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AALAM Announcements

AALAM Announcements

NAPABA 2013: Program Submissions Extended to 5/15/2013
Posted: 5/8/2013

In November 2013, Kansas City will host the 25th Annual NAPABA Convention. In addition to celebrating the NAPABA's 25th anniversary, the Convention will focus on the Momentum achieved by Asian Pacific American attorneys in the past 25 years, as well as practical ways to keep the momentum going for all NAPABA members. We welcome CLE program submissions that not only acknowledge our past achievements but also explore practical solutions and advice for our attendees' future development. Please note the extended deadline. Program submissions must be submitted to this online form by 8 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. For more information, see the Program Submission Guidelines or e-mail Programs Committee Co-Chairs Seema Chawla and Daniel Sakaguchi at NAPABAprgrams2013@gmail.com with any questions.  Return to Top


AALAM Board Statement Following Events at the Boston Marathon
Posted: 4/16/2013

Like so many others in Massachusetts, the nation, and the world, we in AALAM were shocked and saddened by the events at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Our hearts go out to all those who lost their lives or were injured as a result of the blasts and the ensuing pursuit of the alleged perpetrators. We also cannot forget the victims' families and loved ones, who face long-term consequences of their own. We commend the first responders, runners, and spectators who bravely rushed to help the victims of the blasts, and the law enforcement officials who worked so quickly and relentlessly to identify and apprehend the suspected bombers. We in AALAM live, work, go to school, and raise our families in and around Boston, and are proud to be part of a community that has responded to such incomprehensible violence with calm, strength, and resolve.

AALAM urges its members to take advantage of the many ways to help those affected, such as those listed in this Boston Globe article and this Boston Bar Association initiativeReturn to Top


Harvard Student Wins 15th Annual AALAM Scholarship Award
Posted: 4/15/2013

AALAM is proud to announce Julina Guo, currently a 1L at Harvard Law School, as the winner of its 15th Annual AALAM Scholarship Award. Before attending law school, Julina served as an Immigration Caseworker/Constituent Liaison for the Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in New York City. There, as the only Mandarin-speaking employee, she worked directly with constituents and federal immigration agencies to resolve cases, involving such matters as detention/deportation, naturalization, permanent residency, visas, asylum/refugee status, and international adoptions. Julina helped bring to the Senator Gillibrand's attention the death of Private Danny Chen and served as the main liaison to the community as the Senator introduced legislation to combat hazing and reform discipline within the army. Julina graduated summa cum laude [note italics] from Columbia University, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and East Asian Languages and Cultures. Julina received the AALAM Scholarship Award at the Annual AALAM Banquet in April 2013. Congratulations Julina!  Return to Top


AALAM Spotlight, April/May 2013: Rebecca A. Lee, Edwards Wildman LLC
Posted: 4/15/2013

Rebecca A. Lee, a partner at Edwards Wildman with a wide-ranging real estate practice, was recognized with the 2013 AALAM Founders' Award at this year's Annual AALAM Banquet. She is a former president of AALAM and serves on the Ricesticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry Steering Committee and the WGBH Board of Overseers. But no, she is not related to Rachel Lee, the subject of the previous AALAM Spotlight! Here's an excerpt:

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I'm a high school drop-out; I left NYC's High School of Music and Art after my junior year to attend Brandeis University, and never looked back. . . . Read the full articleReturn to Top


Legal Food Frenzy 2013
Posted: 4/15/2013

AALAM is proud to participate in the Legal Food Frenzy 2013, sponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, in partnership with others in the legal community. The Legal Food Frenzy is a benevolent competition within the legal community to raise funds and collect food to benefit food banks and their member agencies, food pantries and shelters during the spring, a traditionally slow time for donations. The goal for the 2013 Legal Food Frenzy is to bring in 500,000 pounds of food (or its equivalent in monetary donations). The competition will be held from April 29, 2013 through May 10, 2013. For more details, see the AGO website. More details to follow on how you can contribute through AALAM.  Return to Top


AALAM Spotlight, March 2013: Rachel Lee, EMC Corp.
Posted: 2/22/2013

AALAM Board Member Rachel Lee is Senior Corporate Counsel at EMC Corporation in Hopkinton, MA. Rachel has been key in AALAM's efforts to provide professional development and networking opportunities to Asian-American lawyers who serve as in-house counsel or are interested in transitioning to such a role. In this month's spotlight, Rachel speaks of the challenges facing corporate counsel today, her love of traveling with her family, and fish. Lots and lots of fish. . . .

