation, and nuisance issues. Our volunteer attorneys and interpreters thoughtfully addressed client concerns, offered clarity through their answers, and facilitated connections to appropriate legal resources via AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We are committed to offering services in both Mandarin and Cantonese to ensure continued support for individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking guidance on substantive and procedural legal matters.

Thank you to our volunteer attorneys at the May 21st Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Ming Cheung
Francis Chin
Justin Lee
Beatrice Leong
Jasmine Sripa
Kenny Ip
Interpreters & Shadowers
Albert Tong
Collette Chang
Sisu Chou
Emily Kam
Kenny Ip

We invite you to join us for our upcoming pro bono clinics:

  • June 18 [Manhattan link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 
  • July 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
  • August 6 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the April 2025 Pro Bono Clinic in Manhattan

Thank you AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, AAFE, and our volunteers who assisted with the April 16th pro bono legal clinic in Manhattan!

Our volunteers met with 15 clients and discussed a variety of issues involving housing, divorce, immigration and civil litigations. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answered questions and connected them to lawyers or programs through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS).

We offer services in both Mandarin and Cantonese and aim to continue to provide support for those who may struggle to obtain quality legal care due to linguistic or cultural barriers when seeking advice regarding substantive laws and procedural issues.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for dedicating your precious time to our Pro Bono Clinics and events. You all make our community a better place!

Volunteer Attorneys
Anthony Wong
Beatrice Leong
Francis Chin
Gary Yeung
Jenny Dai
John Hui
Justin Lee
Lily Li
Mengxi Xiong
Rachel Yoo (Remote)
Tammy Tran
Vishal Chander
Yen Yi Anderson

Interpreters/Shadowers
Grace Ouyang
Chia-Jung (Colette) Chang
Juliet Romero
Jack HsiaRuo Yang

Behind the Scenes Volunteers

Yang Chen
Kevin Hsi
Kwok Ng
Nandar Win Kerr

Please join our upcoming pro bono clinics on – May 21, Manhattan, from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002 

May 31, Brooklyn, from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

June 4, Queens, from 6:30 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the next clinic! 

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the March 8th Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn!

Thank you to AABANY, AALFNY, PBCS, Chinese-American Planning Council, our incredible volunteers, and our community partners for helping out at the March 8th pro bono legal clinic in Brooklyn.  Our volunteers met with 16 clients, addressing questions related to housing, matrimonial and family law, and immigration.

We are grateful to have our special guest speakers, Vishal Chander and Karen Kithan Yau, provide a “Know Your Rights” training on immigration laws to our volunteers and clients. For the next couple of clinics, we will be inviting speakers to provide crucial information about immigrants’ interactions with law enforcement in the public and at the workplace.  

At these clinics, we not only help answer clients’ legal questions, but we also want to teach law students and young attorneys how to explain the law in layman’s terms and provide an opportunity for the clients to be heard. We had volunteers explaining the concept of jurisdiction to a litigant who wasn’t sure why her petition was denied, the process of suing in small claims court, and discussing differences between wills and trusts. So thank you all for listening to the clients’ stories!

Thank you again to our amazing volunteers:

Volunteer Attorneys
Anna Chen
Beatrice Leong
Ben Choi
Chenyi Wang
Francis Chin
Gary Yeung
Karen Kithan Yau
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Peter Wei
Victoria Cheng
Vishal Chander
Interpreters & Shadowers
Albert Tong
Chia-Jung (Colette) Chang
Emily Kam
Kenny Ip
Kirin Moy
Leo Shen
Miao Wen
Nandar Win Kerr
Ruo Yang
Sam Chen
Shuyao (Sherry) Wang
Xiaocen Zhang
Zekai Lian

Please come back and join us at our upcoming clinics:

April 2, 2025 [Queens link here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

[Please note that after April 2, 2025, all registrations for the clinics will take place through AABANY’s calendar. Please be patient with the transition.]

If you can’t make it to the clinics, please join our 10th Year Anniversary of Pro Bono Clinics on March 27th, 2025!

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the February 5th Pro Bono Clinic in Queens!

Happy Lunar New Year!  A huge thank you to AABANY, PBCS, AAFE, and all our incredible volunteers who dedicated their time and expertise at the February 5th pro bono legal clinic in Queens.  Their commitment to serving the community made a meaningful impact, providing much-needed legal assistance to those in need.  Our volunteers met with 12 clients, addressing questions related to housing, matrimonial and family law, and torts.

