US Court of Appeals Archives - WE Blog @ AABANY

July 7, 2025July 7, 2025

NAPABA Applauds Nomination of Eric Tung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

For Immediate Release: July 7, 2025

Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the nomination of Eric Tung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Tung is a nationally respected litigator with a record of public service and experience at the highest levels of the legal profession.

“Eric Tung is an exceptional nominee whose distinguished career demonstrates a commitment to the law,” said Thy Bui, President of NAPABA. “From his time at the U.S. Department of Justice to his clerkships on the U.S. Supreme Court, Tung brings unparalleled experience to the federal bench.”

Tung is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Jones Day, where he focuses on appeals and motion practice in commercial litigation. He has briefed and argued matters in federal and state courts nationwide, including the Ninth Circuit, D.C. Circuit, Seventh Circuit, Florida Supreme Court, and the California Court of Appeals. His clients span a range of industries, including telecommunications, energy, banking, real estate, construction, entertainment, and digital currency.

Tung previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California and held positions at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., including serving as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General. He also clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and the late Antonin Scalia.

“Eric Tung has excelled in every facet of the legal profession—as a prosecutor, government lawyer, private practitioner, and judicial clerk,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “His breadth of experience makes him a compelling choice for the Ninth Circuit.”

Tung earned his J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 2010, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif, named a Kirkland & Ellis Scholar, served as Managing Editor of the University of Chicago Law Review, and received multiple writing awards, including the Joseph Henry Beale Prize and the Bell, Boyd & Lloyd Award. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University in 2006.

NAPABA thanks President Trump for the nomination and urges the U.S. Senate to consider the nomination swiftly.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and over 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.

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023

Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel Applications Now Open for US Court of Appeals, 2d Cir.

The Criminal Justice Act Committee of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is accepting applications for service on the Court’s Criminal Justice Act Panel. CJA Panel Members represent indigent criminal defendants and petitioners for habeas corpus.

Admission to practice before this Court is a necessary qualification for membership on the Panel. The Court seeks attorneys of superior experience and proven competence in federal appellate criminal defense work. The qualifications of attorneys applying for service on the Panel will be examined by the CJA Committee’s Attorney Advisory Group, which will make recommendations for membership on the Panel. Membership on the Panel will be for a term of one to three years, at the discretion of the Court. Attorneys currently serving on the panel need not reapply until the expiration of their present term.

Application forms for membership on the Criminal Justice Act Panel are available at the Court’s website, or by calling 212-857-8702.

A signed original application, one copy of each of your appellate briefs, and three paper copies of the completed application and your resumé, along with a CD containing both your completed applications and resumé, must be received by the Clerk of Court by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2023.

Please check the Court’s website periodically for CJA developments.

September 8, 2022September 8, 2022

NAPABA Applauds the Confirmation of Judge John Z. Lee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

WASHINGTON – Today, [Sept. 7], the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge John Z. Lee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Judge Lee is the first Asian American appellate judge to serve on the Seventh Circuit.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Lee on his historic confirmation to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit,” said A. B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Judge Lee is an experienced jurist with a decade of experience as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Moreover, Judge Lee’s story, the son of a coal miner and a nurse who immigrated to the United States when he was only five years old, resonates with many in our community.”

Judge Lee is an active member in the AAPI legal community, serving as a former Board Member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area (AABA Chicago) and continues to be active with both AABA Chicago and NAPABA. He was the President of the Board of Directors for the Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS), a co-founder of the Willow Creek Legal Aid Clinic in Hoffman Estates (a joint program between CARPLS and Willow Creek Church), and the President of the Board of Directors of Asian Human Services.

In addition to his service as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2012, Judge Lee worked in private practice and as a trial attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard College.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Lee and Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth for recommending and 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 APA 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.

