Spring 2011 - Washington, DC - APABA-DC

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3
President’s Le,er
I h ave b e e n pondering how l u c k y a n d privileged we a r e t o b e lawyers in the Wa s h i n g t o n , D.C. area. As lawyers, we are privileged to be well-­‐educated and well-­‐posi>oned to make a difference in the communi>es in which we live. Indeed, part of APABA-­‐DC’s mission is to “[p]romote the involvement of our members in the community-­‐at-­‐
large by providing opportuni>es for community service, opportuni>es for leadership, and by encouraging coopera>on with and between o t h e r b a r a n d c o m m u n i t y organiza>ons.” Given this mission, I thought I’d share a few examples of what APABA-­‐DC and its members have done over the past year to make a difference. • Volunteer at the DC Bar Pro Bono Advice and Referral Clinic. APABA-­‐DC staffs this clinic twice each year at Bread for the City. Volunteer aOorneys counsel clients on a variety of issues, ranging from landlord-­‐tenant issues, debt collec>on, welfare benefits and family law. The next two clinics are s c h ed u l ed fo r J u n e 1 1 a n d December 10. SPRING 2011
• Volunteer at the DC Bar Pro B o n o P r o g r a m ’s Q u a r t e r l y Immigra>on Clinic. APABA-­‐DC began staffing this clinic in March. During this clinic, APABA-­‐DC members provide free legal advice regarding immigra>on/asylum issues to foreign language-­‐speaking District residents. There will be f u t u r e c l i n i c s o n J u n e 4 , September 17 and December 3.
• Volunteer for the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC). In 1998, APABA-­‐DC, in conjunc>on with the APABA Educa>onal Fund (our charitable affiliate), the Indian American Bar Associa>on, and D.C. area Asian Pacific American law school student organiza>ons, created APALRC. The APALRC was the first telephone hotline service that fo c u s e d o n a d d r e s s i n g t h e individual legal needs of Asian Pacific Americans residing in the D.C. area. Today, APABA-­‐DC members con>nue to support these advocacy efforts and provide pro bono services to local Asian Pacific Americans who cannot afford legal assistance, or who, because of language barriers, cannot access the U.S. jus>ce system. Most recently, APABA-­‐DC itself, along with various Board m e m b e r s m a k i n g p e r s o n a l contribu>ons, donated over $5,000 to APALRC’s latest fundraiser. For more informa>on about APALRC, visit www.apalrc.org
• Donate to the APABA-­‐DC Holiday Book Drive. Each year, APABA-­‐DC organizes a holiday book drive to benefit the Vietnamese American Community Service C e n t e r ( VA C S C ) a n d A s i a n American LEAD (AALEAD). This past season, we distributed over 180 books to children ages 5-­‐18 involved with the VACSC and A A L EA D. T h e VAC S C a s s i st s Vietnamese Americans in the D.C. area with integra>ng into American society without sacrificing their cultural heritage and iden>ty, and p r o m o t e s f r i e n d s h i p a n d u n d e rsta n d i n g b et we e n t h e Vietnamese American and the local communi>es. AALEAD seeks to promote the well-­‐being of Asian American youth and families through educa>on, leadership development, and community-­‐
building.
• Pa r t n e rs h i ps w i t h O t h e r Community Organiza>ons. Most recently, APABA-­‐DC was part of the Capital Hearts for Japan coali>on, a coali>on of thirty Washington, D.C.-­‐
based organiza>ons led by the Conference of Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) that organized the Japanese Earthquake Disaster Relief Fundraiser at the Park. APABA-­‐DC helped promote the event to its members and members also volunteered during the fundraiser. The fundraiser raised nearly $16,000 for children affected by the earthquake and Story con1nues on page 9 . . .
