Annual Dinner 2018
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Asian American Bar Association of New York Annual Dinner 2018 Serving Our Community, Advancing Our Profession February 28, 2018 Cipriani Wall Street 55 Wall Street Presidents of AABANY 1991 1992-93 1994-96 1996-97 1997-98 Serene K. Nakano Denny Chin Sylvia Fung Chin Ben Q. Limb Glenn Lau-Kee 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 John Flock Paul D.Q. Nguyen Alec Y. Chang David Hom Christopher W. Chan 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Andrew T. Hahn Pui Chi Cheng Lai Sun Yee Vincent T. Chang Yang Chen 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 James P. Chou Robert W. Leung Linda S. Lin Jean Lee Mike F. Huang 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Clara J. Ohr William Wang Susan L. Shin Dwight Yoo James R. Cho 2 Asian American Bar Association of New York Annual Dinner 2018 · 55 Wall Street · February 28, 2018 6 PM Cocktail Reception VIP Cocktail Reception in the Library 7 PM Dinner and Awards Program 9:30 PM After Party Honorees Corporate Women’s Leadership Award Leadership Award Mark A. Steff ensen Kathy H. Chin SEVP and General Counsel Senior Counsel HSBC North America Holdings Inc. Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP Impact Public Award Service Award Hon. Goodwin Liu Alphonso B. David Associate Justice of the Counsel to the Governor, Supreme Court of California State of New York Asian American Bar Association of New York 3 Program Cocktail Reception in the West Ballroom & Mezzanine VIP Cocktail Reception in the Library Welcome Richard Lui Outgoing President’s Speech Dwight Yoo Corporate Leadership Award Mark A. Steffensen Women’s Leadership Award Kathy H. Chin Law Firm Diversity Award Paul Weiss Impact Award Hon. Goodwin Liu Public Service Award Alphonso B. David Don H. Liu Scholars Program Incoming President’s Closing Remarks James R. Cho After-party in the Mezzanine 4 Asian American Bar Association of New York History In 1988, the New York State Judicial AABANY, operating under an interim board Commission on Minorities, headed by noted during its first year, hosted further receptions, African American attorney Franklin Hall including evening social events, as well as a Williams, examined the treatment of minority meeting at Brooklyn Law School at which litigants and court employees. Following Hoyt Zia, then the first President of NAPABA, hearings in New York City on June 29th and spoke. Newly formed committees also sprang 30th of that year, Rockwell Chin approached into action. The Issues Committee, co-chaired by Commissioner Serene K. Nakano to discuss the Rockwell Chin and Marilyn Go, began research need for an organization for Asian American on redistricting, assisted lobbying for bias crimes attorneys. While Chinese and Korean American legislation and spoke out against bias incidents. lawyer associations existed, there had never been The Business Law Committee, co-chaired by an association of Asian American lawyers in Ken Chin and Marilyn Go, established a speaker New York. series of prominent Asian American attorneys. The Events Committee hosted a Fall picnic. Further impetus came when the National Prompted by concerns raised by law students Asian American Bar Association (later called at the picnic, Chin Fong and James Minamoto NAPABA) Planning Committee invited various established a student mentor program, attorneys in New York City to Chicago in presenting a job skills workshop to help law October 1988. A core group, including Rockwell students hone interviewing skills. Chin, Glenn Ikeda, Yat T. Man, Steve Min and Serene K. Nakano, worked to found a formal On January 12, 1991, AABANY held its first association of Asian American lawyers: drafting annual meeting, electing Serene Nakano, Doris organizational documents, reaching out to New Ling-Cohan, Steve Min, Glenn Ikeda and York and nationwide bar groups, and contacting Marilyn Go as officers and Rockwell Chin, other Asian American attorneys. Sylvia Fung Chin, Merlin Liu, Stanley Mark, Qazi Moid and Judge Peter Tom as directors. Announcing AABANY’s incorporation on October 20, 1989, the group invited attorneys Now one of the most prominent and active to an inaugural reception at New York minority bar associations in New York, University Law School on November 9, 1989. AABANY currently has approximately 1,000 Among the speakers were Judge Dorothy Chin members, including practicing attorneys in the Brandt, Judge Randall Eng, Judge Peter Tom, private and public sectors, in-house lawyers, past president of the American Immigration judges, professors and law students. Law Association Benjamin Gim, Professor Sharon Hom, AALDEF Program Director Stanley Mark, and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner Hugh Mo. All of the speakers emphasized the unfulfilled need for AABANY. The reception was a resounding success, with over 180 attorneys and law students attending. Before the meeting concluded, over 60 people had joined AABANY. 