AABANY Quarterly Report: May 1, 2020 - August 14, 2020

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, AABANY has continued to offer our programs and services to our members in a virtual setting. In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, AABANY co-hosted the “Fortune 500 General Counsel Panel: Leadership during Crisis” with NAPABA on May 21, where prominent General Counsels discussed their responses to the pandemic and the importance of diversity and inclusion initiatives. On May 28, AABANY also co-sponsored the first-ever virtual trial re-enactment of the Vincent Chin case with Allen & Overy, followed by a panel discussion. However, things changed drastically as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved and continued to spread across the nation, especially for Asian Americans. In addition to confronting the COVID-19 related challenges everyone was facing, Asian Americans were forced to take on the additional challenge of combating the rise of anti-Asian harassment and violence caused by xenophobic rhetoric blaming them for the spread of the virus. Even though AABANY had to cancel all in person events starting in March due to health concerns related to COVID-19, we have been working tirelessly to engage our members with virtual events and fiercely advocating for our community in the fight to push back against the rise in anti-Asian incidents in New York. Our award-winning Pro Bono Clinic shifted to remote operations that have been aided by a strong corp of local APALSA leaders that have worked hard through the summer to get the word out the community about the Remote Pro Bono Clinic along with the many COVID-19 relief resources compiled by AABANY. Furthermore, AABANY expressed its solidarity with the Black community in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. During the challenges and hardships brought on by COVID-19 AABANY reflected the resilience and toughness of New York as it weathered months of New York being the epicenter of the pandemic. Over the course of the phased re-opening, AABANY remained active through its many committees to provide programming that proved meaningful and impactful for its members and the community.

Special Events

May 21, 2020 - In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, AABANY hosted ​ “Fortune 500 General Counsel Panel: Leadership during Crisis” as part of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (“NAPABA”) General Counsel Webinar Series. The event featured a panel of prominent General Counsels covering a wide variety of industries to discuss topics that range from advice to aspiring General Counsels, crisis management with a focus on the response to the pandemic, collaboration with the board and c-suite, demonstrating legal department value from a quantitative and qualitative perspective, leveraging legal technology, enhancing the compliance function, diversity and inclusion initiatives (internally and externally with outside counsel) and maximizing the value that outside counsel brings to companies.

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May 28, 2020 - AABANY co-sponsored a virtual trial re-enactment of the Vincent Chin case ​ with Allen & Overy–the first time a reenactment has been performed virtually via WebEx due to the restrictions of COVID-19. A panel discussion followed the trial re-enactment, featuring: Christine Choy, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary film, “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” and professor at NYU Tisch School of Arts; Emil Guillermo, print and broadcast journalist, and contributor to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s blog; and Jia Lynn Yang, Deputy National Editor at The New York Times and author of One Mighty and ​ ​ ​ Irresistible Tide, which examines the history of immigration in the United States. The discussion ​ was moderated by John Hwang, Partner, and Jiawei Chin, Associate, at Allen & Overy.

CLEs & Committee Meetings

May 20, 2020 - The Judiciary Committee of AABANY and the Public Interest Committee of the ​ South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY) co-hosted a panel on how to become a Magistrate Judge. Recently, the Eastern District of New York announced vacancies for four US Magistrate Judge positions, the first time so many opportunities have been simultaneously available since the positions were created. The webinar provided important information and advice for individuals who might be considering a career as a Magistrate Judge.

2 May 27, 2020 - The Labor & Employment Law Committee of AABANY co-sponsored an event ​ with Littler and Alston & Bird, both Silver-level sponsors of AABANY, addressing safety guidelines for returning to work during the pandemic. The presentation highlighted a variety of topics including re-opening guidelines for different industries, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and various sick leave laws.

June 4, 2020 - AABANY held a virtual introduction meeting for its Pro Bono Legal Advice and ​ Referral Clinic. Since 2015, the Clinic provided in-person consultation to those with legal questions in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens on a walk-in basis or by appointment. Due to COVID-19, these operations have been suspended. In order to continue serving community needs, the Pro Bono Clinic is transitioning to a remote clinic by setting up a telephone hotline for volunteer attorneys to provide legal information and referrals to all individuals.