Page 1
Volume 4, Issue 3
2010-­‐2011 Board of Directors
Tacie Yoon
Immediate Past President
Christopher Y. Chan
VP, Community Affairs
Crowell & Moring LLP
Finnegan
VP, Educa>on
Priya Nair
VP, Membership
Lana Jeng
VP, Programs
U.S. Department of JusHce
Bureau of NaHonal Affairs, Inc.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Stephanie Yu
Secretary &
Newsle;er Editor
Chris=na Brito
Government A;orneys Forum
Frances Chang
Government A;orneys Forum
U.S. Environmental ProtecHon Agency
D.C. Court of Appeals
U.S. Department of JusHce
Benjamin Roca
In-­‐House Counsel Commi;ee
Ankur Shah
In-­‐House Counsel Commi;ee
Phong Nguyen
Nomina>ons Commi;ee
Northrup Grumman
Freddie Mac
Baker Hostetler
NaHonal Labor RelaHons Board
Linda Liu Kordziel
Partners Forum
Lei Mei
Partners Forum
Cathy Chen
PAR Commi;ee
Taron Murakami
PAR Commi;ee
Fish & Richardson, P.C.
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
Seyfarth Shaw, LLP
Mei & Mark LLP
David Hsu
President
Rudhir Patel
President-­‐Elect
U.S. SecuriHes & Exchange Commission
Fish & Richardson, P.C.
Mia Haessly
VP, Communica>ons
Miller & Chevalier
AnneGe Kwok
Treasurer
KaMen Muchin Rosenman LLP
Anh-­‐Thu Mai-­‐Windle
Tessie Abraham
Women’s Forum
Mariel Lim
Women’s Forum
Office of Congressman Terry Lee
Office of Congressman Albio Sires
Peter Sung Ohr
Nomina>ons Commi;ee
Ada Loo AEF President (ex oficio)
The Boeing Company
2010-­‐2011 Assistant Vice Presidents
Dennis Tsang
Communica>ons/
Webmaster
CUNA
Jane Yi
Community Affairs
Eunice Chung
Educa>on
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
Helen Y. Lee
Membership
Jennifer Hwa
Programs
Paul, HasHngs, Janofsky & Walker LLP
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Institutional affiliations are provided for identification purposes only.
Page 2 Volume 4, Issue 3
APABA-­‐DC Members AdmiGed to U.S. Supreme Court Bar
APABA-­‐DC inaugurated its a n n u a l U . S . S u p r e m e C o u r t Admissions Ceremony on Monday, January 24, 2011. Twenty-­‐two APABA-­‐DC members and affiliate m e m b e r s o f N A PA B A f r o m Pennsylvania and Texas stood before eight of the nine jus>ces of the Supreme Court. Aner the Court issued three decisions, APABA-­‐DC Vice President for Educa>on, Anh-­‐
Thu P. Mai-­‐Windle, moved for the applicants’ admission. Supreme Court Chief Jus=ce John Roberts a d m i n i s t e r e d t h e o a t h a n d welcomed the new admiOees to the bar of the highest court in the na>on. Applicants sworn in were members of the Bars of the states of California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, and the District of Columbia, and were found to possess the necessary qualifica>ons for admission. The same day, two APABA-­‐DC members were also admiOed to the Supreme Court by wriOen mo>on. APABA-­‐DC congratulates the following aOorneys newly admiOed to t h e U. S . S u p re m e C o u r t : Christopher Chan, Tony Chan, Suzan Chau, Paramita Ghosh, Christopher Hale, David Hsu, Janelle Hu, Jennifer Hwa, James Kim, AnneGe Kwok, Jason Lee, Sophia Lee, Ada Loo, Rosy Lor, Lisa K. Man, Grace Manno, Phong Nguyen, Sandra Paik, Rosa A. Shirley, Kelu Sullivan, Stella Tsai, and Tacie Yoon. In addi>on, Kris Ikejiri and Jennifer Lee were admiOed by wriOen mo>on.