We extend our gratitude to our special guest speaker, Vishal Chander, for delivering an insightful “Know Your Rights” training.  His presentation provided attendees with crucial information on their rights when encountering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities.  Vishal also generously stayed to assist with complex questions regarding immigration sponsorship and divorce, further supporting our community members.

Here are some of the clients’ comments:

“Thank you for additional resources for mothers returning to the job force.”
“Thank you, Shirley [Luong].”

Thank you again to our amazing volunteers:

Volunteer Attorneys
Beatrice Leong
Gary Yeung
Johnny Thach
Kevin Hsi
Lord Chester So
May Wong
Richard In
Vishal Chander
Yan Lian Kuang-Maoga
Interpreters & Shadowers
Miao Wen
Xiaocen Zhang
Xuxia Zhao

We are deeply grateful for everyone’s contributions and look forward to continuing this important work together! Please come back and join us at our upcoming clinics:

March 8, 2025 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:00 – 3:00pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

April 2, 2025 [Queens link here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the January 11th Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn!

On Saturday, January 11th, AABANY members had the opportunity to volunteer at AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic, hosted by the Chinese-American Planning Council. The Clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, staffed by a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers, offering free thirty-minute legal consultations for community members facing serious legal challenges. This was the first Clinic of the year, and volunteers met with 14 clients, who asked questions about divorce, immigration, and housing. 

The Clinic facilitated a supportive and inclusive space for all in attendance. Attorneys were paired one-on-one with clients to carefully address their legal concerns, while interpreters ensured smooth communication for non-English speakers. Shadowers had the opportunity to sit in on attorney-client conversations, taking notes and learning from these real-world interactions. Through this collaborative effort, the Clinic demonstrated its ongoing commitment to fostering community involvement and empowering individuals.

With the current change of presidential administration, many immigrants are uncertain what will come next. As concerned public interest organizations, we want to protect and prepare our vulnerable clients the best we can. We greatly appreciate that immigration attorneys and legal services are taking their time to keep us updated with the law and providing accessible resources for our clients to know their rights. Please check out the Immigration Coalition’s website at https://www.nyic.org/ and Asian American Legal Defense Education Fund’s website at https://www.aaldef.org/ to learn more!

Thank you to our volunteer attorneys at the January 11 Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Volunteer Attorneys
Beatrice Leong
Gary Yeung
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Victoria Cheng
Interpreters & Shadowers
Junjie Wang
Nandar Win Kerr
Xiaocen Zhang
Shuyao (Sherry) Wang

If you’re interested in volunteering at future AABANY Pro Bono Clinics, please consider joining us at the following upcoming events:

  • February 5, 2024 [register here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
  • February 19, 2025 [register here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

We hope to see you there and wish you a happy Lunar New Year!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the December 4th Pro Bono Clinic in Queens!

On December 4th, volunteers had the opportunity to participate in AABANY’s Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Queens, hosted by the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE). The clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, with a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers providing free thirty-minute legal consultations to members of the community facing various legal challenges.

The volunteers met with 11 clients, answering questions related to housing, torts, and contracts. One key issue that came up frequently was unreasonable rent increases. As New York continues to grow more expensive, attorneys volunteering at our clinics would be well-served with some basic knowledge to protect tenants’ rights.

Under the Good Cause Eviction law, tenants in covered housing are protected against unreasonable rent increases that exceed the local rent standard. The local rent standard is determined annually based on the inflation rate in the area, plus 5%, with a maximum cap of 10%. As of May 1, 2024, the local rent standard for the New York City area is 8.82%, which means any rent increase over this percentage may be considered unreasonable by the court, provided it occurred after April 20, 2024. See here:  https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/good-cause-eviction.page.

Landlords may provide justification for higher rent increases, such as significant repairs or increased property taxes, but the final decision rests with the court. Pro Bono Clinic attorneys encourage all tenants to open their mail and file an answer in court to protect their rights.

Clients expressed gratitude for the assistance, including the following comments:

  • “Extremely grateful. Appreciative of your supported services. Helped me decide on many of my bigger problems.”
  • “Attorney Yeung’s attitude was superb – he provided translation and advice.”

