Calendar of Upcoming Events

News

NEW YORK - June 16, 2010 - The Honorable Denny Chin was formally inducted as the sixty-eighth member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  The ceremony took place at the United States Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, in the Ceremonial Courtroom.  The courtroom was filled to capacity for this historic event.  A transcript from the induction ceremony is available by clicking here.

NEW YORK – MAY 21, 2010 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) and the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) are co-sponsoring an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration at the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, on May 27.  The program, "Blazing a Trail in the Law," brings together several distinguished Asian Pacific American legal pioneers who will share their memories and thoughts about the hurdles they encountered and the triumphs they experienced in making their marks in the legal profession.

Judge Denny Chin to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree at St. John’s School of Law 2010 Commencement Exercises.  Queens, NY (April 29, 2010)−Michael A. Simons, Dean of St. John’s School of Law, is pleased to announce that newly appointed Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Denny Chin will speak at this year’s Commencement Exercises on Sunday, June 6. Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University, will confer an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree to Judge Chin.

April 22, 2010 - AABANY Applauds the Confirmation of Judge Denny Chin to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  Read the full press release here.

On March 18, 2010, AABANY took part in a legal clinic at the New York State Attorney General's Office to provide assistance and advice to victims of immigration fraud.  Immigration Committee Chair Rio Guerrero gathered a group of attorneys to participate in the clinic which provided vital guidance to more than 120 individuals and families with their immigration issues.  For more details, click here.

WASHINGTON – April 14, 2010 - Today, Vijay “Jay” C. Gandhi was sworn in as a Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California.  Judge Gandhi is the first Indian American federal judge in the Central District and only the second Indian American federal judge in the history of the United States.

The South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY), the North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA) and the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) teamed up to host a reception honoring Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, on March 10.

NAPABA APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF ALICIA G. LIMTIACO TO SERVE AS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY OF GUAM AND NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Washington, D.C. – On February 24, Alicia G. Limtiaco was nominated by President Obama to serve as the United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.  If confirmed, Limtiaco will become the first-ever woman to serve as a United States Attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and she will become only the third Asian Pacific American United States Attorney currently serving in the country.

NAPABA PARTNERS WITH HUMANITARIAN GROUP TO REPRESENT UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS  Washington, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has formed a first-of-its-kind partnership with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), a nonprofit organization founded by Microsoft Corporation and actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie, to provide pro bono representation of immigrant children who are in the United States without a parent or legal guardian.  Approximately 8,000 unaccompanied children come to the U.S. each year, are placed in U.S. custody, and face removal proceedings. More than half of these children do not have a lawyer.

ASIAN AMERICAN GROUPS CONDEMN RACIALLY TINGED CAMPAIGN TACTICS OF CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE IN QUEENS    NEW YORK – October 31, 2009 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), the Organization of Chinese Americans, New York Chapter (OCA-New York), and the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) strongly condemn the campaign tactics of Dan Halloran, a candidate for City Council representing District 19, covering northeast Queens.

AABANY Applauds the Confirmation of Preet Bharara as the United States Attorneys for the Southern District of New York.  NEW YORK – AUGUST 14, 2009 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) welcomed the news that Preet Bharara was confirmed on August 7, 2009 as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

AABANY Hires its First Executive Director.  NEW YORK – AUGUST 5, 2009 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), a member based organization dedicated to promoting the interests of Asian Pacific American attorneys, announced today that Yang Chen has been hired to serve as its first Executive Director.

AABANY President James Chou featured in The New York Law Journal

PROSECUTOR'S COMMITTEE 1ST ANNIVERSARY
The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) will hold a ceremony celebrating the first anniversary of its Prosecutors’ Committee on Thursday, June 18, 2009, at 5:30 P.M., at the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department, 27 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010.  This year, the Prosecutors’ Committee will be honoring Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau for his distinguished record of public service and dedication to diversity.