The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the na>on for all cases and controversies arising under the U.S. Cons>tu>on or the laws of the United States. The Court serves as the final arbiter of the law Page 3 photo courtesy of Anh-­‐Thu P. Mai-­‐Windle
Twenty-­‐two APABA-­‐DC members and NAPABA affiliate members from Pennsylvania and Texas were admiMed to the U.S. Supreme Court as part of APABA-­‐DC’s inaugural U.S. Supreme Court Admissions Ceremony on January 24, 2011.
and guardian of cons>tu>onal liber>es. The Admissions Ceremony was as memorable, impressive, and inspiring as the Court and its history. To commemorate the occasion, members convened in the Supreme Court Lawyers Lounge prior to the ceremony to socialize and network with one another. Supreme Court Clerk, General William Suter, provided introductory remarks and welcomed the group. The new admiOees and guests were able to visit the Supreme Court exhibits and building and sit for a special lecture on the history of the Supreme Court following the ceremony. The next APABA-­‐DC U.S. Supreme Court Admissions Ceremony is scheduled to take place in November 2012.
— Anh-­‐Thu P. Mai-­‐Windle Volume 4, Issue 3
In-­‐House Counsel CommiGee Kicks Off “Leaders Among Us” Dinner Series
photo courtesy of Ankur Shah
The In-­‐House Counsel CommiMee inaugurated its “Leaders Among Us” dinner series in March. In aMendance were Anya Kyong of Freddie Mac, Audrey Jean of Discovery CommunicaHons, and Cur;s Lu of LightSquared (lea to right). Mr. Lu also served as the event’s featured speaker.
On March 2, APABA-­‐DC held the kick-­‐off event for its new “Leaders Among Us” dinner series for in-­‐house counsel. It was held at a Korean restaurant, Woo Lae Oak, in Tysons Corner. Approximately 35 aOorneys, mostly in-­‐house counsel, aOended the event and enjoyed a fun evening that included a networking recep>on followed by a tradi>onal mul>-­‐
course Korean dinner and a very interes>ng dinner speaker.
Cur=s Lu, the General Counsel of LightSquared in Reston, was the featured speaker. He shared his thoughts and experiences in becoming a partner at Latham and Watkins to taking on leading roles in the large legal departments of AOL, Fannie Mae and Time Warner. He contrasted that with the unique challenges of his current role as general counsel for a small Page 4 c o m p a n y i n t h e w i r e l e s s broadband field. In his capacity as Board Chair for the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, he encouraged the assembled group to support that organiza>on in its ongoing effort to help those with legal needs in the Asian Pacific American community in the Washington area, par>cularly focusing on those with low-­‐income or limited English language proficiency.
Also providing remarks were Ankur Shah, co-­‐chair of the In-­‐
House CommiOee, as well as fellow A PA B A -­‐ D C b o a r d m e m b e r s Christopher Chan from Finnegan and Phong Nguyen from Baker Hostetler.
The event was organized by the APABA-­‐DC In-­‐House Counsel CommiOee and was sponsored by the law firms of Finnegan and Baker Hostetler. The next dinner in this series is planned for May 16 in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The crea>on of the “Leaders Among Us” in-­‐house counsel dinner series is part of a concerted effort by APABA-­‐DC to engage the Asian Pacific American in-­‐house c o u n s e l c o m m u n i t y i n t h e Washington, D.C. area and to provide opportuni>es for in-­‐house counsel to meet others who are similarly situated, to network and t o b u i l d r e l a > o n s h i p s a n d friendships. If you are interested in learning more about the “Leaders Among Us” in-­‐house counsel dinner series and other in-­‐house counsel focused events, or if your firm may be interested in becoming a sponsor for a future event, please contact Ankur Shah or Ben Roca by e-­‐mail at in-­‐house@apaba-­‐dc.org.