How has the practice of law changed since your early career?
I often joke that my current job didn.t exist when I graduated from law school. Whoever thought that there would be the need for a full-time corporate governance lawyer! . . . Boards, management and shareholders have come to recognize that governance is important. And I sit in the middle of that interaction . . . Read the full articleReturn to Top


Gloria Tan Nominated to Juvenile Court
Posted: 2/16/2013

Governor Deval Patrick has announced the nomination of Gloria Y. Tan as an Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court, Middlesex County Division. Gloria Tan has served as the Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School since 2011. She began her career at the Committee for Public Council Services where she worked in the trial unit from 1998 to 1999 and in the Youth Advocacy Project from 1999 to 2003. She has been a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School since 2003, teaching and supervising law students who represent indigent adult and juvenile clients in criminal and delinquency cases and administrative hearings. For more information, see the Governor's Press Release. Congratulations Gloria!  Return to Top


Four AALAM Members to be Honored as Leaders in the Law
Posted: 2/3/2013

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and New England In-House has selected four AALAM members to be honored for their outstanding professional accomplishments at the Leaders in the Law event, on March 7, 2013 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. William F. Lee, a partner at WilmerHale, has been selected among the 2012 Lawyers of the Year. Christine P. Bellon of Blueprint Medicines, June D. Duchesne of EMC Corporation, and Peggy L. Ho of LPL Financial has been selected among the 2013 In-House Leaders.

Honorees are nominated by their colleagues, clients and other legal professionals and selected by a committee that includes members of Lawyers Weekly's editorial department. Leaders in the Law demonstrate innovative and practical business and legal skills, either as general counsel or staff attorneys. They are corporate in-house lawyers who are leaders in the community, forward thinkers and best exemplify the noble tradition of the legal profession. Congratulations Bill, Christine, June and Peggy!  Return to Top


Michael Yoon Receives Top Agency Honor
Posted: 2/3/2013

Assistant U.S. Attorney and AALAM member Michael Yoon has received top honors from the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), for his outstanding professional achievements as a leading member of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. Michael was recognized for his contribution in federal child exploitation prosecutions. His work with HIS, focused on child exploitation investigations, has resulted in the arrests of child predators worldwide. For more information, see the HSI Press Release. Congratulations Michael!  Return to Top


Professional Announcements: January 2013
Posted: 1/26/2013

Congratulations to the following AALAM members:

  • AALAM Board Director Randall B. Yee has left the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) to join Diesel Direct, Inc., where he will serve in various capacities, legal and non-legal. Diesel Direct, based in Stoughton, MA, provides data driven fueling solutions to its clients.

  • The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court have appointed Ingrid C. Schroffner to serve on the SJC Standing Committee on Professionalism. The Committee is charged with implementing new SJC Rule 3:16, which requires a mandatory course on professionalism for newly-admitted lawyers. Ingrid is Assistant General Counsel at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and a former AALAM President.

  • Michelle Wu has announced her candidacy for one of the four at-large Boston City Council seats in November 2013. Michelle most recently worked for the Elizabeth Warren campaign, is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and was the recipient of the AALAM Scholarship in 2010.

AALAM seeks to recognize the accomplishments of its members. If you recently have been promoted or moved to a new position; received an award; joined the board or were elected as an officer of a professional or community organization; or received some other form of professional recognition, please let us know by sending an e-mail to aalam.info@gmail.com. AALAM would be pleased to share your accomplishments via our newsletter and website.  Return to Top


AALAM Spotlight, January 2013: Cyndi Mark, GBLS Asian Outreach Unit
Posted: 1/20/2013

AALAM members know Cyndi Mark from the AALAM Holiday Parties and other events in which she has spoken in support of the Asian Outreach Unit (AOU) of Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS). In this month's AALAM Spotlight, Cyndi talks of the rewards of serving as the Managing Attorney of AOU, what she likes to do when she's not changing lives, and the trials of dating (and later marrying) a New York Mets fan in 1986 . . .

