Tag: US District Court

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NAPABA Applauds the Confirmation of Susan Kim DeClercq to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Yesterday [October 4], the United States Senate confirmed Susan Kim DeClercq to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge DeClercq is the first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan.

“NAPABA congratulates Susan DeClercq on her confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a district where nearly half of all AANHPIs in Michigan live,” said Sandra Leung, President of NAPABA. “The first federal judge of East Asian descent in Michigan, Judge DeClercq is an experienced prosecutor with experience in private practice and corporate law. NAPABA is proud to have supported her nomination to the bench.”

Susan K. DeClercq has been Director and Counsel of Special Investigations at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, since 2022. Judge DeClercq previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Civil Division since March 2014. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in September 2004, Judge DeClercq was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom in Washington, D.C., and she clerked for Judge Avern Cohn on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge DeClercq received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Wayne State University School of Law in 1999 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1995.

“Ms. DeClercq is the 24th Article III judge nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “With each confirmation, President Biden sets a new benchmark for future Presidential administrations.”

NAPABA thanks United States Senators Stabenow and Peters of Michigan for recommending and supporting her nomination.

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NAPABA Applauds the Confirmation of Arun Subramanian to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

For Immediate Release: 
Date: March 10, 2023		Contact:  Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – March 10 – On Wednesday, Arun Subramanian was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subramanian is the first South Asian American to serve on the Southern District of New York.

“NAPABA congratulates Arun Subramanian on his historic confirmation,” said Sandra Leung, president of NAPABA. “A child of immigrants, Mr. Subramanian is the first lawyer in his family, and this week, he became the first South Asian American judge to serve on the Southern District of New York. Like his family, we are proud to see him represent us.”

“The Southern District of New York is one of the most influential and active federal trial courts in the U.S.,” said Priya Purandare, executive director of NAPABA. “In addition to overseeing America’s largest financial institutions, it is also the location of one of the largest populations of AAPIs in the nation. We urge the Senate to continue confirming candidates that are representative of our nation.”

Subramanian was a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP where he chaired the firm’s pro bono practice and focused on consumer protection, antitrust, commercial class actions, and contract and tort litigation. In 2021, Subramanian was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Evidence. Subramanian clerked on the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for Judge Dennis Jacobs, and on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for Judge Gerald E. Lynch. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Case Western Reserve University.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Arun Subramanian and Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand 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.

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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.
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NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Arun Subramanian to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York


WASHINGTON – Today, [Sept. 2], President Joe Biden nominated Arun Subramanian to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. If confirmed, Subramanian would be the first South Asian American judge on the Southern District of New York.

“NAPABA congratulates Arun Subramanian on his nomination,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Mr. Subramanian is an experienced trial and appellate attorney with a strong track record of pro bono service. A child of immigrants, he became the first lawyer in his family, and we are proud to see him represent our community. We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm him.”

Subramanian is a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP where he chairs the firm’s pro bono practice and focuses on consumer protection, antitrust, commercial class actions, and contract and tort litigation. In 2021, Subramanian was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Evidence. Subramanian clerked on the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for Judge Dennis Jacobs, and on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for Judge Gerald E. Lynch. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Case Western Reserve University. 

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Arun Subramanian and Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand 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.
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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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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.

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NAPABA Applauds the Historic Judicial Nominations of John H. Chun, Dale E. Ho, Jinsook Ohta, and Loren L. AliKhan

WASHINGTON – On September 30, 2021, the White House announced its eighth slate of judicial nominees to serve on the Federal and Washington, D.C. benches, with four Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) candidates including several with strong ties to the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). President Biden has nominated: Judge John H. Chun to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; Dale E. Ho to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; Judge Jinsook Ohta to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California; and Loren L. AliKhan to serve on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

“NAPABA offers its congratulations to Judge Chun, Dale Ho, Judge Ohta, and Loren AliKhan on their nominations,” said A.B. Cruz III, president of NAPABA. “We applaud President Biden for putting forth a strong and historic slate of highly qualified AAPI candidates and for continuing to broaden the diversity of backgrounds and professional experiences to the bench. We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm them.”