— Ankur Shah
Sushi Making Class for APABA-­‐DC Members at Kaz Sushi Bistro
For the second year in a row, APABA-­‐DC hosted a sushi making class and lunch at Kaz Sushi Bistro located in downtown D.C. On Saturday, March 26, 2011, fourteen APABA-­‐DC members and one guest gathered at the restaurant to learn Chef Kaz’s secrets to making his delectable sushi. AOendees enjoyed the casual environment to not only learn the ins and outs of sushi making but to socialize amongst each other, with some people compe>ng against each other to see who could make the best rolls. Everyone enjoyed ea>ng the fruits of their labor, no maOer the shape, or size of their sushi rolls. Volume 4, Issue 3
Government AGorneys Forum and the Federal Communica=ons Bar Associa=on Present “Exploring Government Careers” Panel
On March 3, 2011, APABA-­‐DC’s Government AOorneys Forum and the Federal Communica>ons Bar Associa>on presented a five-­‐
p e r s o n p a n e l o n e x p l o r i n g government careers. The panel included Norman Bay of the F e d e r a l E n e r g y R e g u l a t o r y Commission, Avis Buchanan of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, Joan Geller of the U.S. Department of Jus>ce, Zenji Nakazawa of the Federal Communica>ons Commission, and Lieutenant Amy Sung of the United States Coast Guard. The event was held at the DC Historic Courthouse, where approximately seventy people were in aOendance. Government AOorneys Forum co-­‐chair Chris=na Brito introduced District of Columbia Court of Appeals Associate Judge Anna Blackburne-­‐Rigsby, who welcomed the audience and panel speakers to the career forum. In her remarks, Judge Blackburne-­‐Rigsby reminded the audience to take pride in their roles as government aOorneys, and the importance of their work for the public.
Following Judge Blackburne-­‐
Rigsby ’s welcoming remarks, Government AOorneys Forum co-­‐
chair Frances Chang started the panel presenta>on por>on of the evening by asking each panelist to introduce his/her agency and describe his/her responsibili>es within the agency, describe the responsibili>es of aOorneys at the agency, and set out any specific skills and experiences the agency l o o k s f o r w h e n h i r i n g aOorneys. Certain skills and quali>es were deemed desirable across the board. For example, all p a n e l i s t s m e n > o n e d s t ro n g analy>cal skills, effec>ve wri>ng, team play, and sound judgment as universally desirable quali>es for candidates. In addi>on, three panelists men>oned prior li>ga>on experience and passion for one's work as other key factors. The panelists also addressed some prac>cal concerns during the ques>on-­‐and-­‐answer por>on of the event. In response to a ques>on about how best to locate and apply for government job opportuni>es, both Mr. Bay and M r. N a k a z a w a u r g e d t h e candidates to apply directly to the par>cular agency, and cau>oned the audience against relying exclusively on job aggregate websites, such as USAJobs. In addi>on, four of the panelists stressed the importance of networking, especially in the current economic climate. Aner the Q&A por>on of the event, par>cipants and panelists mingled and enjoyed light refreshments.
The Government AOorneys Forum wishes to express special thanks to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for providing the venue for the forum, Judge Anna Blackburne-­‐Rigsby, and the five panelists.
— Eden Forsythe
APABA-­‐DC Members Volunteer at D.C. Bar Pro Bono Immigra=on Clinic
On Saturday, March 5, 2011, APABA-­‐
DC members par>cipated in the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program’s first quarterly Immigra>on Clinic at the Carlos Rosario Interna>onal Public Charter School in Columbia Heights. The Clinic, formerly the Spanish Language Advice and Referral Clinic, has been expanded to recognize the rising need for bilingual legal services in the District of Columbia’s Asian Pacific American community. Clinic volunteers provided free legal advice regarding immigra>on and asylum issues.
Page 5 Volume 4, Issue 3
Book Club Discusses Nam Le’s The Boat
APABA-­‐DC held its winter book c l u b m e e > n g o n S a t u r d a y, February 26, 2011. The book club par>cipants discussed Nam Le’s The Boat, a collec>on of short stories with wide narra>ve range set in a variety of loca>ons around the world. T h e l i v e l y d i s c u s s i o n par>cularly noted the author’s masterful depic>on of narra>ve voice regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity, as he was able to convincingly capture the points of view of a teenage hit man in Colombia, an aging Caucasian ar>st in New York, and a young Japanese girl in Hiroshima during World War II.