Thank you again to our volunteers: 

Volunteer Attorneys
Beatrice Leong
Gary Yeung
Johnny Thach
Kevin Hsi
Lina Lee
Jack Chen
May Wong
Richard In
Interpreters & Shadowers
Eugene Seong
Xiaocen Zhang
Xuxia Zhao

Please come back and join us at our upcoming clinics:

December 18, 2024, from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 12/16/2024)

January 11, 2025, from 12:00 – 2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 01/08/2025)

January 15, 2025, from 6:30 – 8:00pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002, sign up here (please register by 12pm, 01/13/2025)

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! 

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this blog post should be deemed to be legal advice. Do not take any action or refrain from any action in reliance on anything contained in this blog post.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the November 9th Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn!

On Saturday, November 9th, AABANY members had the opportunity to volunteer at AABANY’s Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic, hosted by the Chinese-American Planning Council. The Clinic was organized by AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service (PBCS) Committee, staffed by a dedicated team of attorney and non-attorney volunteers, offering free thirty-minute legal consultations for community members facing pressing legal challenges. The volunteers met with 17 clients, who had questions about torts, family, matrimonial, and immigration issues.

As usual, the Clinic facilitated a positive and supportive environment; each client was paired with an attorney, who thoughtfully listened to and addressed their legal concerns. Shadowers observed the attorneys in action, taking notes and learning from these real-world interactions. Language interpreters were also available, ensuring that there were no language barriers between clients and attorneys. This collaboration reflected the Clinic’s commitment to community engagement and empowerment.

Thank you again to our volunteer attorneys: 

Volunteer Attorneys
Anna Chen
Jieman Tan
Gary Yeung
May Wong
Interpreters & Shadowers
Jaymark Hawlader
Junjie Wang
Nandar Win Kerr
Wendy Zeng

If you’re interested in making a difference in the community through future Pro Bono Clinics, we invite you to join us at the following upcoming events:

  • Wednesday, December 4, 2024 [register here], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
  • Saturday, January 11, 2025 [register here], from 12:00 – 2:30pm, Tentative Location – CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232 

We hope to see you there!

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

Posted on

Thank You to Our Volunteers at the October 2nd Pro Bono Clinic in Flushing, Queens!

On Wednesday, October 2nd, AABANY members had the opportunity to volunteer at the AABANY Queens Pro Bono Clinic hosted by the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) Community Center in Flushing. The clinic brought together AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee along with a team of dedicated volunteers to offer free legal consultations to community members facing pressing legal challenges. The volunteers met with 19 clients addressing a variety of issues including housing, divorce, and immigration law. These are the kinds of problems that weigh heavily on people’s lives, both financially and emotionally.

The clinic had a vibrant atmosphere of support and collaboration. Each client was paired with an attorney who took the time to provide thoughtful advice on their specific legal concerns. Shadowers observed the attorneys, eagerly taking notes and learning from real-world interactions. Interpreters fluent in Cantonese or Mandarin were also on hand, ensuring that language barriers didn’t hinder effective communication between clients and their attorneys. This collaborative effort made the clinic a true reflection of community engagement and empowerment.

These interactions went far beyond simple legal advice. Each conversation was a reminder that this clinic isn’t just about solving legal matters—it’s about giving people the power to reclaim control over situations that often feel overwhelming. For many clients, it was the first time they realized they weren’t alone, and that there were resources and options available. A consultation could shift the entire course of someone’s life, offering not just answers, but hope.

Clients expressed their gratitude with comments like, “Thank you very much to the clinic and lawyer Gary Yeung for their help,” and “I appreciate your effort.” These heartfelt messages show the impact of the clinic and the commitment of everyone involved in making it a success.

Thank you again to the following volunteers:

Volunteer attorneys

  • Beatrice Leong
  • Gary Yeung
  • Lina Lee
  • May Wong
  • Richard In
  • Shirley Luong

Interpreters & Shadowers

  • Jaymark Hawlader
  • Xuxia Zhao
  • Eugene Seong

If you’re interested in making a difference in the community through future Pro Bono clinics, we invite you to join us at the following upcoming events: 

November 9, 2024 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:00 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

December 4, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

Proudly powered by WordPress