Judge John H. Chun
Judge John H. Chun currently sits as a Judge on the Washington State Court of Appeals in Seattle, Washington, after previously serving as a judge on the King County Superior Court from 2014-2018. If confirmed, Judge Chun would be the first AAPI man to preside in the Western District of Washington. He has been recognized as a top Washington “Super Lawyer.” Judge Chun previously served as the President of the Korean American Bar Association of Washington and is also a member of the Asian Bar Association of Washington and NAPABA. He previously clerked for the Hon. Eugene A. Wright on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Chun is a graduate of Columbia University and Cornell Law School.

Dale E. Ho
Dale E. Ho currently serves as director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Voting Rights Project and supervises the ACLU’s voting rights litigation across the country. Notably, Ho has argued two crucial cases before the Supreme Court challenging the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census and the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from the population count to determine apportionment for the House of Representatives. If confirmed, Ho would be the only active AAPI judge in the district. In 2019, Ho was the recipient of the NAPABA President’s Award and in 2017, was named one of the best Asian American Lawyers Under 40 by NAPABA. He is endorsed by the Asian American Bar Association of New York. Ho previously clerked for the Hon. Barbara Jones on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and Judge Robert S. Smith of the New York Court of Appeals. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School.

Judge Jinsook Ohta
Judge Jinsook Ohta currently sits as a judge on the California Superior Court in San Diego. Previously Judge Ohta served as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General with the California Attorney General’s Office. If confirmed, she would be the first AAPI female judge to preside in the Southern District of California. Judge Ohta is a member of NAPABA and the Korean American Bar Association of San Diego. Judge Ohta previously clerked for the Hon. Barry Ted Moskowitz on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She is a graduate of Yale University and the New York University School of Law.

Loren L. AliKhan
Loren L. AliKhan currently serves as the Solicitor General of the District of Columbia where she directs the District’s appellate litigation and has overseen more than 1,800 appeals before the D.C. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. If confirmed, AliKhan would be the first AAPI judge to sit on the D.C. Court of Appeals. She is endorsed by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington DC Region. Alikhan has been recognized with the Public Sector Trailblazer Award by the South Asian Bar Association of Washington D.C., and previously clerked for the Hon. Thomas L. Ambro on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Hon. Louis Pollack on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. AliKhan is a graduate of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and the Georgetown University Law Center.

NAPABA thanks Senators Schumer and Gillibrand of New York, Senators Feinstein and Padilla of California, Senators Murray and Cantwell of Washington, and Delegate Norton of Washington D.C. for their support of these nominees.

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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.
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NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF AMIT MEHTA TO THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2014
Contact: Tina Matsuoka
(202) 775-9555

WASHINGTON – Today, President Obama nominated Amit Mehta to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. If confirmed, Mehta will be the first Asian Pacific American to serve as a federal district court judge in the District of Columbia.

“Amit Mehta has had a distinguished legal career and will serve admirably on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “I urge the Senate to ensure a speedy confirmation for Mr. Mehta.”

Mehta is currently a partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. He is an experienced trial, litigation, and investigations attorney focusing primarily on white-collar criminal defense, complex business disputes, and appellate advocacy. Before joining Zuckerman Spaeder, Mehta was a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Early in his legal career, Mehta was an associate at Latham & Watkins and clerked for the Honorable Susan Graber of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland, Oregon. Mehta served as Director for Facilitating Youth in Leadership and currently serves as Vice-Chair for the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. The National Law Journal, Benchmark Litigation, and Superlawyers have all recognized Mehta for his legal excellence. Mehta graduated from Georgetown University magna cum laude and University of Virginia School of Law order of the coif.

NAPABA commends President Obama for nominating Amit Mehta to the bench and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia for her support of his nomination.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and approximately 70 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA engages in legislative and policy advocacy, promotes APA political leadership and political appointments, and builds coalitions within the legal profession and the community at large. NAPABA also serves as a resource for government agencies, members of Congress, and public service organizations about APAs in the legal profession, civil rights, and diversity in the courts.

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US District Ct. Mediation Program

The Hon. Harold Baer, U.S. District Court  Judge, Southern District of New York would like to see more diverse attorneys involved in the Court’s mediation program. Judge Baer has observed that “one of the many advantages of our program is that we provide phenomenal training for those who have no previous exposure to mediating disputes but are interested in learning."  To learn more about serving as a mediator in SDNY, read Local Civil Rule 83.12 here.

If you interested in learning more about this program, please email Taa Grays at [email protected]. You must email Ms. Grays by Monday, December 12, 2011.

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