The book club par>cipants found it refreshing that the author did not restrict his stories to solely t h o s e i n v o l v i n g t h e A s i a n i mmi gra>on exp eri ence but instead broadened his scope to portray the human experience across all cultures. Other issues that came up during the course of the discussion included the differing autudes towards poverty in the United States versus other countries and how the paren>ng styles of immigrants have affected many aspects of Asian American lives, such as work, problem-­‐
s o l v i n g , a n d p a r e n t -­‐ c h i l d rela>onships.
APABA-­‐DC looks forward to the next thought-­‐provoking Book Club mee>ng. For more informa>on on the APABA-­‐DC Book Club, contact Lana Jeng at programs@apaba-­‐
dc.org.
— Lana Jeng
Page 6 Working Parents’ Group’s First Meet & Greet Brings Out New APABA-­‐DC Members
On February 5, 2011, the Working Parents’ Group hosted a meet-­‐and-­‐greet event to give members and their families a chance to socialize in an informal seung. In spite of the bad weather, there was a strong turnout of aOendees with many new faces.
“As a new APABA-­‐DC member, I opportunity for past APABA-­‐DC members to reunite with other members, many of whom are also new parents. “I enjoyed aOending the first event where I was able to r e c o n n e c t w i t h l o n g -­‐ > m e members, meet new members and meet the future genera>on of APABA-­‐DC members,” said Janet Shih Haj e k, p a st A PA BA-­‐ D C photo courtesy of Angela Duong
New APABA-­‐DC member Andrew Lin and his son aMended the Working Parents Group Meet and Greet in February.
found that the February Working Parents' Group Meet and Greet was a fun and relaxed way to get to know members and their families,” said Andrew Lin, who aOended the event with his family. “I look forward to more get-­‐togethers and events, both professional and social.” In fact, the event aOracted the newest of faces, with several infants joining in the fun.
While the children found new ways to entertain themselves indoors and away from the rain, the event also provided an president and mother of two. The Working Parents’ Group plans to organize future events and p l a y d a t e s a t p a r k s a n d playgrounds to take advantage of the warmer weather headed our way. If you are interested in par>cipa>ng in the Working Parents’ Group or have any ques>ons or sugges>ons, please contact Cindy Kim and Angela Duong, the Working Parents’ G r o u p C o o r d i n a t o r s , a t parents@apaba-­‐dc.org.
— Angela Duong
Volume 4, Issue 3
Current and Former APABA-­‐DC Board Members Reunite On March 12, 2011, the APABA-­‐
DC Board held its first reunion in Arlington, Virginia. More than thirty current and former APABA-­‐DC and AEF Board members and their families gathered for a celebra>on of APABA-­‐DC’s rich history, a look ahead to the 2012 NAPABA annual conven>on in Washington, D.C., and a delicious lunch of banh mi and spring rolls. At the reunion, APABA-­‐DC President David Hsu provided a briefing on APABA-­‐DC’s remarkable growth since its founding in 1981, no>ng that not only has the size of the group increased, but so has the commitment of its members. As a result, APABA-­‐DC ’s Board has expanded to include several elected Assistant Vice-­‐Presidents and appointed posi>ons.
Alumni Coordinators Jessie K. L i u a n d X . B l a k e S p a r r o w announced that they hope that this reunion will be the first of a series of events that will bring together current and former Board members and their families. On June 18, APABA-­‐DC will host a picnic at Quincy Park in Arlington, Virginia, featuring tradi>onal barbecue food and games for children. Future gatherings are in the planning stages.
