NEW YORK –September 22, 2023. The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) applauds the historic appointment of Justice Phillip Hom as an Associate Justice to the Appellate Term of the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Districts. The Appellate Term is an intermediate appellate court that hears appeals from the New York City Civil Court, New York City Criminal Courts and Housing Courts. The Appellate Term for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts covers Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
Justice Phillip Hom will be the first Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) jurist to sit on this Appellate Term. This accomplishment is another milestone for the AAPI legal community and is another positive step towards advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on the New York bench.
AABANY had another successful Fall Conference on Saturday, September 23, at Fordham Law School. We plan to feature a fuller recap on our blog soon, but in the meantime, we wanted to thank everyone who made it a success: All the attendees, speakers, program organizers, sponsors, and volunteers that were in attendance. We are especially grateful to the Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham for their co-sponsorship as well as NAPIPA (National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association) for hosting their fourth annual National Conference at the Fall Conference. They contributed a slot of programming on various topics, including hate crimes prosecution, pathways to the judiciary, mental health and the criminal justice system, and perspectives on appellate practice. They also presented the plenary lunch session which featured four trailblazing District Attorneys: DA Alvin Bragg (Manhattan), DA Darcel Clark (Bronx), DA Eric Gonzalez (Brooklyn), and DA Thien Ho (Sacramento). (See photo above from the plenary session.)
We also congratulate this year's Norman Lau Kee Trailblazer Award, James S. Lin, presented at the NAPIPA Scholarship Banquet in Chinatown, following the Fall Conference. Read the full press release about the Fall Conference here. Thanks to Co-VP of Programs and Operations, Jeff Mok, for leading the charge this year as Chair of the Fall Conference Planning Committee. If you have any comments or feedback to share, please send them to fall.conference@aabany.org.
Immigration Law Committee is calling for attorneys with asylum experience (affirmative and defensive asylum applications).
We recently encountered many individuals from AABANY’s pro bono clinic held during Immigrant Resource Day on July 15 who need urgent legal assistance on their asylum applications. We are calling for any attorneys with such experience to compile a referral list for those who are willing and capable of providing consultations, services, either on a pro bono basis or through paid representation, for client referral or future workshops.
Please join us and distinguished speakers for a Bring-Your-Own-Lunch (BYOL) Sidebar Meeting to discuss updates on the law, common issues asked at the pro bono clinics, and other miscellaneous topics.
Potential dates - Subject to change, so please sign up for any updates.
September 28, 2023 October 12, 2023 November 16, 2023 December 14, 2023 Time - 1pm - 2pm
Location - Zoom and link to be provided at least one day before the luncheon.
If you are interested in joining us, please sign up here.
If you are interested in volunteering at the monthly PBCS pro bono clinics, please visit and sign up here.
If you are interested in speaking at the Thursdays' BYOL Sidebar meetings, please contact us at probono@aabany.org.
When: 10/03/2023, 6:30 PM Where: Littler Mendelson P.C., 900 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Serving as an AABANY Officer or Board member is a great way to give back to the profession and help make an impact on both the AAPI legal community and community as a whole, while also expanding your support group.
If you are interested in becoming an AABANY Officer or Board member, join us at AABANY's Info Session on October 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., hosted by long-time AABANY Sponsor, Littler.
Current Officers and Board members will share about their roles and responsibilities and how they support AABANY in furthering its mission. Members of the Nominations Committee will answer questions on the elections process as well.
This is a great opportunity to meet with AABANY leadership and we look forward to seeing you at the Info Session!
Click on the image below to register. The deadline for registration is September 29th. Please indicate in the RSVP comments if you plan to attend via Zoom or in-person when you register.
When: 10/4/2023: 6:00 - 7:30 PM Where: Virtual Event (Link will be provided to attendees before the program)
The Government Service & Public Interest (GSPI) and Student Outreach (SOC) committees of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) excitedly present a Panel on Careers in Landlord and Tenant Law in New York City.
New York City’s Right to Counsel/Universal Access to Counsel law provides tenants facing eviction in Housing Court access to free legal representation and advice. This groundbreaking, first-in-nation law/program is targeted to create a level playing field for tenants facing eviction. It has also expanded opportunities for law students and lawyers in Landlord and Tenant law. Please join us for a dynamic discussion about careers in Landlord and Tenant law in New York City. Experts will share their experience in the field, their career pathway and more. Join us to learn about job and internship opportunities at various organizations and tips to ensure success in securing a position.
To register by October 2, click on the image below.
When: Saturday, October 7, 2023 Where: Pingpod, 42 Allen St., New York
The Solo and Small Firm Practice, Young Lawyers, and Immigration Law Committees present the Ping Pong Social. No experience or ping pong paddles needed. Light refreshment will be provided.
The venue is capped to 30 people. Spots will be given first-come-first-serve. Cost (per person): $10.
Upfront Ticket Purchase is at $20. Refunds will be given to all attendees after the event to bring the price down to $10 per person.
