Tag: underrepresentation

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Portrait Project: NAPABA’s Groundbreaking Study of Asian Americans in the Law is More Crucial Than Ever

At the NAPABA Convention, you’ll experience unmatched opportunities to grow, connect, and be inspired. On Friday, November 7, join NAPABA for a plenary session featuring trailblazing leaders who will examine the key issues shaping the future of the legal profession.

This year’s plenary will spotlight the Portrait Project, NAPABA’s groundbreaking study of Asian Americans in the law, and offer candid insights on how the legal community can advance representation and leadership in a time of change.

Don’t miss this chance to hear directly from Justice Goodwin Liu, Sandra Leung, Kalpana Srinivasan, and Professor Ajay K. Mehrotra as they unpack the Portrait Project and share perspectives on the challenges facing our profession.

Secure your spot today—add this a la carte session to your Convention registration and be part of this vital conversation.

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Sandra Leung
Executive Vice President and General Counsel (ret.), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company		Justice Goodwin Liu
California Supreme Court		Kalpana Srinivasan
Managing Partner, Susman Godfrey LLP		Professor Ajay K. Mehrotra
Moderator
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Diversity and inclusion efforts are facing mounting pressure. Across the nation, they face legal and political challenges across the board, whether in the government sector, the private sector, or on university campuses. The legal profession has not escaped the backlash. In its wake, the Portrait Project, supported by the American Bar Foundation and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), provides invaluable perspectives. It explores critical empirical research to explain why the Asian American legal community continues to face persistent barriers to advancement and endure underrepresentation in the top ranks of the profession.

NAPABA works to achieve optimal representation and visibility of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) attorneys in every facet and level of the legal field and beyond. But how do we pursue this goal in the current polarized atmosphere, where employee resource groups and affinity organizations face enormous pressures and where employers are wavering on commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Join us for a lively conversation with the architects of the Portrait Project and leaders of the legal profession to hear what the latest data tells us about the state of AANHPIs in the profession. Discover how their findings can cut through the heated political rhetoric to show a better understanding of the factors that have contributed to attrition and retention, and the policies and practices that can boost representation at the leadership levels.

Military & Veteran Service Award

During the Plenary Luncheon, we will also be recognizing this year’s Military & Veteran Service Awardee. This award honors NAPABA members who have served in the United States Armed Forces and demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing justice, supporting service members and veterans, and strengthening our community.

Congressman Ted W. Lieu (CA-36)
U.S. House of Representatives

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In the News: Hon. Randall T. Eng (Ret.) Authors Op-Ed on Advancing Asian American Representation in New York’s Judiciary

In the op-ed “Time for Change: Addressing Underrepresentation of Asian American Judges in the New York State Judiciary,” published on January 14, 2025, in the New York Law Journal, former Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng (Ret.) addresses the longstanding underrepresentation of Asian Americans in the New York State judiciary. While progress has been made since his historic appointment as the first Asian American judge in the state in 1983, the numbers remain glaring. Asian Americans, who constitute about 15% of New York City’s population, occupy only 5% of the judiciary statewide. Of the 1,300 state-paid judges, just 68 are Asian American, and many counties have never had an Asian American judge in positions of significant judicial power.

Justice Eng stresses the significance of leadership roles in the judiciary, pointing out that “there are 105 administrative and supervisory positions throughout the state… only five are held by Asian Americans, and there are none within OCA’s [Office of Court Administration] executive leadership team.” He also draws attention to historic firsts, such as Kathy Hirata Chin being shortlisted for the Court of Appeals vacancy in 2012 but emphasizes the need for urgent action, because to date no Asian American has been appointed to the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

Despite some progress, systemic inequities persist. For example, only three counties – Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn – have elected Asian Americans to the Supreme Court, while the remaining 59 counties remain without representation. Justice Eng asserts that true progress requires collective effort and advocacy: “We need to take it to the next step. We need to start saying as a community ‘it should be us.’” He calls on the community to expect and demand nominations for future vacancies, ensuring that representation reflects the diversity of the state.

To read Justice Eng’s call for change, op-ed in full, click here. (subscription required).

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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Alamdar S. Hamdani for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas

WASHINGTON – Friday [October 14], President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Alamdar S. Hamdani to serve as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas. If confirmed, Hamdani would be the first AAPI to serve as a U.S. attorney in the state of Texas.

“NAPABA applauds the Biden-Harris administration for nominating Alamdar Hamdani to serve as a U.S. attorney,” said A.B. Cruz, acting president of NAPABA. “Mr. Hamdani is a well-qualified candidate who has a long history in public service and strong ties to Houston and its legal communities. 

“There is still a large gap for Asian Americans in the law, with only one Presidentially appointed U.S. attorney out of 94 judicial districts. The U.S. attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer in their district, and the underrepresentation of AAPIs is concerning, especially as anti-Asian hate continues to deeply affect our community. NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Mr. Hamdani, and Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz for recommending and supporting his nomination. We also encourage Senators to consider recommending qualified AAPI candidates to serve as U.S. attorneys.”

Since 2014, Alamdar Hamdani has served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas. Prior to his tenure in the Southern District of Texas, he served as deputy chief of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division at the Department of Justice, and as a trial attorney in the same section. Hamdani has served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and was a founding partner of Hamdani & Simon, LLP. He is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center and the University of Texas at Austin.

“Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States and Texas, with nearly one in five new Texans identifying as Asian American,” said Priya Purandare, executive director of NAPABA. “In the Houston area within the Southern District of Texas, the Asian American population grew by 53 percent in the last decade, and they comprise nearly nine percent of the population. Mr. Hamdani’s nomination is a step in the right direction in ensuring our community is represented. We urge the Senate to quickly confirm him.”

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