At the Board reunion, Vice President for Community Affairs Christopher Y. Chan and Immediate Past President Tacie Yoon provided an update on the 2012 NAPABA photo courtesy of David Hsu
Over thirty current and former APABA-­‐DC and AEF board members convened in March for a look back at what APABA-­‐DC has accomplished and towards next year’s NAPABA ConvenHon in Washington, D.C. annual conven>on, which APABA-­‐DC will be co-­‐hos>ng in Washington, D.C. Chris and Tacie serve as commiOee co-­‐chairs. To date, the commiOee has chosen a theme and retained an event planner to assist in organizing the conven>on. The commiOee is now in the process of selec>ng a venue. Finally, the c o m m i O e e i s o r g a n i z i n g subcommiOees for fundraising, programming, media, and social ac>vi>es at the conven>on and will be asking former Board members for assistance and support. APABA-­‐DC previously hosted both the 1992 and 2000 NAPABA Conven>ons and is looking to make the 2012 conven>on one the biggest and best. Chris invited alumni and members interested in working on the conven>on to c o n t a c t t h e c o -­‐ c h a i r s a t conven>on@apaba-­‐dc.org. In the mean>me, we encourage all APABA-­‐
DC members to make plans to aOend the 2011 Conference this November 16-­‐20 in Atlanta, GA. Stay tuned for updates about APABA-­‐DC’s Board alumni ac>vi>es and the 2012 NAPABA annual conven>on! For photos of the Board reunion, please visit hOp://bit.ly/
apabadc-­‐alumni-­‐reunion2011.
— Jessie K. Liu APABA-­‐DC Holds Annual Lunar New Year Celebra=on
For the third year running, APABA-­‐DC rang in the Lunar New Year at K Street Lounge. On February 2, 2011, approximately 75 people welcomed the Year of the Rabbit over drinks and appe>zers. This was a great opportunity for members to network in a relaxed and celebratory environment. APABA-­‐DC would like to thank K Street Lounge for its con>nued support of the organiza>on.
photo courtesy of Lana Jeng Page 7 Volume 4, Issue 3
Women’s Forum Leads Trip to Sackler Gallery and Presents Panel on Domes=c and Interna=onal Human Trafficking
On January 22, 2011, the A PA B A -­‐ D C W o m e n ’s F o r u m organized a trip to visit the Gods of Angkor special exhibit at the Sackler Gallery. The collec>on of bronze sculptures was temporarily on loan from the Na>onal Museum of Cambodia, and dated from the t h i r d c e n t u r y B C E t o t h e s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y C E . A knowledgeable docent led the tour of approximately ten APABA-­‐DC members and family.
More recently, on March 22, 2011, the Women’s Forum held a panel discussion on domes>c and interna>onal human trafficking. The d i s > n g u i s h e d p a n e l w a s r e p r e s e n t e d b y n o n -­‐ p r o fi t organiza>ons, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Jus>ce, and approximately twenty-­‐
five people aOended. The panelists discussed emerging trends, current law, and policy objec>ves related to d o m e s > c a n d i n t e r n a > o n a l trafficking. Hilary Axam (U.S. Department of Jus>ce) described several cases throughout the United States and indicated that domes>c cases of human trafficking were b e c o m i n g m o r e p r e v a l e n t . Represen>ng an advocacy group, James Dold (Polaris Project) explained the challenges that arise when human trafficking laws differ from state to state. Laura Rundlet ( U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f S t a t e ) discussed the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons report and gave an update on the state of t r a ffi c k i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e TaGoo Bar Hosts APABA-­‐DC/SABA-­‐DC Happy Hour
The fourth annual APABA-­‐DC/SABA-­‐DC Happy Hour was held at TaOoo Bar in McPherson Square on January 13, 2011. Nearly 100 members and guests of both organiza>ons braved the cold weather to enjoy the networking mixer and special SABA and APABA drinks created especially for our event. Special thanks to J e n n i f e r H w a f o r o r g a n i z i n g t h e e v e n t . world. Melysa Serber (Vital Voices) presented a slide show to illustrate successful projects in India and Cambodia. Melysa told the stories of Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, the co-­‐
founder of Prajwala, which assists trafficked woman and girls, and Nishi Kant, the Execu>ve Director of Shak> Vahini, which researches honor killings.