5 James R. Cho President-Elect Dear AABANY Members, Friends and Supporters, AABANY’s commitment to training tomorrow’s leaders today Welcome to AABANY’s 2018 Annual Dinner and thank you for your generous support for AABANY. Our theme Justice Liu’s 2017 “Portrait of Asian Americans in the tonight is “Serving Our Community, Advancing Our Law” study found that even though Asian Americans Profession.” Tonight we honor four prominent lawyers have been the fastest growing minority group in the who have made an impact serving our community and legal profession for the past three decades, we have made advancing our profession. Alphonso David, Counsel to the only limited progress in reaching the top ranks of the Governor of New York, has dedicated years to serving the profession, often hitting a bamboo ceiling when it comes public. Kathy Hirata Chin, Senior Counsel at Cadwalader, to leadership positions. Wickersham & Taft LLP, has been a leader in the private sector and tirelessly served the bar and local Asian AABANY recognizes the need to address the under- American community. Mark Steffensen, Senior Executive representation of Asian Americans in leadership positions. Vice President & General Counsel, HSBC North We are excited about a new program we are launching in America Holdings Inc., has been a staunch advocate for March called the “Leadership Development Program.” in-house diversity. Finally, the Honorable Goodwin Liu, Through this program, we will cultivate a select group Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California, has of law firm associates, and help them navigate the law highlighted the challenges Asian American lawyers face firm partnership-selection process. Partners, in-house in the legal profession through his seminal “Portrait attorneys, and business development coaches will mentor Project” research. participants, provide practical insights into the partnership process, help participants refine their “soft skills,” and Consistent with this year’s theme, AABANY intends guide participants in developing a plan for making partner. to focus on two priorities this year – i.e., serving our With your ongoing support, AABANY hopes to expand community and advancing our profession. this leadership development program to address issues facing lawyers in the corporate world and public sector. AABANY’s commitment to pro bono work These are two of the many programs AABANY offers to We believe our members have an obligation to give back to serve our community and advance our profession. the community, and to help the most vulnerable members of the local Asian community. Asians in the City have I would like to thank Dwight Yoo for his unflappable higher rates of poverty than other minority groups, and leadership as AABANY President this past year, and the often lack access to basic legal services. To address this committed staff, Board members, officers, committee problem, AABANY holds a monthly pro bono clinic chairs, members and volunteers for their contributions to in Manhattan where volunteer attorneys and students AABANY. Thank you again for joining us at our Annual provide free legal services to the local Asian community. Dinner and generously supporting AABANY. We are particularly proud of our pro bono clinic. Last year, more than 50 volunteer attorneys and 23 interpreters James R. Cho served more than 300 clients in their native language, President-Elect and donated more than 327 hours of pro bono services. Because of the success of AABANY’s pro bono clinic and with your continuing support, we hope to expand our pro bono services. 6 Asian American Bar Association of New York Dwight Yoo President Dear AABANY Members and Supporters: I believe AABANY is in a much stronger place today compared with where it was in the past, and similarly I feel privileged to have served as President of the Asian will be in an even stronger position next year under the American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) this leadership of James Cho, our incoming President. past year. One of the largest and most active minority state I look forward to working with you on AABANY bar associations, AABANY continues to be a leading voice initiatives in AABANY’s new fi scal year and seeing for Asian Pacifi c Americans (APA) and instrumental in fi rsthand the progress AABANY makes. advocating for and executing positive changes in law fi rms, companies, the judicial branch, government and the public Respectfully, sector, law schools and the broader APA community. I want to say thank you to our talented and driven board of directors, committee chairs and staff . While it has not been easy for me balancing the demands of a law fi rm partner, family life, volunteer commitments and faith with Dwight S. Yoo the demands of this leadership position, your passion and President dedication have consistently inspired me and kept the organization moving forward. AABANY should be proud of the many accomplishments it achieved over the past year, many of which are described in detail in AABANY’s 2017 Year End Report and on its website www.aabany.org. We, however, should be cognizant that there is still work to be done.