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am the managing attorney of the Asian Outreach Unit of Greater Boston Legal Services. I love it when I can contribute to real, lasting change in a community or in an individual client's life . . . Read the full articleReturn to Top


AALAM Announces Fifteenth Annual Scholarship Award
Posted: 1/13/2013

AALAM is pleased to announce its fifteenth annual AALAM Scholarship. The $2,500 Scholarship will be awarded to an Asian-American law student who demonstrates leadership potential, maturity and responsibility; a commitment to making a contribution to the Asian-American community; and other indicia of excellence, whether personal, professional, or academic. The recipient of the Scholarship will be selected by the AALAM Scholarship Committee with the approval of the AALAM Board. The Scholarship award will be presented at the AALAM Annual Banquet taking place on Thursday, April 11 2013, in Boston. For more information, including application instructions, see the Scholarship Posting and the Scholarship Application. All application materials must be received by Friday, March 22, 2013, to receive consideration.  Return to Top


AALAM Spotlight, November 2012: Peggy L. Ho, LPL Financial Corp.
Posted: 1/20/2013

For our very first AALAM Spotlight, we feature Peggy L. Ho, Senior Vice President and Associate Counsel at LPL Financial Corporation and current AALAM Co-President. Peggy dishes about her colleagues at LPL, how her dreams of joining the foreign service led to a legal career, spending time with family, and what costume she wore for three straight Halloweens . . .

Best advice for attorneys starting out?
. . . [S]imply working hard will only get you so far in this profession. It is very important to begin building your network from day one . . . Read the full articleReturn to Top


Introducing the AALAM Spotlight Feature
Posted: 11/30/2012

AALAM is pleased to introduce the AALAM Spotlight, in which we will periodically feature an individual AALAM member in the AALAM website and e-newsletter. Through the AALAM Spotlight, we hope to strengthen the AALAM community by helping our members get to know one another from both professional and personal perspectives. Appropriately, our first featured member is our very own Co-President, Peggy HoReturn to Top


AALAM Members Receive NAPABA Awards
Posted: 11/30/2012

AALAM wishes to congratulate its members who were recognized for their achievements at the recent National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Conference. Congratulations to Peggy Ho, LPL Financial, and Jeannie Suk, Harvard Law School, for winning NAPABA's Best Under 40 Award, and to William Lee, WilmerHale, for winning NAPABA's Trailblazer Award.  Return to Top


Join AALAM at the 2012 NAPABA Convention
Posted: 10/22/2012

Join other AALAM members at this year's NAPABA National Convention! Register at the Convention website. If you would like to join the AALAM table at the Saturday night Installation Banquet, please e-mail peggy.ho@lpl.com. AALAM Member Jeff Hsi will be moderating a panel at the convention – check out Panel # 206 (70th Anniversary of the Japanese American/Canadian Internment - Redress, Remember, Relate) and support our fellow AALAM member (and former AALAM President!).  Return to Top


Northeastern Law Hosts NAPABA Tang Moot Court Competition
Posted: 10/22/2012

The Northeast regionals of the 2012 Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition took place at Northeastern University School of Law on Saturday, October 13, 2012. A number of AALAM members and friends served as volunteer judges for the oral arguments. In particular, Superior Court judge, the Hon. Richard Chin, and Probate and Family Court judge, the Hon. George Phelan, presided over the final oral arguments. Congratulations to this year's regional winners, Sabena Auyeung and Diana Chen from Loyola-Chicago, who now advance to the national competition at the upcoming NAPABA Conference in Washington DC in November 2012. Congratulations as well to all the teams from the participating law schools, Boston University, Brooklyn Law, Drexel, Fordham, Loyola-Chicago, and Northeastern. Photos from the event are available at the AALAM Photo Gallery.  Return to Top


AALAM Membership Drive is Underway!
Posted: 10/9/2012

The AALAM membership year runs from October 1 through September 30 of the next year, so the AALAM Membership Drive for the 2012-13 term is underway! Don't forget to renew your membership. Not yet a member? Join us! Membership is free for law students. For more details, visit our Membership and our Benefits and Dues page.  Return to Top


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Defending Asian American Voting Rights
Posted: 9/15/2012

In past elections, Asian Americans have faced a series of barriers in exercising their right to vote. In response, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) now seeks volunteers to monitor elections and conduct non-partisan surveys of Asian American voters on Election Day, November 6, 2012. There will be a one and half hour training session for all volunteer on Thursday, October 25, 2012, at Ropes & Gray at 12 noon, or Edwards Wildman at 6 pm. AALAM encourages its members to participate in this effort. For more information, see the Volunteer Information and Sign-Up formReturn to Top


We Are All Sikhs: A Statement on Oak Creek Tragedy and Its Impact
Posted: 8/15/2012

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), as part of a community of 178 civic, faith-based, immigrant rights, and civil rights organizations, has joined in a statement regarding the tragic shooting at Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, in which six individuals lost their lives. The full statement may viewed at the NAPABA websiteReturn to Top


NAPABA Seeks At-Large Board Members
Posted: 7/15/2012

This year, the NAPABA Board of Governors will appoint two At-Large Board Members to serve a two-year term that will begin in the 2012-2013 bar year.