The Women’s Forum thanks Helen Lee and Derrick Lam for their assistance and Paul Has>ngs law firm for hos>ng the domes>c and interna>onal human trafficking event. For more informa>on about APABA-­‐DC’s Women’s Forum, please e-­‐mail co-­‐chairs Tessie Abraham a n d M a r i e l L i m a t womensforum@apaba-­‐dc.org.
— Mariel Lim & Tessie Abraham
Prac>cing AOorneys’ Resource (PAR) CommiOee
SPRING SPEAKER SERIES
Throughout the spring, PAR is hos>ng informal get-­‐
togethers, giving APABA-­‐DC members an opportunity to meet notable APA individuals in the D.C. legal community. Space is limited to provide an opportunity to have meaningful interac>ons with the speakers.
April Speaker:
Prac;cing Abroad and Coming Home
Lunch with Neil Horikoshi
President and Execu>ve Director, Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
BlackFinn, 1620 Eye Street NW, Washington, D.C.
photo courtesy of Lana Jeng
Page 8 Complimentary appe>zers; member is responsible for any addi>onal items ordered.
Only 6 spaces available. You must be an APABA-­‐
DC member to aOend. Please RSVP to par@apaba-­‐
dc.org by April 19, 2011. If you aOended a previous Spring Speaker Series event, other members will be given preference. Should the event reach capacity, there will be a wait list. Volume 4, Issue 3
Federal District Court Judges Par=cipate in Nomina=ons CommiGee “How to Become a Federal Judge” Panel Discussion
On April 6, the APABA-­‐DC Nomina>ons CommiOee held the panel discussion “How to Become a Federal Judge.” Moderated by Vincent Eng, a principal of The Raben Group and Interim Execu>ve Director of NAPABA, the panel included the Honorable Ricardo M. U r b i n a a n d t h e H o n o ra b l e Rosemary M. Collyer, both of the U.S. District Court for the District of C o l u m b i a , a n d E m i l i o W. Cividanes, a partner at Venable L L P , a n d a m e m b e r o f Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Federal Law Enforcement Nomina>ng Commission.
The panelists described the unique process by which federal judicial nominees are selected in the District of Columbia — by the Norton Commission during the p a s t t w o D e m o c r a > c administra>ons, and directly by the Wh i te H o u s e d u ri n g recent Re p u b l i c a n a d m i n i s t ra > o n s . Judges Urbina and Collyer provided insighxul and candid advice to judicial aspirants, and shared several personal and some>mes self-­‐depreca>ng anecdotes about how they decided to apply to become a federal judge and navigated the selec>on and confirma>on process.
Mr. Cividanes noted that the Norton Commission appreciates substan>ve leOers of support from relevant voluntary bar associa>ons, like APABA-­‐DC, that provide insight about the candidate based on personal knowledge or experience, and that the absence of such leOers is very telling. He added that the seventeen-­‐member Norton Commission consists of aOorneys and non-­‐aOorneys, and they want to know who the candidate is as a person, in Page 9 photo: Rosy Lor
NominaHons CommiMee co-­‐chair Phong Nguyen (standing) opens the “How to Become a Federal Judge” panel discussion. Seated lea to right are Hon. Ricardo M. Urbina, Hon. Rosemary M. Collyer, Vincent Eng, and Emilio W. Cividanes.
a d d i > o n t o a s s e s s i n g t h e c a n d i d a t e ’ s p r o f e s s i o n a l qualifica>ons, among which civil li>ga>on experience and the ability to make well-­‐reasoned decisions quickly to keep the docket moving are important. The panelists also stressed the importance of >es to t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y , a demonstrable interest in public service, and evidence of the necessary judicial temperament, including “emo>onal intelligence,” fairness, and honesty. APABA-­‐DC thanks its event co-­‐
sponsors — the Federal Bar Associa>on, the Hispanic Bar Associa>on, the Washington Bar Associa>on, and the Women’s Bar Associa>on of D.C. — and the generous host, WilmerHale LLP.