July 14, 2022July 14, 2022

NAPABA Applauds the Nominations of Cindy K. Chung to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Mia Roberts-Perez to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2022
Contact: Mary Tablante, Associate Strategic Communications & Marketing Director

WASHINGTON—Today, President Joe Biden nominated Cindy K. Chung to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Mia Roberts-Perez to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If confirmed, Chung would be the first Asian American appellate judge on the Third Circuit and Judge Roberts-Perez would be the first Asian American district judge on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

“NAPABA offers its congratulations to Cindy K. Chung and Judge Mia Roberts-Perez on their nominations,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “We applaud President Biden for nominating a strong and historic slate of highly qualified Asian American candidates and for continuing to broaden the diversity of backgrounds and professional experiences to the bench. We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm them.”

Cindy K. Chung
In 2021, Chung was nominated by President Biden to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania and was confirmed by a voice vote. She is the first Asian American U.S. Attorney in Pennsylvania and the only Asian American currently leading any prosecutors’ office in Pennsylvania. Active in the Asian American community, Chung has participated in community briefings and events addressing anti-Asian hate incidents.

Previously, Chung served as a trial attorney in the Criminal Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where she prosecuted the first case under the Shepherd-Byrd Hate Crimes Act. She also served as an assistant district attorney at the District Attorney’s Office, New York County, and investigation counsel in the Official Corruption Unit. Chung began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge Myron Thompson on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. She received her J.D. from Columbia Law School and her B.A. from Yale University.

Judge Mia Roberts-Perez
In 2015, Judge Roberts-Perez was elected to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Previously, she was in private practice at Perez Law LLC, where she specialized in criminal defense and family law. Judge Roberts-Perez started her career at Defender Associations of Philadelphia where she served as public defender in the major trials division. She received her J.D. from Temple University, Beasley School of Law and her B.A. from Tufts University.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Cindy K. Chung and Judge Mia Roberts-Perez and Senator Casey and Senator Toomey for recommending and supporting their nominations.

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May 25, 2022May 25, 2022

NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Judge Florence Y. Pan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2022
Contact: Mary Tablante, Associate Strategic Communications & Marketing Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Florence Y. Pan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. If confirmed, Judge Pan would be the first Chinese American to serve on the D.C. Circuit, the “second most powerful court” in the nation.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Pan on her historic nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Judge Pan has a stellar record as an experienced jurist and she has received overwhelming bipartisan support in her prior confirmations to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She is well respected by her peers and is a leader in the Asian Pacific American community. We urge the Senate to quickly confirm Judge Pan.”

In 2021, Judge Pan was nominated by President Biden to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and was confirmed by a vote of 68–30. She is the first Asian Pacific American woman to serve on that court.

In 2009, Judge Pan was nominated by President Obama to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the Senate confirmed her nomination by voice vote. Judge Pan was the first judicial nominee to be confirmed under the Obama Administration and she was the first Asian Pacific American judge to serve on any level in Washington, D.C.

Previously, she served for 10 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including two years as the deputy chief of the appellate division. She also held positions in the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice, notably in the Office of the Solicitor General. Judge Pan taught at Georgetown University Law Center and American University, Washington College of Law, and is active in her community having served as the Secretary of NAPABA’s Judicial Council.

She formerly served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ralph K. Winter, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Michael B. Mukasey of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Pan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Law School.

NAPABA commends President Biden for nominating Judge Florence Y. Pan.

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October 16, 2019October 22, 2019

The Courtroom: A Re-enactment of Deportation Proceedings

We are sharing this announcement from Bridgette Ahn, former President of KALAGNY and the Network of Bar Leaders:

You are invited to a play/performance re-created from court transcripts of a deportation proceedings.

In 2004, an immigrant from the Philippines who was married to a U.S. Citizen came to this country on a K3 Visa. After inadvertently registering to vote at the DMV in Bloomington, IL, receiving a voter registration card in the mail, and voting, her removal proceedings were set in motion. It began in Immigration Court and her case was eventually heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. The Courtroom is performed entirely verbatim from court transcripts.

Waterwell is presenting monthly performances of The Courtroom at civic venues around New York City, as part of an ongoing exploration of belonging, immigration, and what it means to be a U.S. Citizen today.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
** Use code WWFAM for $20 Tickets **

Thursday, October 24 at 7:00pm at Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South)Tickets here.

Thursday, November 21 at 7:00pm at West Park Presbyterian Church (86th + Amsterdam)Tickets here.