united states Archives - Page 4 of 5

May 12, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Applauds Confirmation of Indira Talwani to the Federal District Court for Massachusetts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS CONFIRMATION OF INDIRA TALWANI
TO THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR MASSACHUSETTS

WASHINGTON — Today, Indira Talwani was confirmed to United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts with a 94-0 vote. Talwani will be the first person of Asian descent to serve as a federal judge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the courts covered by the First Circuit, and only the second female Article III judge of South Asian descent nationwide.

“Indira Talwani’s confirmation is cause for further celebration as we observe Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “With her confirmation, Judge Talwani makes history as ‘the first’ of many titles and we congratulate Judge Talwani on her accomplishments.”

Prior to her confirmation, Judge Talwani was partner at the Massachusetts law firm of Segal Roitman and the San Francisco law firm of Altshuler Berzon LLP. After graduating for law school, she clerked for the Honorable Stanley A. Weigel on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Judge Talwani has been recognized for several awards, including: Best Lawyers in America (2013); Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2012); Top 10 Lawyers of the Year, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2010); and Chinese Progressive Association’s Workers Justice Award (2012). Judge Talwani received her J.D. from the University of California Berkeley School of Law and B.A. from Harvard/Radcliffe College.

NAPABA applauds President Obama for this nomination, and thanks Senator Elizabeth Warren for her support of Judge Talwani. Her confirmation today increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 25 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 21 federal district court judges.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 68 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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 color in the legal profession.

May 5, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Historic Milestone with Chuang Confirmation to the Federal District Court for Maryland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA CELEBRATES HISTORIC MILESTONE WITH CHUANG CONFIRMATION TO THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR MARYLAND

WASHINGTON — Today, with the confirmation of Theodore Chuang to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the Obama Administration has tripled the number of Asian Pacific American judges on the federal bench, going from 8 judges to 24 active Article III APA judges since 2008. Judge Chuang is the first Asian Pacific American judge to serve on the federal judiciary in Maryland or in any of the states in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

“Theodore Chuang’s confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland is a historic occasion on many fronts,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Judge Chuang has a long history of public service and will be the first Asian Pacific American federal judge to ever sit on the bench in Maryland, breaking yet another barrier in the legal profession. He has long been an active member of NAPABA and the Asian Pacific American community, and we are proud to have supported his nomination. We applaud Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin of Maryland for putting Judge Chuang’s name forward.”

“Judge Chuang’s confirmation today also sets a new high for the number of Asian Pacific Americans to serve on the federal bench, and is a fantastic way to begin Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” added Simonitsch. “President Obama and his administration have demonstrated unwavering support and dedication to the appointment of well-qualified, diverse nominees to the bench, making genuine progress in building a judiciary that looks like our great nation. We also thank all of the U.S. Senators who have supported diverse candidates like Judge Chuang to the bench, and look forward to working with the Senate to do even better in years to come.”

Before his service on the bench, Judge Chuang served as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he worked since 2009. He was previously the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in 2009 and Deputy Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that, Chuang served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts and as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Chuang has held leadership positions with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, the District of Columbia Bar, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington D.C. Area.

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May 5, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Applauds Confirmation of Manish Shah to the Federal Bench

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS CONFIRMATION OF MANISH SHAH TO FEDERAL BENCH

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Manish Suresh Shah to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by a vote of 95-0. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the state of Illinois and in the Seventh Circuit.

“NAPABA proudly supported the nomination of Manish Shah to the bench, and we congratulate him on his confirmation today,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). President Obama, Senator Kirk, and Senator Durbin should be commended for their support of Judge Shah, and for their steadfast commitment to nominating well-qualified, diverse candidates to the bench.“

Judge Shah is a long-time member of the Chicagoland community, and has devoted his career there to public service. Before joining the bench, Shah worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois since 2001. There he served as the chief of the Criminal Division since July 2012, and previously served as the chief of Criminal Appeals. Judge Shah also attended the University of Chicago Law School and clerked for Judge James B. Zagel of the Northern District of Illinois, the court which he now joins.

NAPABA applauds President Obama for this historic nomination, and thanks Senator Kirk for recommending Judge Shah. His confirmation today increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 23 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 19 federal district court judges. He is the third Asian Pacific American to be nominated and confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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March 10, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria
to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

WASHINGTON — On March 5, 2014, the Senate confirmed Vince Chhabria by a 58-41 vote to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in California’s history, and only the third South Asian American federal district court judge nationwide.

“NAPABA congratulates Vince Chhabria on his historic confirmation and is proud to have supported him in the nomination and confirmation process,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama, Senator Boxer, and Senator Feinstein for their continued commitment to diversity on the federal judiciary, and their support of this nomination.”

Since 2005, Judge Chhabria has served as a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he is the co-chief of appellate litigation. Prior to public service, Judge Chhabria spent several years working in the private sector in San Francisco. After law school, he clerked at all three levels of the federal courts, including clerkships with Judge Charles R. Breyer on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge James R. Browning on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Chhabria has distinguished himself during his career, receiving honors from the California Daily Journal, the International Municipal Lawyers Association, and NAPABA. He is a longstanding member of SABA-NC, an affiliate of NAPABA, which has strongly supported Chhabria’s nomination.