June 10, 2020 - AABANY hosted a general interest meeting over Zoom to discuss the formation ​ of a Family & Elder Law Committee. AABANY members Beatrice Leong, S. Yan Sin, and May Wong, who all practice matrimonial law, said they proposed creating this committee because they noticed a lack of Asian Americans in the field. Despite AABANY’s history of over 30 years as a bar association, there have been no committees dedicated to matrimonial law, family law or elder law. The Family & Elder Law Committee aims to focus on issues pertaining to divorce, custody, child support, domestic violence, guardianship, estate planning, abuse/neglect, pre- and post-nuptial agreements and a host of other areas. As a committee focused on specific areas of law, the group would be able to provide support to the general membership – and even those who may not be AABANY members – by connecting them with lawyers who specialize in these fields and with other resources. The committee would also serve as a way to raise awareness about these areas of law which are more directly related to helping individuals.

June 24, 2020 - Consilio held a virtual webinar for the 4th Annual APAC Conference, ​ co-sponsored by AABANY. The event was moderated by AABANY member, Mengyi “Jason” Ye and Consilio Director, Brent Stevens. Discussion was led by three panelists, including Farhat Jabeen, Managing Director at Consilio; Geoffrey Sant, Partner at Pillsbury; and Meg Utterbeck, Partner at King and Wood Mallesons. The topics included a ruling prohibiting Chinese companies listed offshore that are under investigation from transferring information offshore in response to United State regulators; cross border balancing test; and discovery constraints and logistics during the pandemic.

June 25, 2020 - AABANY presented a CLE Program on divorce property disputes in the context ​ of COVID-19, featuring panelists from practitioners in matrimonial law and real estate law. The panel outlined influences of the pandemic upon real property disputes in divorce proceedings, and recounted actual cases to demonstrate. Speakers included Margaret Ling, Senior Counsel at

3 Big Apple Abstract Corp. and Co-Chair of the AABANY Real Estate Committee; Derrick Rubin, trial attorney associate at Wisselman, Harounian & Associates; Jerome Wisselman, Managing Partner at Wisselman, Harounian & Associates; and Irene Angelakis, Founding Owner at Law Offices of Irene Angelakis.

June 28, 2020 - AABANY’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee hosted a panel on “How ​ to Woo Clients, Wow Judges, and Win Cases,” discussing professional conduct and standards of civility in the courtroom. The panel was also co-sponsored by the Litigation Committee and Judiciary Committee of AABANY.

June 30, 2020 - AABANY hosted a CLE program on the New York City Climate Mobilization ​ Act’s Impact on Real Estate, featuring prominent industry leaders. The panel outlined the changes imposed by the recently passed Climate Mobilization Act, specifically Local Law 97, and their effects on both tenants and landlords. Speakers included Margaret Ling, Senior Counsel at Big Apple Abstract Corp. and Co-Chair of the AABANY Real Estate Committee; Amol Pachnanda, Partner at Ingram Yuzek LLP and Co-Chair of the AABANY Real Estate Committee; and Terri Gumula, President of MMDC Group, LLC.

July 10, 2020 - AABANY co-sponsored a CLE Program on anti-Asian racism and ​ discrimination in the workplace in the COVID-19 era. The panel focused on how COVID-19 is causing an increase in anti-Asian sentiment and detailed the current state of workplace discrimination laws. Speakers included Helen Park, Counsel at Cozen O’Connor, and William Li, Principal and Founder of William K. Li Law PLLC. The program was moderated by Yoojin DeNiro, Co-Chair of the AABANY Labor & Employment Law Committee.

July 23, 2020 - AABANY’s Real Estate Committee presented a CLE Program on real estate ​ closings in the COVID-19 era. The panel focused on how the real estate market is adapting to COVID-19 through new rules and practices and detailed the current state of property transactions. Speakers included Jason Wang, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson at COMPASS, Wendy Yu, Counsel at Yu Law, and Jane Chen, Associate at Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP. The program was moderated by Margaret Ling, co-chair of the committee and Senior Counsel at Big Apple Abstract Corporation.

