webinar Archives - WE Blog @ AABANY

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026

AABANY and AALDEF Present Webinar on TPS in Transition, Offering Options to Assist Affected Immigrants

On August 27, 2026, almost 20 attendees joined AABANY and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) for a critical webinar on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminations. The panelists—Nicole Fink (Ogletree Deakins, AABANY Immigration Law Committee Chair ), Vishal Chander (The Chander Law Firm, AABANY Issues Committee Co-Chair, AABANY Board Director), and Dinesh McCoy (AALDEF)—walked participants through relief pathways for the 1.3 million people losing status: family-based sponsorship, employment-based green cards (EB-2, EB-3), asylum, withholding of removal, cancellation of removal, and special immigrant categories.

The comprehensive panel discussion went beyond individual legal remedies to examine broader systemic impacts. Presenters addressed the severe operational challenges facing employers who must navigate complex workforce transitions as valued employees risk losing their authorization. Furthermore, the speakers explored active federal litigation challenging the administration’s TPS termination decisions, highlighting ongoing legal battles aimed at protecting impacted populations.

Throughout the webinar, the experts underscored a critical tactical takeaway: affected individuals must proactively file for alternative relief options prior to their official status termination date. Doing so is essential to preserving uninterrupted work authorization while their legal petitions undergo administrative processing. With multiple country designations already terminated or approaching imminent expiration deadlines, the panel warned that time is of the essence and the window to take corrective legal action is rapidly closing.

To mitigate these urgent challenges, attendees were strongly encouraged to get involved directly in community defense efforts. AALDEF is actively recruiting legal volunteers and community advocates for its Rapid Response Task Force. This initiative is designed to provide robust, on-the-ground assistance to vulnerable populations through comprehensive screening clinics, direct legal case representation, individual consultations, and broad community outreach. In parallel, AABANY’s Immigration Law and Issues Committees are expanding their collaborative initiatives by coordinating substantive community education webinars, legal advice clinics, and specialized professional development programs scheduled for later this year.

Whether you are an experienced attorney, a paralegal, a law student, or a dedicated community advocate, your skills are urgently needed. Regardless of whether you can commit one hour a month or ten, there is a vital role for you to make a meaningful difference in the lives of impacted individuals. We invite you to reach out and volunteer your time today to support our ongoing advocacy efforts. Please consider becoming a member of AABANY to support our work in support of vulnerable communities.

–Written by Nicole Fink, Chair of AABANY’s Immigration Law Committee

April 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Navigating the New Normal: AABANY’s Tax Committee and Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee Present a Webinar on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

On March 26, 2026, AABANY’s Solo & Small Firm Committee and Tax Committee co-sponsored the webinar “Navigating the New OBBBA Landscape.” This presentation arrived at a critical time as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4, 2025, with some provisions taking retroactive effect going back to January 1, 2025.

Parag P. Patel, Co-Chair of the Tax Committee, led the session by providing a comprehensive update on how solo and small law firms can optimize their financial affairs. He emphasized that the new law offers various ways for small business owners to minimize their liabilities if they understand the specific requirements and limitations of the Act.

Several major changes affect individual taxpayers under the OBBBA through the year 2028. The State and Local Tax deduction cap has been significantly increased to $40,000, which offers substantial relief to those living in high-tax jurisdictions. Seniors who are at least 65 years old are now eligible for a $6,000 deduction, provided their income falls within the established limits. The Act also introduces new deductions for reported tips and overtime pay to assist service and hourly workers. Furthermore, individuals may now deduct interest on car loans up to $10,000 annually for vehicles that were assembled in the United States.

The legislation provides permanent benefits designed to stimulate business growth and investment for law firms and other small enterprises. Bonus depreciation is now permanently set at 100% for qualified property acquired after early 2025. The Section 179 expensing limit has risen to $2,500,000, and the phaseout threshold has been adjusted to $4,000,000 to account for inflation. Businesses may once again deduct domestic research and development expenses permanently, and some small businesses can even apply this change retroactively to 2022. Additionally, the calculation for business interest expense limits has been restored to align with EBITDA standards.

While these updates offer many advantages, taxpayers must be aware of the income-based phase-outs that could limit their total deductions. Many of the individual tax benefits are scheduled to revert to previous levels by 2030, making long-term planning essential for legal professionals.

AABANY continues to support its members by translating complex legislative shifts into actionable strategies for the legal community. This webinar successfully provided attendees with the tools needed to navigate the new tax reality with confidence.