Judge Chhabria’s confirmation increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 22 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 18 federal district court judges.

Three more Asian Pacific American Article III judicial nominees are pending in the U.S. Senate: Manish Shah, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Indira Talwani, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts; and Theodore Chuang, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. NAPABA urges the Senate to move quickly to confirm these well- qualified individuals.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 67 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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 color in the legal profession.

March 3, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: Accepting Applications for Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT

Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse
40 Centre Street
New York, New York 10007

ROBERT A. KATZMANN
CHIEF JUDGE

CATHERINE O’HAGAN WOLFE SALLY PRITCHARD
CLERK OF COURT DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS

March 3, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Criminal Justice Act/Pro Bono Committee is accepting applications for the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel. The deadline is Friday, May 2, 2014.

Pro Bono Panel members will, at the Court’s invitation or on an appellant’s motion for appointment of counsel, represent pro se litigants in civil appeals that present issues of first impression, complex issues of law or fact, or raise potentially meritorious claims warranting further briefing and oral argument. Pro bono representation will be provided to litigants who would otherwise be unable to pay for counsel and are ineligible for the appointment of counsel pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.

Cases in which pro bono counsel will be appointed cover a broad range of legal issues. A significant percentage of the cases are prisoner civil rights appeals; others may involve labor and employment, discrimination, social security, immigration and tax law.

Applicants must be admitted to and members in good standing of the Bar of the Second Circuit, or have an application pending before this Court, and have at least three years of appellate experience. Pro Bono Panel members will serve for a term not to exceed three years.

Pro Bono Panel Members who were appointed by the Court in 2011 for a three-year term must submit a new application if they wish to remain on the Panel. A completed application package contains a resume, a written application (available on the Court’s website at http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov) and three writing samples, preferably appellate briefs on which the applicant was the primary author. These materials must be submitted to Sally Pritchard, Director of Legal Affairs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, by Friday, May 2, 2014.

February 24, 2014

PALS Presents: Opportunities and Career Paths of U.S. Attorneys

You Are Invited to Attend a Career Panel & Networking Reception

Opportunities and Career Paths of U.S. Attorneys

Thursday, March 6, 2014

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF THEODORE CHUANG TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF THEODORE CHUANG TO SERVE AS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Theodore Chuang to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. If confirmed, Chuang will be the first person of Asian descent to serve as a federal judge in the state of Maryland, and the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in any of the courts covered by the Fourth Circuit.

“We commend Theodore Chuang on his historic nomination to the federal bench,” said Tina Matsuoka, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Mr. Chuang is exceptionally qualified to serve on the federal judiciary in Maryland. We also applaud President Obama’s ongoing commitment to nominating qualified Asian Pacific Americans to serve on the federal courts.” If all of the current Asian Pacific American judicial nominees are confirmed by the Senate, President Obama will have more than tripled than the number of Asian Pacific American federal judges since he first took office.

Mr. Chuang currently serves as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he has worked since 2009. Previously, Chuang was the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in 2009 and Deputy Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2007 to 2009. From 1998 to 2004, Chuang served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Chuang was a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Chuang also has been active in community service. He has held leadership positions with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, District of Columbia Bar, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington D.C. Area.

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Theodore Chuang to the bench and Senators Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland for their support of his nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 66 state and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, 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 color in the legal profession.

September 24, 2013December 4, 2018

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At the 2013 NAPABA Northeast Regional/AABANY Fall Conference hosted by Weil Gotshal, a plenary session was held during the luncheon to explore the recent United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.

The luncheon was sponsored by Kobre & Kim. Welcome remarks were given by Mike Huang, President of AABANY, Fred Green, Management Committee Member, Mergers & Acquisitions Partner and Sponsor to the Asian Attorney Affinity Group at Weil, and Wendy Shiba, President of NAPABA. Board member and past AABANY President Robert Leung presented brief remarks about AABANY’s newest committee, the Career Placement Committee, and invited broad participation in it.

The Program Chair for the plenary session was Sarah Seo, Co-Chair of the Academic Committee. She introduced the Hon. Pamela K. Chen, United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, moderator of the panel.

Panelists included Khin Mai Aung, Director of the Educational Equity Program at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), who submitted an amicus brief in the Fisher case, and Hemmie Chang, Partner at Foley Hoag, who led her firm’s efforts in supporting AALDEF’s amicus filing in Fisher. Also on the panel were Michael Park, Partner at Dechert, and William Consovoy, Partner at Wiley Rein, who submitted briefs on Fisher’s side of the case before the Supreme Court.

The room was filled to capacity and many of the attendees had to go to the overflow room next door to watch the panel discussion on video.

The panel took several thoughtful and pointed questions from the audience during the Q&A portion.

Thanks to our Key Sponsor Hudson Court Reporting and Video for taking video and transcription of the plenary session.