Watch this episode of CUNY TV’s Asian American Life, featuring Helen Wan talking about The Partner Track with comments on breaking the bamboo ceiling by AABANY President Clara Ohr, AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen, and Ona Wang, Partner, Baker Hostetler. 

Press Release: Executive Director Yang Chen Honored at Binghamton University Alumni Association’s Special Recognition Awards

NEW YORK, NY – Thursday, April 24, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is pleased to announce its Executive Director, Yang Chen, will be receiving one of the Binghamton University Alumni Association’s Medals of Distinguished Service. A graduate of the Class of 1987, Yang Chen will be honored among many other esteemed alumni at the 2014 Special Recognition Award Ceremony on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Binghamton University presents these awards to recognize volunteerism at the University and excellence in professional endeavors.

Yang serves as a mentor and role model to countless young attorneys and Binghamton alumni by assisting in establishing network connections between Binghamton alumni and professionals in various fields, Yang has taken on the role of strengthening the bonds between our communities.

“AABANY is pleased to congratulate our Executive Director Yang Chen on this well-deserved recognition,” said AABANY President Clara Ohr. “From his work in AABANY and beyond, Yang dedicated himself to giving back to whatever community he touches, whether it be his alumni network, the Asian American legal community, or any of the other communities that AABANY serves. Yang’s path from private legal practice to non-profit service has made him a unique role model, so we applaud Binghamton University on their selection and congratulate Yang on joining an exemplary and inspiring group of Binghamton alumni.”

For more information, please contact Simone Nguyen, AABANY Program Associate, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to [email protected].

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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AABANY TO RECEIVE 2013 NEW YORK STATE CONFERENCE OF BAR LEADERS INNOVATION AWARD FOR “IVA: THE MYTH OF TOKYO ROSE” PROGRAM

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK – January 27, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that it will receive a 2013 Bar Leaders Innovation Award for its Asian Pacific American Heritage Month production, “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose.”  The award bestowed by the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders Executive Council of the New York State Bar Association recognizes bar associations that introduce new programs, ideas and methodologies that benefit its members and the community at large.  AABANY’s “Tokyo Rose” program was evaluated based on its ingenuity and creativity, effect on the bar and general public, and its overall quality.

“Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” which was co-produced by AABANY and the Asian American Arts Alliance (the “Alliance”), tells the story of Iva Toguri, a Japanese American citizen, who was accused of treason during World War II.  Original court transcripts were edited and compiled under the leadership of the Honorable Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin.  This material was then adapted by playwright Soriya Chum and culminated in a production addressing issues concerning race, civil rights, prosecutorial abuse and social injustice.  “Tokyo Rose” was directed by Soriya Chum and Elena Chang and performed on stage at the Asia Society in New York City on May 16-17, 2013.  Following the performances, talkbacks were held with esteemed speakers and guests, including the Honorable Denny Chin (U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit), Kathy Hirata Chin (Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP), Gurjot Kaur (Sikh Coalition), Andrea Louie (the Alliance), Yang Chen (AABANY), Rehana Mirza (Ma-Yi Theater’s Writer’s Lab) and Eileen Rivera (Leviathan Lab).

The New York State Conference of Bar Leaders will honor AABANY along with its sister bar associations for their innovative programs at the Annual Breakfast for Bar Leaders to be held at the Hilton New York Midtown on Friday, January 31, 2014.  “On behalf of AABANY, we thank the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders for this prestigious award and recognizing our continuing efforts to produce programs that address significant legal issues and social matters of importance to our members and the Asian Pacific American community as a whole,” said Mike Huang, AABANY’s President. 

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The Asian American Bar Association of New York was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students.  The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.

A performance review of “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” is available at http://blog.asianinny.com/films/iva-the-myth-of-tokyo-rose/

AABANY ED Speaks at “Bridge the Gap” CLE Orientation Program

On Wednesday, October 23, AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen was a panelist at a CLE Orientation Program presented by the First Department’s Committee on Character and Fitness for a group of about 240 new attorneys who were scheduled to be sworn in to the New York State bar on October 28.  The program took place at NYCLA from 9 am to 11 am, and Mr. Chen provided an overview of ethical issues confronting the new practitioner.  Mr. Chen spoke from his perspective as a practitioner for nearly 20 years working on complex commercial litigation and antitrust matters. Maria Matos, Executive Secretary of the Committee on Character and Fitness and former President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, organized the event, which is held every few weeks throughout the year.

