In This Edition
- AAJANY Statement on Anti-Asian Violence
- Pro Bono Assistance Urgently Needed: Please Volunteer
- AABANY Board Director Chris Kwok Continues to be Widely Cited on Anti-Asian Violence
- Chris Kwok Testifies Before the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety on March 22
- Incoming AABANY President Terry Shen Speaks at Asian Hate Crime Community Event in Summit, NJ on March 21
- Just Released: Fifth Episode of The Whole Lawyer Project Featuring Anant Raut
- Thank You to CLS-AABANY Pro-Bono Caravan Participants
- AABANY Hosts Weekly Membership Mixer Featuring Founders of AABANY on March 26
- AABANY Co-Sponsors: Unapologetically, YOU, March 31
- AABANY Co-Sponsors: Fireside Chat with James Johnson, April 6
- AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents: The Basics of Title Insurance for Prosecutors and Legal Investigators, April 8
- AABANY Presents: The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action, April 9
- AABANY Immigration Law Committee Presents: Immigration Changes Under the Biden Administration: A Look Back and Overview, April 20
- NAPABA Affiliate Membership Code Now Available
- Join AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service Panel
- Read AABANY's 2019 Year End Report
- Join the AABANY Community Response Task Force
- AABANY Clerkship Directory
- Discounted Membership - New York City Bar Association
- AABANY Speakers Bureau
- Career Placement Committee Intake Form Now Available
- NAPABA News
- AABANY Seeks Legal Interns
- This Week on WE Blog @AABANY
- Fellowship Announcements
- Upcoming Events on the AABANY Calendar
- Other Events on the AABANY Calendar
- Recent Job Postings on the AABANY Career Center
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We are heartened by the expressions of solidarity against anti-Asian bigotry and violence from our brothers and sisters across the many bar and judicial associations. We too express our condolences to the families of all victims in Atlanta and to all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have experienced violence of any kind based on their ethnicity. To quote the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
– Asian American Judges Association of New York State |
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The Pro Bono and Community Service Committee is urgently seeking AABANY members to volunteer to provide legal assistance to low-income members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in New York. AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service has received numerous calls which have been referred to the Pro Bono and Community Service, but the Committee currently does not have enough volunteers to meet the current high demand for pro bono assistance. We are recruiting all attorney members who have expertise — or are willing to receive AABANY training — in the following practice areas: Landlord/Tenant, Immigration, Elder Law/Wills/Estate Administration, Family/Matrimonial Law, Real Estate, Employment, and Fraud. We are asking volunteers to return calls from community members and provide them basic legal assistance, which can include (for example) pointing them to available legal resources or explaining the legal process. Volunteers’ commitment will be limited in nature and does not require any volunteer to take on direct representation for any extended period of time. We are requesting a three month commitment to help return calls in your area of expertise. We urge all those interested in giving back to the AAPI community to contact AABANY’s Pro Bono Committee today at probono@aabany.org. |
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Chris Kwok, AABANY Board Director and Co-Executive Editor of AABANY’s report on anti-Asian violence, has recently been interviewed and cited by numerous outlets. These include:
- WGN Radio’s Legal Face-Off podcast on March 16, 2021
- The Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI) at The City University of New York (CUNY) on March 17, 2021
- MetroFocus on March 18, 2021
- Medill Reports Chicago on March 19, 2021
- Daily Mail on March 19, 2021
- The Pulse on Radio Television Hong Kong on March 26, 2021
Read more here. |
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On March 22, Chris Kwok testified on behalf of AABANY before the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety in support of two changes to the funding of Hate Crime Units of New York District Attorneys’ Offices. These recommendations call for Hate Crime Units to be staffed with full-time prosecutors and legal support personnel, and for periodic audits by the committee to ensure their use of dedicated funds for hate crime prosecution. Chris shared that AABANY first voiced these recommendations in its report on anti-Asian violence. The report specifically identified the “Jade Squad”—a police division formed to combat Chinese gang violence in the 1970s— and concomitant Asian Gang Units that were formed at the District Attorney’s Office. In line with these successful historical efforts, AABANY now advocates for the creation of dedicated and fully funded hate crime divisions in law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices.
Read more here. |
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| On March 21, 2021, incoming AABANY President Terry Shen spoke at a Summit Community Programs event in Summit, NJ regarding AABANY’s recent Asian hate crimes initiatives. Incoming AABANY Vice President of Programs and Operations Joe Eng also attended the event. At the gathering of over 400 people, Mr. Shen discussed the causes and impact of the surge in Asian hate crimes since March 2020 alongside Summit Mayor Nora Radest, Summit Chief of Police Andrew Bartolotti and six City Council Members. Mr. Shen also discussed the solutions being actively pursued by AABANY to address this national crisis. The flag of the United States was flown at half-staff over Summit Village Green during the event. |
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 | For our next episode of The Whole Lawyer Project, Facebook’s top antitrust lawyer, Anant Raut, speaks on how he balances his own career ambitions with living a whole life, how he accidentally fell into the field of antitrust when his top-choice job unexpectedly fell through, and what he advises for those of us who may be overly concerned about making a “wrong” move in their careers. As a former BigLaw associate as well as the former Counsel to Senate Ranking Member Diane Feinstein, Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice, and Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, Anant also reflects on his transitions between the public and private sectors and reminds us all to always explore our curiosities, keep things in perspective, and trust that the non-linear path will eventually work out (however impossible it may seem at the time!). Finally, on a personal note, Anant shares how COVID has shaped his life as a new dad and provides advice for those of us who are starting out their careers (tip: yes, we all need to network — but if you are doing it right, networking should not feel like work!)