To learn more about the Tax Committee, go here. To learn more about the Solo & Small Firm Committee, go here. For a listing of upcoming events, check out the calendar on AABANY’s website.

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026

NAPABA to Host Webinar Previewing Supreme Court Case on Birthright Citizenship

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) will host a webinar titled “SCOTUS Oral Argument Preview: Who is Allowed to be a U.S. Citizen? Defending Birthright Citizenship and the Role of Asian American History” on Thursday, March 26 at 3:00 p.m. ET.

The program will preview the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara, a case addressing the scope of birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment. On April 1, 2026, the Court is scheduled to hear arguments concerning Executive Order 14160, which declared that only children born to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents would automatically receive citizenship at birth. The executive order immediately faced legal challenges across the country.

NAPABA joined a broad coalition of bar associations in filing amicus briefs opposing the order. The March 26 webinar will discuss NAPABA’s role in defending birthright citizenship in the lower federal courts and before the Supreme Court, as well as the broader legal and historical context surrounding the issue.

The panel will feature Professor Beth Lew-Williams, Director of the Program in Asian American Studies and Professor of History at Princeton University. Professor Lew-Williams is the author of The Chinese Must Go: Violence, Exclusion, and the Making of the Alien in America (Harvard University Press, 2018), a widely acclaimed work examining the history of anti-Chinese violence and exclusion in the United States.

Also joining the discussion is Wendy M. Feng, Counsel at Seyfarth Shaw LLP and lead outside counsel for the legal team representing NAPABA in the litigation. The program will be moderated by Edgar Chen, NAPABA Special Policy Advisor.

Together, the panelists will examine the legal arguments in Trump v. Barbara, the historical foundations of birthright citizenship, and the role Asian American legal history plays in shaping contemporary constitutional debates.

Registration for the webinar is free and open to the public. Click here to learn more and register for the event.

December 1, 2020

SupChina’s Serica Initiative Hosts Free Webinar and Film Screening on the Documentary “Finding Ying Ying”

SupChina’s Serica Initiative is hosting a free webinar and film screening on December 1st, 2020 with makers of the documentary Finding Ying Ying. The film is about a Chinese graduate student that disappeared in 2017 and her family’s attempt to find her.

On Tuesday, December 1st, 2020, SupChina will first host a webinar at 12:00 p.m. EST with two people involved in the film on their own personal experience of being a Chinese student in America and how that encouraged them to make the film.

Then later that day at 7:00 p.m. EST SupChina will host a film screening of the documentary followed by a round table discussion with the filmmakers moderated by Amy Chua.

The links to register for both events are here:

Chinese in America: From Finance, Filmmaking to Philanthropy on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 12 pm EST: https://events.supchina.com/event/chinese-in-america-from-finance-filmmaking-to-philanthropy/

Finding Yingying: Film Screening & Fireside Chat on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7 pm EST: https://events.supchina.com/event/finding-yingying-film-screening-fireside-chat/

July 8, 2020

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Presents: Get Tested & Combat Anti-Asian Bias

On July 13, 2020, from 12:00-1:30 PM, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Partner Engagement Unit will be hosting a webinar on the Test & Trace Corps.

The Test & Trace Corps is an initiative to reduce COVID-19 transmission in New York City by providing guidance and assistance to people who have COVID-19 or are identified as having been exposed to the virus.

Speakers from the New York City Human Rights Commission (NYCCHR) and the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) will also provide resources to Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities to report anti-Asian bias and hate crimes that may occur as NYC continues to reopen.

Panelists will include Dr. Neil Vora from the New York City Health Department, Flora Ferng from NYCCHR, and Eunice Lee from OPHC.

Please send any questions for the panel to engagepartners@health.nyc.gov.

Mandarin and Korean Language interpretation will be available for this event.

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020

SupChina CEO Webinar Series: Lorna Davis

On Thursday, June 11, SupChina will be hosting an installation of their CEO Webinar Series. Thursday’s discussion will be with Lorna Davis, former CEO of Kraft China and Danone North America. Davis, with more than 20 years of experience in the consumer goods industry, will be leading a conversation regarding COVID-19’s effects on the food business and food security in China.

The event will be moderated by the SC Johnson Professor in Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University Johnson School of Business Christopher Marquis.