Press Release: Moon Festival Honoree Gala | Honorees Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2013

AABANY APPLAUDS NAAAP-NY’S SELECTION OF ALICE YOUNG AS THE 2013 CORPORATE LAW HONOREE AND YANG CHEN AS A 2013 COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARDEE FOR FIRST ANNUAL MOON FESTIVAL HONOREE GALA

NEW YORK – October 15, 2013 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) applauds the National Association of Asian American Professionals (“NAAAP”) New York’s selection of Alice Young as the 2013 Corporate Law Honoree and Yang Chen as a 2013 Community Excellence Awardee. 

NAAAP New York will recognize Ms. Young and Mr. Chen along with other honorees and leaders in the Asian American community during its first annual Moon Festival Honoree Gala to be held at Gotham Hall in New York City on Friday, October 25, 2013.  The Moon Festival Honoree Gala will honor New York’s most influential Asian & Pacific Islander Americans (“APIA”) in various professions, including media, public service, entrepreneurship, culinary arts and corporate (law).  Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was also named NAAAP-NY’s 2013 Public Service Honoree.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the NAAAP-NY Scholarship Fund, a program instituted over a decade ago to benefit APIA scholars in the greater New York metropolitan area.  The Honoree Reception will be hosted by Richard Lui, MSNBC Anchor.

“We congratulate Alice and Yang for being recognized by NAAAP-NY for their outstanding professional achievements and influence in the APIA community in New York.  Alice has been a consummate professional and a leader in corporate law for nearly four decades and Yang has quickly become a well-known and trusted leader in the greater APIA community,” said Mike Huang, AABANY’s President.

Alice Young is Special Counsel and Chair of the Asia Pacific Practice at Kaye Scholer. She advises multinationals and entrepreneurs on their business activities and investment considerations in the United States and throughout Asia, including complex cross-border transactions and sensitive legal and governmental strategies, and compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). She also assists clients in identifying potential Asian partners and resources. She has been lead advisor on projects in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, India and the Philippines. She has been in private practice for more than thirty-five years.

Alice has been based in New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo and speaks Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and French. She is a member of the Board of Directors and on the Executive and Examining Committees of Mizuho Trust & Banking Co. (USA); member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Axis Capital Holdings Limited (AXS); Lifetime Trustee of the Aspen Institute and The Asia Foundation and Give2Asia.  Alice is listed in Who’s Who, Crain’s “Top 100 Minority Executives” (one of only three corporate lawyers named), by Avenue Asia magazine as one of the five most influential Asian-American corporate lawyers in the United States, and by Harvard Law Bulletin as one of the top 50 women graduates of Harvard Law School.

Alice was in the first class of women graduates of Yale College, where she majored in East Asian Studies. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Alice was a member of the East Asian Legal Studies Program.

Yang Chen is the Executive Director of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), a position he has held since August 2009.  Mr. Chen is AABANY’s first Executive Director.  He has been active in AABANY for many years, having served on the Board and numerous committees, including the Judicial Affairs (now Judiciary) Committee, of which he was a chair.  Mr. Chen served as AABANY’s President in 2008. Before becoming AABANY’s Executive Director, Mr. Chen was a partner in the firm of Constantine Cannon, a law firm specializing in antitrust and complex commercial litigation.  He was among the group that founded the firm in 1994, which started as Constantine & Associates. Before joining Constantine Cannon, Mr. Chen was an associate in the New York office of McDermott, Will & Emery and before that he was associated with Breed, Abbott & Morgan (now Winston & Strawn).  Mr. Chen is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.  He is a graduate of the New York University School of Law and Binghamton University.

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The Asian American Bar Association of New York was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students.  The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.

NAAAP New York is the founding chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP). The organization was founded over thirty years ago, and today has thousands of members in 27 chapters across North America.  As a 501©(3) non-profit organization, NAAAP is dedicated to developing and advancing Asian Americans across all industries and career stages by providing premier career-oriented and cultural programming.

Additional information about NAAAP New York’s 2013 Moon Festival Honoree Gala is available at http://naaapny.org/10-25-2013-moon-festival-honoree-gala/