July 28, 2020 - AABANY hosted a CLE event addressing diversity, inclusion, and equity in the ​ workplace and beyond. Moderated by Margaret Ling, Director of Development and Co-Chair of the Real Estate Committee at AABANY, the panel featured: William H. Ng, Shareholder at Littler Mendelson and former Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Committee of AABANY; Donna Dozier Gordon, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at USTA; Asker A. Saeed, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Principal at Saeed Consulting; Sean Bacchus,

4 CEO and Founder of the Executive Diversity and Inclusion Council; and Prof. Meredith R. Miller, President of the Network of Bar Leaders.

Networking

Membership Committee Mixers AABANY’s Membership Committee continued to host their weekly Zoom Membership Mixers on Fridays: May 1, May 8, May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12, June 19, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31, August 7, and August 14, 2020.

The Membership Committee also hosted special mixers, including a Trivia Night, AABANY Zoom Talent Show, Show & Tell, Joint Mixer with the Korean American Lawyers of Greater New York (KALAGNY), and Meet and Greet with President-Elect Terry Shen.

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June 27, 2020 - AABANY’s Intellectual Property Committee kicked off the season with our first ​ ever Zoom mixer. The session started off with some TV and movie-based Rebus puzzles, which were easily crushed by the codebreaking attendees. There will be more challenging games to come. We followed with learning a bit about each other and finding out what people have literally been cooking with more time at home. Fun ideas and plans for future events and activities were discussed, so there will be more to come this year in the form of intro to IP sessions, career track discussions, case study discussions and ways to provide practical knowledge to artists, creators and inventors in New York City.

July 15, 2020 - AABANY’s Asia Practice Committee (APC) hosted their first event of the year, ​ with around 20 participants attending a virtual happy hour. Attendees dialed in from across the country, with co-chair Jian Wu calling in from Beijing. He served as host together with co-chair Conlyn Chan and Vice Chair Wen Zhang. Participants were polled about their motivations to ​ attend APC events and what future content they would like to see. Guided by feedback, APC will look into hosting talks with Fortune 500 executives, general counsels, and law firm partners.

6 Additionally, over the course of the next year, there are plans for events related to China-US business relations, COVID-19 impacts and solutions, and those that expand social networking opportunities for New York-based Asian Americans.

Student Outreach

June 15, 2020 - The Student Outreach Committee of AABANY hosted a webinar discussing ​ how to succeed in virtual summer programs. Moderated by James Cho, an Assistant United States Attorney with the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn and past president of AABANY, the panel featured: Luna Barrington, Partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; Jeeho Lee, Hiring Partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP; Andrew T. Hahn, Sr., General Counsel at Hawkins, Delafield & Wood; and Irene Han, Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan Chase.

Community Outreach and COVID-19 Related Activities

Remote Pro Bono Clinic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the walk-in Pro Bono Clinics have been suspended until further notice. However, the Pro Bono Clinic remains in operation, in a remote capacity. Student volunteers from the Asian Pacific American Law Student Associations (“APALSAs”) of NYU, Brooklyn Law, Cardozo, Columbia, CUNY Law, Hofstra, New York Law School, St. John’s, Fordham, Cornell, and Harvard have been working hard through the summer to promote the clinic and AABANY’s compilation of COVID-19 related resources via social media and email through their networks and community contacts.

May 13, 2020 - AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee hosted the webinar, ​ “Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” This event addressed the increase in violent incidents against the Asian American community, and the relevant State and Federal laws for victims and witnesses of these hate crimes who seek to report them. LINK: https://youtu.be/6CZrC4lu8J0 ​

May 16, 2020 - AABANY hosted its “Mandarin and Cantonese Community Webinar on ​ Anti-Asian Violence,” part of a broader series aimed at addressing the rise in anti-Asian violence in light of COVID-19. The events focused on briefing individuals on how to defend themselves if an incident were to occur and also discussed relevant state laws that protect victims. The

7 Mandarin webinar aired from 2:00-3:00 PM and the Cantonese webinar aired from 3:00-4:00 PM. LINK: https://youtu.be/7Os4SWxotZw ​ https://youtu.be/T5t13Bb9DuE