When: 10/14/2023, 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm Where: Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc. 4101 8th Avenue, 4th Floor Brooklyn, New York 11232
We are seeking attorneys and non-attorneys to assist limited English proficient (LEP) clients who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and/or Korean in their legal matters. Please sign up to volunteer (as attorney, language interpreter and/or administrative help) at these pro bono clinics. Spaces are limited.
All volunteers must be AABANY members for professional liability coverage purposes. Volunteers may sign up here to become an AABANY member.
Date and Time of Clinic: October 14, 2023 and December 2, 2023, from 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Brooklyn Location - Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc.
4101 8th Avenue, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Time commitment for each clinic - 12:00pm - 3:30pm [it's preferable that you stay the entire session given limited spaces].
All volunteers must arrive at the clinics by 12pm for orientation and lunch! More details to follow after you have confirmed attendance.
If you can't make it in person, but would like to volunteer remotely through zoom, please contact PBCS at probono@aabany.org.
When: Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 6:30PM-8:30PM Where: AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, New York, NY
We are seeking attorneys and non-attorneys to assist limited English proficient (LEP) clients who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and/or Korean in their legal matters. Please sign up to volunteer (as attorney, language interpreter and/or administrative help) at these pro bono clinics. Spaces are limited.
All volunteers must be AABANY members for professional liability coverage purposes. Volunteers may sign up here to become an AABANY member.
Date and Time of Clinic: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month
Manhattan Location - AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002
Time commitment for each clinic - 6:00pm - 8:30pm [it's preferable that you stay the entire session given limited spaces]
All volunteers must arrive at the clinics by 6pm for orientation and dinner! More details to follow after you are confirmed attendance.
On September 6th, 2023, AABANY held its Queens Pro Bono Legal Clinic at the AAFE One Flushing Community Center. The clinic met with 31 clients, coming in with questions about housing, immigration, family law, and civil litigation. Volunteer attorneys and interpreters patiently addressed client concerns, answering questions and connecting them to lawyers through AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS). We are extremely grateful to have volunteers willing to start early at 6pm and stay beyond 8:30pm to finish speaking with the clients.
One of the benefits of being an AABANY member is that you get a FREE Affiliate Membership to NAPABA. The code for 2023 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.
AABANY, in partnership with the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), is pleased to announce the Turning the Tide (T3) Project. Following the February 10, 2021 publication of AABANY and Paul, Weiss’ report, A Rising Tide of Hate
and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions, AABANY established an Anti-Asian Violence Task Force to advance the proposals outlined in the report and consider other solutions to
address the surge of anti-Asian hate and violence in the community. The Task Force advances the T3 project, which aims to incorporate a three-pronged approach encompassing education and communication, advocacy, and research, to address
anti-Asian hate and violence.
Please stand together with AABANY and AALFNY in turning the tide against anti-Asian hate and violence. We are now accepting donations to support the T3 Project. Donations can be made to AALFNY
and will be tax deductible to the extent permitted by applicable law.
For more details about the T3 Project, please clickhere.
In Fall 2020, 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.
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.
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!
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.
Applications are now being accepted for AABANY’s 2023 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 please click here.
Please direct any questions to Executive Director Yang Chen at yang.chen@aabany.org.
September 27: AABANY Co-Sponsors: Advice and Tips for 1Ls. For more information, click here.
September 27: AABANY Co-Sponsors: Court of Appeals Bench and Bar Bash. For more information, click here.
September 27: NAPABA Presents: Webinar | Controlling College Curricula. For more information, click here.
September 28: PBCS Presents: Thursdays’ BYOL Sidebar Meetings. For more information, click here.
September 29: AABANY Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee Presents: Cybersecurity for Small Law Firms. For more information, and to register by 09/27, click here.
October 3: AABANY Info Session: Find Out about Officer and Board Positions and the Election Process. For more information, and to register by September 29, click here.
October 4: GSPI and SOC Committees Present: A Panel on Careers in Landlord-Tenant Law. For more information, and to register by October 2, click here.
October 7: Solo & Small Firm Practice, Young Lawyers, & Immigration Law Committees present the Ping Pong Social. For more information, and to register by October 5, click here.
October 14: AABANY Presents: Bi-Monthly Pro Bono Clinic in Brooklyn. For more information, click here.
October 17: AABANY Membership & Solo & Small Firm Practice Committees' CLE: How to Start Your Own Law Firm. For more information, and to register by October 15, click here.
October 18: AABANY Presents: Monthly Pro Bono Clinic in Manhattan. For more information, click here.
October 19: AABANY Presents: Third Annual Founders' Day Event. For more information, click here.
October 21: NAPABA Presents: Our Democracy: Then and Now - The 40th Anniversary of the Coram Nobis Cases. For more information, click here.
Racial Justice Center Assistant Director, New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation, New York, NY
Investigative Law Unit Attorney, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Washington, District of Columbia
Law Student Volunteer, Academic Year, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Minnesota
CLC Attorney, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), San Diego, CA
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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