To purchase tickets and find out more about the event please visit https://events.supchina.com/ceowebinarjune11/. AABANY members who plan on attending can get $10 off with a discount code; please email main@aabany.org if you are interested.

June 3, 2020

AABANY Co-Hosts Webinar on Employment, Labor, and Safety Issues Related to Returning to Work During COVID-19

On May 27, 2020, the Labor & Employment Law Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) co-sponsored an event with Littler and Alston & Bird–Silver-level sponsors of AABANY–addressing safety guidelines for returning to work during the pandemic. The presentation highlighted a variety of topics including re-opening guidelines for different industries, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and various sick leave laws.

The webinar featured panelists Yoojin Deniro, Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Committee of AABANY and Counsel at Advance Publications Inc., and William Ng, a Shareholder at Littler and founding Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Committee. The event was moderated by William Lee, an Associate at Alston & Bird and AABANY member.

To begin, Yoojin Deniro explained that prior to re-opening, businesses must submit a Business Affirmation online and develop and post a Business Safety Plan, which must be retained on the premises and made available to the New York State Department of Health in the event of an inspection. The Business Safety Plan requires guidelines for physical distancing, protective measures (e.g.. providing face coverings to employees at no cost), hygiene and cleaning, communication, and health screenings.

Next, William Ng discussed how individuals and businesses can make the most of PPP loans. The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which is still pending before the Senate, is a bipartisan effort to fix problems with the PPP. If passed, the Act will allow forgiveness for expenses beyond the eight-week covered period; eliminate restrictions limiting non-payroll expenses to 25% of loan proceeds; remove limitations that constrain loan terms to two years; ensure full access to payroll tax deferment for businesses that take PPP loans; and extend the rehiring deadline to offset the effect of enhanced unemployment insurance.

In order to maintain a safe place to work, the panelists recommended that employers safely conduct temperature checks, which are permitted under the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) “direct threat” exemption. Temperature checks should be conducted by a trained and authorized individual with proper PPE, and symptomatic employees should be sent home in accordance with ADA confidentiality requirements. Employers are also urged to adopt other health screening protocols, including COVID-19 testing and creating health questionnaires. Moreover, employers must provide employees PPE at no cost, and offer necessary accommodations for employees with disabilities. Finally, individuals must continue to practice social distancing in the workplace and develop a comprehensive exposure control plan. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970, any confirmed cases of COVID-19 or other illnesses and injuries must be recorded.

The panelists also reviewed various sick leave laws, including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which provides Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Emergency Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits for employees unable to work due to quarantine or isolation orders related to COVID-19. The FFCRA also offers exemptions for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. New York State has also instituted Paid Family Leave, which grants paid leave for employees who must provide care for a minor dependent subject to a quarantine order. New York City offers Paid Safe and Sick Leave for employers whose business closed due to a public health emergency or who must care for a child whose school or child care provider closed due to a public health emergency. Lawmakers are also in the process of passing statewide New York Paid Sick Leave, which will apply to all employers and vary depending on the size and net income of the employer. Furthermore, in accordance with the ADA, employees can leave or request remote work if they engage in “cooperative dialogue” with their healthcare provider. Employer-specific policies also include Paid Time Off (PTO), sick leave, and personal or unpaid leave.

We thank our colleagues at Alston & Bird and Littler for co-sponsoring and organizing this informative event with the Labor & Employment Law Committee of AABANY. We also thank the presenters, Yoojin Deniro and William Ng, and the moderator, William Lee, for their time. For more information on the Labor & Employment Law Committee, see https://www.aabany.org/page/398. If you are interested in volunteering with AABANY to assist with small businesses that have been adversely affected by COVID-19, please contact probono@aabany.org.

To watch a recording of the presentation, see the video above.

June 2, 2020

AABANY Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee Presents Webinar on Standards of Civility in the Courtroom

On May 28, 2020, the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) hosted a panel–“How to Woo Clients, Wow Judges, and Win Cases”–discussing professional conduct and standards of civility in the courtroom. The panel was also co-sponsored by the Litigation Committee and Judiciary Committee of AABANY.

The event, moderated by Bart Wu, Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee of AABANY, featured panelists: Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice in New York County; Hon. Lizette L. Colon, Acting Supreme Court Justice in Kings County; and Hon. John Wang, a Housing Court Judge who is a fellow member of AABANY and currently running for Civil Court in District 1.