Click here to listen to this episode of The Whole Lawyer Project. |
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AABANY extends its thanks to all members of the Columbia Law School community who participated in the CLS-AABANY Pro-Bono Caravan. The Spring Caravan was a weeklong volunteer effort from March 1 through 5 in which law students partnered with AABANY’s remote clinic to update AABANY’s COVID-19 resource pages, participate in client consultations with volunteer attorneys, and engage in research on consumer debt/foreclosure, immigration, housing, employment, and family law in New York. Through translating both AABANY’s COVID-19 materials and remote clinic intake calls, participating students made COVID-related information more accessible to laypeople, particularly those from minority and low-income backgrounds. The Caravan also offered students many professional development and networking opportunities in the form of an AABANY mentorship program, a meet and greet with the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, and lunch with AABANY Student Leaders.
Please see the flyer below for the list of participating students, their reflections on the Pro-Bono Caravan, and the participating attorney mentors. We thank all Caravan participants for their desire to give back to the community and look forward to continuing the fight for equal justice as a team. 
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On March 26, 2021, the Membership Committee hosted their weekly virtual Membership Mixer, with 47 participants in attendance. This special mixer featured some founders of AABANY: Hon. Marilyn Go, Hon. Doris Ling-Cohan, Sylvia Chin, and Rocky Chin.
The Founders told stories of how they met each other, what was happening at the time of the creation of the association and what they want to see for the future of AABANY.
The Membership Committee previously hosted Monthly Mixers at bars, ballparks, stadiums, operas, etc, but due to COVID, we have moved online to offer members a weekly outlet to share their feelings, see old friends, and make new connections. Mixers start at 6:30pm on Friday and the main event ends at 7:30pm but many often stay on after 7:30pm for smaller breakout groups.
Membership Committee will continue to host weekly virtual mixers until it is safe to gather together again in person.
Please join us this week on April 2, 2021 in the Remo Room. Register by Thursday, April 1, at https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1420357. |
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Please see flyer for details and click on it to register. 
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Please see flyer for details and click on it to register. 
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Please see flyer for details and click on it to register. 
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2020 saw a surge in anti-Asian violence. The AABANY and Paul Weiss report, “A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence Against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions” has been garnering widespread attention and acclaim. For a growing number of corporate employers, there is a keen desire to DO something. But what? What can or should corporate employers be doing to help stem and address anti-Asian violence and hate crimes? What could they be doing to support their Asian American and Pacific Islander employees? What do they need to understand about the difficulties of hate crimes prosecutions and the tensions between the valid concerns of those desiring aggressive prosecution, those who worry about further contributing to the prosecutions of people from other minority communities, and those who advocate for restorative justice? Please join AABANY and a coalition of bar associations for a discussion with corporate in-house leaders about corporate social responsibility and anti-Asian violence. Register here by April 7, 2021. For a full list of co-sponsors, click here. Confirmed Panelists:
- Sara Yang Bosco, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Emerson
- Sam Khichi, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Becton, Dickinson and Company
- Sandra Leung, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
- Allen Lo, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Products, IP, and Legal Operations, Facebook
- Susan Moon, Principal Counsel, The Walt Disney Company
- Caroline Tsai, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Western Union
- Michael C. Wu (Moderator), Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Madewell
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Please see flyer for details and click on it to register. 
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One of the benefits of being an AABANY member is that you get a FREE Affiliate Membership to NAPABA. The code is now available. Please contact margaret.langston@aabany.org to get the code
and instructions to activate your Affiliate Membership. Note that NAPABA's membership follows the calendar year, i.e., January 1 to December 31, so to maximize your membership, be sure to renew now.
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Last fall, AABANY launched a legal referral and information service (“LRIS”) as a public service primarily to help the general public, and especially the Asian American community. The goals of the LRIS are to provide information and referrals,
to recommend lawyers or other resources to provide competent, ethical legal advice and representation, to educate the public about legal representation and to increase respect for the legal profession.
We are seeking qualified
and experienced lawyers to serve on the panels of lawyers eligible to receive referrals from AABANY’s LRIS.
This is a vital program for AABANY that we anticipate will greatly benefit our panelists and fellow members as
well as the public, and especially the Asian American community. If you would like to apply to be considered for the LRIS panel, please contact joinlris@aabany.org and we will send you an application
form. If you have any questions, please send them to the same address.
We hope you can join us in the launch of this important new AABANY initiative.
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The Year End Report reviews the various events and initiatives undertaken by AABANY to further the interests of APA lawyers and recognizes the accomplishments of its members during the past year. Please click on the image below to read
the report.