FORMER AABANY PRESIDENT HON. DENNY CHIN PRESIDES OVER MADOFF CRIMINAL CASE
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin, who was president of AABANY in 1992-93, is currently presiding over the criminal case against Bernard Madoff. Madoff confessed to Judge Chin in open court on March 12 to swindling over $50 billion from investors and charities in an elaborate Ponzi scheme.

NAPABA CELEBRATES NOMINATION OF GARY LOCKE
AS COMMERCE SECRETARY
Washington, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students, is pleased that last week, Gary Locke was nominated to serve as United States Secretary of Commerce by President Obama. Mr. Locke first gained NAPABA’s endorsement in December 2008 for his substantive knowledge on trade issues, demonstrated commitment to public service, and executive leadership experience.

NAPABA CONGRATULATES ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LAWYERS ANNOUNCED FOR KEY POSITIONS IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
Washington, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, congratulates Preeta Bansal, Ivan K. Fong, Christopher Kang, Neal Katyal, Christopher P. Lu, and Christina M. Tchen, who have all been announced to fill key positions in the Obama Administration.  When Mr. Lu was appointed to serve as Cabinet Secretary in November, he became the first Asian American appointed by President Obama to the White House staff.  In December, Ms. Tchen was appointed to serve as Director of Public Liaison in the White House.  Earlier this month, Ms. Bansal was appointed to serve as General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of Management and Budget, and Mr. Katyal was appointed to serve as Principal Deputy Solicitor General.  And just yesterday, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Mr. Fong as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Get Published in the NASABA's Business Law Section

NASABA publishes a quarterly Newsletter and they are always looking for new authors and ideas.  Please click here for the latest newsletter and here for a copy of the publication guidelines.

Publishing an article is a great way to gain credibility in your area of expertise – you can include the article in your marketing materials and share it with clients and potential clients long after it has been published.  If your transactional workload is light these days as clients respond to the ongoing financial crisis, take advantage of the extra time and get published!

To contribute or to get on the Newsletter's distribution list please reply to apalasec@gmail.com.

NAPABA CONGRATULATES THE FIRST VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN ELECTED TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Washington, DC – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), et the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, congratulates Anh “Joseph” Cao on being elected to represent Louisiana’s 2nd District in the 111th Congress on December 6, 2008. This makes Mr. Cao, a lawyer, the Nation’s first Vietnamese-American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and the 11th Asian Pacific American member of the 111th Congress.

NLF ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2008 THOMAS TANG NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Law Foundation is pleased to announce the 2008 Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition winners from a field of 60 teams from around the United States and abroad. The National Finals were held in Seattle, WA on November 22, 2008.

NAPABA CONGRATULATES ITS 2008 AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR, THE ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK
Washington, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, congratulates the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) as this year’s winner of NAPABA’s Affiliate of the Year Award. AABANY was honored at NAPABA’s annual gala on Saturday, November 22 during NAPABA’s 20th Annual Convention held in Seattle, Washington on November 19-23, 2008.

NAPABA ANNOUNCES 2008 TRAILBLAZER AWARD HONOREES
Washington, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, announced the 2008 recipients of NAPABA’s highest honor, the NAPABA Trailblazer Award, at an awards ceremony on Friday, November 22, at the Experience Music Project during its 20th Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington.

NAPABA ANNOUNCES 2008 “BEST LAWYERS UNDER 40” HONOREES
Washington, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, announced the 2008 recipients of NAPABA’s “Best Lawyers Under 40” Awards during its annual gala on Saturday, November 23. The gala was part of NAPABA’s 20th Annual Convention, which took place November 19-23, 2008, in Seattle, Washington.

NAPABA ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP FOR 2008-2009 BAR YEAR
Washington, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has announced its newly-elected officers and Regional Governors for the upcoming bar year. They were sworn into office by the Honorable A. Wallace Tashima of the Ninth Circuit at the Installation Banquet held on November 22, 2008 during the 20th Annual NAPABA Convention in Seattle, Washington.
 