All panelists emphasized the importance of enforcing civil behavior in the courtroom. Judge Kennedy noted that engaging in civility allows litigators to work towards an effective resolution of the case and weed out unnecessary conduct that frustrates the case. Judge Wang added that standards of civility lift up the bar and the bench, and they help counteract negative perceptions that the public has about members of the bar–for example, that some attorneys are uncooperative.

Judge Colon warned panelists that when litigators engage in disrespectful behavior, they get a reputation for being rude and lackluster, not just to the judge, but also to the staff. Similarly, using condescending language, especially targeting an individual’s identity (for example, referring to a female court attorney as “young lady”), is unacceptable. Judge Wang also observed that courtrooms are now virtual due to COVID-19, and attorneys have difficulty adjusting to the new professional setting. They often sigh very loudly and make inappropriate facial expressions, and forget that they are still in a courtroom.

The judges advised attorneys, especially those who are inexperienced or younger, to study their case very well, research the judge and what they expect (such as reviewing the judge’s individual practice rules), and respect the authority of the court. Judge Colon suggested that attorneys get a summary sheet and review the basics of the case: what discovery is outstanding, if there are any motions, what the injuries or claims are, and what the policy is. Judge Kennedy encouraged panelists to ask their colleagues about what the judge is like in order to better understand the expectations of the judge. Judge Wang urged both seasoned and newer attorneys to respect humility and to not undermine the court’s authority by challenging the judge’s ruling in an unprofessional or inappropriate manner.

We thank the judges for their insightful comments and time, and Bart Wu and the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee for organizing this event. This event fulfilled one hour of CLE credit in Ethics and Professionalism. For more information on the Committee, please see https://www.aabany.org/page/111.

May 26, 2020

Asian American Federation Hosts Community Upstander Training To Stop Anti-Asian Harassment

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, from 1 PM to 3 PM, the Asian American Federation will be hosting an Upstander Training workshop to address the ways that xenophobia and scapegoating since the COVID-19 outbreak continue to rise, most consistently against Asian communities.

Through a presentation and interactive break-out groups, participants will explore opportunities and strategies to be “upstanders” during the current moment and help disrupt this wave of anti-Asian bias through safety interventions, de-escalation tactics, and calling-in strategies.

May 22, 2020

AABANY Hosts Panel Addressing Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising From COVID-19 (Korean)

On Sunday, May 17, 2020, the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) hosted the Korean version of its webinar series, “Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The presentation addressed the increase in violent incidents against Asians in the community and included a discussion of the rights that victims and bystanders have when a racially motivated confrontation occurs, as well as what actions rise to the level of a prosecutable offense.

The webinar featured moderator, Sean Dong Min Rhee, a Northeastern University law student, as well as two panelists: Kings County Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Pak and Naomi Jeehee Yang, an Associate at Paul Weiss.

During the presentation, Stephanie Pak explained what actions would constitute a hate crime (P.L. §240.30) and aggravated assault (P.L. §485.05) as set forth in New York Penal Law. She also gave examples of actions that would rise to a criminal level so that community members would be able to recognize incidents which they should report to law enforcement agencies or their local District Attorney’s office. Furthermore, Stephanie emphasized that when Korean victims are called Chinese during an assault, this does not invalidate the action from being prosecuted as a hate crime but rather makes the issue ripe for prosecution.

The other panelist, Naomi Jeehee Yang, shared information on who to contact during or after these incidents, as well as a few helpful tips that can help prosecutors and law enforcement. She stressed the importance of recording an incident because the evidence is often a key component in successfully prosecuting assailants. If this is not an option, it is important to call 911, as phone calls to police are recorded and can also be used as evidence during a criminal trial. Most importantly, Naomi spoke on the significance of reporting these anti-Asian episodes. If incidents are reported there will consequently be a more accurate number of cases in which Asians are being victimized in the community. This, in turn, increases the visibility of this issue and will spur action by government officials and policymakers – bringing about legislation or resources that can be helpful to the Asian community.

Thank you to our panelists, the excellent attorneys at Paul Weiss for their pro bono assistance, and our volunteers at the Pro Bono Committee for planning and organizing our Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic webinars. We will have more community presentations on topics related to COVID-19 and its impact on the AAPI community this month. For more information on anti-Asian harassment and violence, email aabanyclinic@gmail.com, call our hotline at 516-690-7724, and check out the resources that AABANY has compiled at https://www.aabany.org/page/covid19.

View the video of the webinar by clicking on the image above.