— Tacie Yoon
APABA-­‐DC President Addresses Volunteerism
. . . story con1nued from page 1
tsunami in Japan. More than 300 aOendees were entertained by local performers, took part in a silent auc>on, and heard remarks from Ambassador of Japan to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki and f o r m e r U . S . S e c r e t a r y o f Transporta=on Norman Mineta.
As you can see from our ac>ons over the past year, APABA-­‐DC and its members are ac>ve in the community. I hope that, by reading about these ini>a>ves, some of you also will take >me from your b u s y s c h e d u l e s t o m a ke a difference in the community.
— David Hsu
Volume 4, Issue 3
Join APABA-­‐DC or Renew Your Membership Today
Online payment of APABA-­‐DC membership dues for 2011 is available at www.apaba-­‐dc.org. Membership dues are as follows:
Law School Students: $20
Law Firm/In-­‐House AOorneys: $55
AOorneys in government/public interest/academia/the judiciary/
and all other categories not specifically men>oned: $40
Membership Benefit:
HSBC Premier Banking
A P A B A -­‐ D C m e m b e r s m a y par>cipate in HSBC Bank USA’s Premier Banking program without having to meet the usual qualifying requirement of having a minimum $100,000 of investable assets. Among the program benefits are:
• a Premier World Mastercard with no annual fee and no foreign transac>on charges on purchases abroad
• free ATM cash withdrawals in the United States (except in New York state)
• cash withdrawals abroad with no foreign transac>on fees
• access to wealth management advisors
• preferred savings rates for savings accounts and CDs
• airport lounge access in Hong K o n g a n d c e r t a i n o t h e r interna>onal airports
More informa>on on APABA-­‐DC membership and its benefits is ava i l a b l e o n t h e A PA BA-­‐ D C website, or contact Priya Nair, Vice President for Membership, at membership@APABA-­‐DC.org.
Page 10 Join the APABA-­‐DC Board of Directors!
In just a few short weeks, APABA-­‐DC will be solici>ng self-­‐nomina>ons to join the 2011-­‐2012 Board of Directors. Why should you join the APABA-­‐
DC Board? First, being on the Board gives you greater input into the types of events APABA-­‐DC organizes. Second, it provides you with more opportuni>es to network with other APABA-­‐DC members and other bar leaders. Third, it will help you develop your leadership and organiza>onal skills. Fourth – and most important — you will have fun networking and developing friendships with other APABA-­‐DC Board members.
The elected Board posi>ons are the President-­‐Elect, the Vice President of Programs, the Vice President of Membership, the Vice President of Community Affairs, the Vice President of Communica>ons, the Vice President of Educa>on, the Treasurer, and the Secretary. We also have a NewsleOer Editor, who prepares our quarterly newsleOer, and several CommiOees, headed by two co-­‐chairs, who serve as non-­‐vo>ng members on the Board. The current commiOees are the Prac>cing AOorneys Resource (“PAR”) CommiOee, the Women’s Forum, the Nomina>ons CommiOee, the Partners’ Forum, the Government AOorneys Forum, and the In-­‐House Counsel CommiOee. Each Vice President and each commiOee generally plans 2 to 3 events during the year. In terms of >me commitment, it depends on the posi>on and the type of events planned. All Board members also will need to aOend monthly Board mee>ngs, usually held on the first Tuesday of the month.
If you are interested in serving on the Board, look for an email in the second week of May solici>ng self-­‐nomina>ons and describing the available Board posi>ons. If you have any ques>ons in the mean>me, please feel free to email president-­‐elect@apaba-­‐dc.org or talk to any current Board member.
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater
Washington, D.C. Area, Inc.
P.O. Box 27223
Washington, DC 20038-7223
[email protected]
www.apaba-dc.org
Celebrating Thirty Years of Professional and Community Service
1981-2011
Join the APABA-DC LinkedIn Community to connect to members for
networking opportunities.
http://linkd.in/APABAAlumni - for current and former APABA-DC
board members (membership moderated)
http://linkd.in/APABADC - for general membership (open to all)
Volume 4, Issue 3