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| AABANY’s Issues Committee is pleased to invite you to join the AABANY Community Response Task Force! The Community Response Task Force (CRTF) is AABANY’s answer to the rapidly changing legal landscape and the need for quick, effective, and
coordinated responses to the emergent issues that affect our communities. AABANY is firmly committed to being a strong voice and steadfast advocate on behalf of the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander community. During these challenging times,
we have all been witness to sweeping changes that necessitated powerful legal responses. While there have been some great triumphs, there were often times when it was difficult to obtain information, to find ways to contribute, or to organize
a response quickly enough to be effective.
The CRTF is specifically designed to address these needs. The CRTF will serve as a central clearinghouse for information and coordination – tailoring the alerts sent to each volunteer based on that volunteer’s preferences and the needs of the community. Alerts and actions will range from emergency legal services to direct non-legal service actions and from workshops to rallies.
PLEASE NOTE that the Community Response Task Force form has been updated. Even if you have already filled out the form, we kindly ask that you resubmit your interest here.
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Did you clerk for a judge? Have you served as a court attorney? If so, please fill out our AABANY law clerk/court attorney survey!
The Judiciary Committee has created a clerkship directory to gather information about our members who may be willing to act as future resources and/or ultimately want to become a judge. If you've ever clerked for a judge, please take a minute to fill out this survey and forward to others here. We appreciate your help!
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The New York City Bar Association is offering discounted membership to AABANY members. They will waive your one-time admission fee and give you 20% off your first membership dues payment. Membership dues are dependent on your earliest
year of admission in any state or country. Click here to take advantage of this great deal.
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Interested in future speaking opportunities? Join the confidential AABANY Speakers Bureau if you're open to raising your profile and sharing your expertise. Click here to access the form.
AABANY regularly receives requests from AABANY Committee Chairs and other bar associations for speakers to speak on various legal topics. This form is designed to collect information from our membership and engage those who
are most interested in sharing their knowledge and expertise with various legal audiences.
We respect your privacy. All information disclosed will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Email main@aabany.org if
you have any questions.
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Interested in moving your legal career forward? Launched at the 2013 Fall Conference, the Career Placement Committee seeks to match qualified AABANY members with available legal positions.
The Career Placement Committee Intake
Form is now available. Click here to help us help you. Feel free to also email your resumes and CVs to resume@aabany.org. All information disclosed
will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Career Placement Committee at careers@aabany.org.
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Applications are now being accepted for AABANY’s 2021 Legal Internship Program. Open to college students, law students and law grads, AABANY is looking for a few talented, energetic and motivated interns to help plan and organize AABANY
programs and events, provide research and administrative assistance and perform other tasks and assignments to advance and promote AABANY’s mission. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. For full details and information
on how to apply go to bit.ly/Lgl_Intrn_Details.
Please direct any questions to Executive Director Yang Chen at yang.chen@aabany.org.
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Fellowship announcements can be found on AABANY's website under Career Center, in the sub-menu item "Fellowships." The Innocence Project in New York is now accepting applications for its two year Post Conviction Litigation Fellowships starting in September of 2021. To
see current announcements for Fellowships, click here.
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- March 31: AABANY Co-Sponsors: Unapologetically, YOU. For more information, click here.
- April 2: Weekly AABANY Membership Mixer. For more information, click here.
- April 6: AABANY Co-Sponsors: Fireside Chat with James Johnson. For more information, click here.
- April 8: AABANY Judiciary Committee Meeting. For more information, click here.
- April 8: AABANY Real Estate Committee Presents: The Basics of Title Insurance for Prosecutors and Legal Investigators. For more information, click here.
- April 9: Weekly AABANY Membership Mixer. For more information, click here.
- April 9: AABANY Presents: The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action. For more information, click here.
- April 16: Weekly AABANY Membership Mixer. For more information, click here.
- April 20: AABANY Immigration Law Committee Presents: Immigration Changes Under the Biden Administration: A Look Back and Overview. For more information, click here.
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- March 31: Brooklyn Women's Bar Association Presents: I AM SPEAKING: Being Your Authentic Self. For more information, click here.
- April 14: BWBA Presents: Lunch with a Judge featuring the Hon. Craig Walker Supreme Court Kings County. For more information, click here.
- April 14: Latino Judges Association Presents: Mendez v. Westminster: A Seminal Case Toward Desegregation. For more information, click here.
- April 26: JAMS Presents: ADR Trends 2021 & Increasing Selection of Diverse Neutrals. For more information, click here.
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- Supervisory Trial Attorney (Deputy Chief), Criminal Division, Washington, D.C.
- Attorney Advisor, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, Washington, D.C.
- Assistant Attorney General, Claims Bureau – Medical Malpractice Section, NYC
- Health Care Associate, Nixon Peabody LLP, Location Flexible
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For more information on these listings and other open positions go to the AABANY Career Center. Members must be signed in to have access to the Career Center. Either search by keyword or just hit "Search" at the bottom of the form to see a
complete listing of jobs.
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