May 17, 2020 - AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service Committee hosted the Korean ​ version of its webinar series, “Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The presentation addressed the increase in violent incidents against Asians in the community and included a discussion of the rights that victims and bystanders have when a racially motivated confrontation occurs, as well as what actions rise to the level of a prosecutable offense. LINK: https://youtu.be/nuL27g-q9JQ ​

May 28, 2020 - AABANY co-sponsored “COVID-19: Relief for Small Businesses Webinar ​ Series Part 2” as part of a series dedicated to helping small businesses mitigate financial losses in light of COVID-19. The presentation discussed the various economic relief packages passed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), including the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), as well as how Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the Small Business Reorganization Act can help small businesses ensure long-term financial stability. The webinar featured William Hao, Counsel at Alston & Bird with extensive experience in bankruptcy, litigation, and out-of-court restructuring, and AABANY Treasurer. The presentation was moderated by William K. Lee, an associate at Alston & Bird LLP and AABANY member.

June 16, 2020 - AABANY published a flyer with a comprehensive list of digital resources for ​ those seeking legal relief arising out of COVID-19 related issues. The flyer provides links for resources in multiple areas, including Small Business Labor and Employment, Restructuring and Bankruptcy, and other pages listing more general information, such as knowing your rights if you encounter anti-Asian racism or harassment and frequently asked questions. Many of the resources are available in other languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Japanese.

June 23, 2020 - AABANY presented its Small Business Navigation of COVID-19: A Briefing ​ on Relief and Remedies panel as a part of AABANY’s wider initiative to provide support for those adversely affected by COVID-19. The event highlighted professionals working in a variety of fields and addressed concerns regarding how to safely open up and potential next steps for small businesses.

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July 3, 2020 - AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee launched a flyering ​ campaign to promote the new Remote Pro Bono Legal Clinic in Chinatown and Koreatown. The event was organized by William Lee, Associate at Alston & Bird and an active member of the Pro Bono Committee. The goal of the campaign was to ensure that Asian American small businesses had access to the Pro Bono Clinic’s various resources during this time of great need. Many law students from local APALSAs, including Fordham, Cardozo, and Columbia, volunteered at the start of the 4th of July holiday weekend to assist in distributing the flyers to local businesses.

July 26, 2020 - The COVID Rent Relief Program (“RRP”) held by Community Land Trust ​ (“CLT”) and AABANY held an application drive in Chinatown. During the term of outreach, the program received over 125 voicemails and online form submissions. On the day of the drive, 25 volunteers aided over 100 walk-in applicants who had been screened for qualification.

Advocacy

May 4, 2020 - AABANY, along with NAPABA and many other bar associations, signed onto a ​ statement of support for Congressional resolutions opposing anti-Asian sentiment related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has been the target of increasing acts of bias, racism, and xenophobia in connection with the coronavirus. AABANY

9 firmly stands against racism and discrimination and is proud to support efforts to address the experiences our community may face with these issues.

June 3, 2020 - AABANY issued a formal statement to express solidarity with the peaceful ​ protestors decrying the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. As an association of legal professionals committed to advancing racial equality and civil rights as well as promoting diversity, inclusion and the elimination of bias, we recognize that when the justice system fails to protect the civil liberties and human rights of African Americans, everyone suffers. AABANY’s theme this year, “Stronger Together: Unity in Diversity,” could not be more relevant as we stand in solidarity with the Black community to raise our voices against injustice. We support the peaceful expressions of outrage and grief displayed during the protests in New York City and across the country, and we join in the calls for immediate change and reform in our laws.

June 16, 2020 - The LGBT Committee of AABANY hosted a panel discussion addressing the ​ importance of Asian-Black solidarity. The panel featured: Jennifer Ching, Executive Director at North Star Fund and former Project Director of the Queens Legal Services (LSNYC) and Director of New York Appleseed; Jin Hee Lee, Senior Deputy Director of Litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; Jason Wu, Attorney at the Legal Aid Society and Political Chair for GAPIMNY; and Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director at the Asian American Federation.