AABANY, the Dominican Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association of New York, the National Bar Association Region II, and the South Asian Bar Association of New York (the “Minority Bar Associations”) have joined in the amicus curiae brief previously filed by the New York County Lawyers’ Association (“NYCLA”) in Larabee v. Governor of the State of New York, a case seeking fair compensation for New York state judges.  Click here to view full press release

AALDEF reports that Asian American voter turnout was high on November 4 but many faced problems at the polls.  Click here to view full press release.

NAPABA is appalled by Ladies Professional Golf Association’s reported new language policy that would require that players be proficient in English or face suspension. Click here to view full press release.

NAPABA was offended by the photo of the Spanish men’s Olympics basketball team using their fingers to slant their eyes. With inadequate explanations being proffered to attempt to downplay the racial slight, NAPABA continues to find the photo insensitive to the history of many Asians and Pacific Islanders who have endured harassment and discrimination based upon their ethnicity and physical traits.  Click here to view full press release.

Hon. Kiyo Matsumoto, United States Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York, appeared at her Senate confirmation hearing on June 12, 2008, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.  According to New York Newsday, "If confirmed as expected, Kiyo Matsumoto will become the first Asian-American judge in the Eastern District of New York, which includes Brooklyn and Long Island, and the second Asian-American federal judge in New York after U.S. District Court Judge Denny Chin of the Southern District."  To read the entire article, click here.

Our Ideals Require Embracing All Americans, by AABANY President Yang Chen, published in the New York Law Journal, in the Law Day 2008 Special Supplement, May 1, 2008.  Article reprinted with permission from NYLJ.  To read or download the article, click on the title or the thumbnail image.

THE ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK SUPPORTS JUDGES’ SUITS SEEKING FAIR JUDICIAL COMPENSATION
On April 15, 2008, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) representing the interests of over 4,000 Asian American attorneys in New York,  expresses its support for fair judicial compensation and the litigation that is being waged to bring about that outcome on behalf of 1,300 judges statewide.  AABANY encourages all bar associations and the bar as a whole to support Judge Kaye’s recently filed lawsuit, Kaye v. Silver, as well as Larabee v. Spitzer, a parallel litigation in which former Court of Appeals Judge George Bundy Smith serves as one of the counsel.


NAPABA celebrates appointment of James C. Ho as Solicitor General of Texas
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is pleased that the Attorney General of Texas Greg Abbott has announced his intent to appoint James C. Ho as the next Solicitor General of Texas, effective after the expected departure of the current Solicitor General Ted Cruz.  Mr. Ho will become the highest ranking Asian Pacific American statewide official in Texas, and one of only a very small handful of Asian Pacific Americans to have held statewide office in Texas.


NAPABA presents the inaugural NAPABA Diversity Award to Morrison & Foerster LLP
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) presented its inaugural Diversity Award to Morrison & Foerster LLP during the NAPABA and NAPABA Law Foundation’s (NLF) Diversity Symposium held on April 1 at the law firm of White & Case LLP in New York City. The award was established to recognize a law firm for its commitment to diversity and success in recruiting, retaining, and advancing Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys.

Joint statement with APALA/NJ on Judicial Appointments in New Jersey
New Jersey Superior Court Judge Fred Kieser, Jr. was withdrawn from reappointment after delivering anti-Asian racial slurs from the bench. APALA/NJ and AABANY applaud Gov. Corzine's actions, and call upon him to appoint Asian Pacific Americans to the New Jersey bench, which soon will have no APA members.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kiyo Matsumoto nominated for EDNY District Court
The President has nominated our member Kiyo Matsumoto, currently a magistrate judge in the Eastern District of New York, to a lifetime appointment as a district court judge. We offer our congratulations, and hope that she is swiftly confirmed by the Senate.

Archived News Stories are available here