June 19, 2020 - AABANY commemorated Juneteenth, the unofficial holiday marking the ​ declaration of legal freedom for African Americans from slavery. On June 19, 1865, news of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued over two and a half years prior, finally reached African Americans in Texas, which was then the outermost reaches of the Confederacy. Since then, Juneteenth has been dedicated to honoring the bravery and history of African Americans, who continue to fight for social, political, and economic equality. As Asian Americans continue to struggle alongside African Americans to assert common voices for equality and civil rights, we build bridges that bring our two communities together in the shared fight towards greater equity. AABANY celebrates Juneteenth in the spirit of our theme this year: “Stronger Together: Unity in Diversity.” Along with an official statement, AABANY also published a list of resources for members to use to continue learning about and uplifting Black voices and stories.

Honors and Recognitions

10 May 18, 2020 - AABANY congratulated Won S. Shin, AABANY Board Director, on his recent ​ promotion from an Assistant United States Attorney to Chief of Appeals at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York.

June 26, 2020 - AABANY congratulated Ting S. Chen of Cravath, Swaine, & Moore, Jeffery ​ Mok of Fish & Richardson P.C., and Ji Hye You of Schulte Roth & Zabel, who won the coveted New York Law Journal’s 2020 Rising Stars category. This award recognizes the region’s most promising lawyers who are no older than 40 by the submission date. AABANY is proud to announce that three of the twenty seven recipients are members. Ting leads AABANY’s Corporate Law Committee as Co-Chair and Jeff leads AABANY’s Intellectual Property Committee as Co-Chair.

July 28, 2020 - AABANY’s Immediate Past President Brian Song and President Sapna Palla ​ were included in the 2020 Power List of the 100 Most Influential Asian Americans in New York Politics & Policy, released by City & State. Song and Palla are jointly recognized as 52nd on the list.

AABANY In the News

May 18, 2020 - AABANY member and immigration attorney Tsui Yee was quoted in an NPR ​ story by Alina Selyukh entitled “Will Filing For Unemployment Hurt My Green Card? Legal Immigrants Are Afraid.” As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread and leave millions of people jobless, legal immigrants working and paying taxes in the US fear that applying for unemployment might jeopardize their immigration cases. Tsui noted that even though these individuals are eligible to collect unemployment, many chose not to out of fear that doing so will somehow trigger a red flag with immigration services.

May 21, 2020 - The Global Investigations Review published an article co-authored by AABANY ​ ​ ​ Asia Practice Committee Co-Chair Jian Wu. The article is titled “Why Anti-bribery Enforcement Scrutiny in China Is Here to Stay.” The article discusses how the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are increasingly enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) against US public companies with operations in China.

May 28, 2020 - Pro Bono and Community Service Committee co-chair Karen Lin was published ​ in the Historical Society of the New York Courts blog. In her article, she writes about why she celebrates Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month and her experience defining what it means to be “Asian American.”

11 June 19, 2020 - USA Today published an Op-Ed written by Ryan D. Budhu, a member of the ​ Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and past president of the South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY). In the article, Budhu recounts his personal experience with police brutality, when his brother died in the custody of the NYPD. He also reflects on this tragedy in relation to the death of George Floyd, and the need for allyship between South Asian and Black communities. He writes: “I have a duty to listen to and help address inequities, especially those that affect Black lives within the circles that I occupy.”

July 8, 2020 - Over 100 jurists of color across New York, including 13 Queens judges of color, ​ have added their names to a statewide letter affirming their commitment to equal justice and treatment under the law. Of the 13 Queens judges, six are members of AABANY: Hon. Karen Gopee, Hon. Wyatt Gibbons, Hon. Phillip Hom, Hon. Dean Kusakabe, Hon. John Lansden, and Hon. Toko Serita.

August 11, 2020 - AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen was quoted by Albany Law School ​ in a newsletter sent out to admitted students, on the topic of why law students should get involved in bar associations. From the article:

“This is the easiest way to build a strong network very early in your career. It’s something that you wouldn’t be able to get in law school alone,” Chen said. “The connections you make in law school are one level, but to connect meaningfully with actual practicing lawyers—there is no better way to do that than by becoming a member of a bar association.”

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