The NAPABA Nominating and Elections Committee invites all members in good standing to submit their names and statements as candidates for At-Large Board Member to Sahar Bala at sbala@napaba.org on or before August 19, 2012.

For additional information, see the NAPABA Announcement to review the complete At-Large Members Guidelines.  Return to Top


NAPABA Seeks Nominations for Best Lawyers Under 40 Award
Posted: 7/15/2012

NAPABA's "Best Lawyers Under 40" award recognizes talented individuals within the Asian Pacific American legal community under the age of 40 who have achieved prominence and distinction in their fields of endeavor-be it the practice of law, academia, business, civic and charitable affairs, the judiciary, or politics - and have demonstrated a strong commitment to civic or community affairs. Nominations are due by September 7, 2012. For more information and to nominate an individual, see the Nomination FormReturn to Top


Photos from Reception for Judge Maynard Kirpalani
Posted: 6/25/2012

Photos from the Reception Honoring Superior Court Judge Maynard Kirpalani, which took place last March 2012, are now available at the Boston Bar Association Photo Gallery. This event was co-sponsored the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (SABA GB) and AALAM.  Return to Top


June Duchesne Receives 40 Under 40 Award
Congratulations to AALAM member June Duchesne, who was awarded with a 40 Under 40 East Award by The M&A Advisor. June is a Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel, EMC Corporation, and serves as the Co-Chair of the Mentoring Committee for the Diversity & Inclusion Section of the Boston Bar Association. For more information, see the BBA ArticleReturn to Top


Scholarship Applications for NAPABA Convention
Posted: 6/9/2012

Scholarship applications for the 2012 Convention are due July 31, 2012! Apply today if you need assistance with travel and registration costs for the Convention on November 15-18, 2012. To apply, fill out the online formReturn to Top


AALAM Urges Support for Adequate Court Funding
Posted: 5/25/2012

Our courts are in crisis. Since the start of the current economic recession, budget cuts have resulted in the loss of over 1,300 Trial Court positions. The Governor and the Massachusetts Legislature are now in the process of formulating the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2013. AALAM urges its members to follow the budget process and add their voices to those urging the Governor and Legislature to provide adequate funding for the Trial Courts. For more information, including how to contact your local legislators, see the Board's Letter to AALAM MembersReturn to Top


AALAM Announces 2012-13 Executive Officers and Members of the Board of Directors
Posted: 5/25/2012

Thank you to everyone who voted in the elections for 2012-13 Executive Officers and Members of the Board of Directors. Congratulations to Peggy Ho, who will be serving as Co-President with Sarah Kim. Special thanks to departing Vice President, Emily Yu, and departing Board members, Marisa Ma, Ingrid Chiemi Schroffner, and Geoffrey Why for your service to AALAM. Finally, congratulations to new Board members, Jason Chan, Jennifer Fang, Alejandra Hung, Rachel Lee, and Tony Lu. For more information on the officers and members of the new Board, see their biographiesReturn to Top


NAPABA's Annual Lobby Day - Travel Stipends Available
Wednesday, May 9, 2012, Washington D.C.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) invites you to participate in its Annual Lobby Day, an opportunity to educate members of Congress and congressional staffers on issues of importance to the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. NAPABA is offering travel stipends to help defray the cost of travel to Washington, D.C., for members who want to attend Lobby Day. See the Sign-up Form to sign up for Lobby Day. To apply for a travel stipend, see the Stiped Form , which must be completed by April 20. Applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis.  Return to Top


AALAM Joins Legal Food Frenzy
April 2 through 13, 2012

AALAM is pleased to announce our participation in the 3rd Annual Massachusetts Legal Food Frenzy, sponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Join us in this friendly competition to support the event's critical mission to relieve hunger in the Commonwealth as we compete for the "Legal Food Frenzy" Cup. The overall goal is to collect 500,000 pounds of food (or its equivalent in monetary donations) during the two week campaign. There are two easy ways to donate. The LFF accepts contributions of non-perishable food items as well as monetary donations (preferred). More details to follow on where to bring food items and how to make online monetary contributions. For more information, see the LFF PostingReturn to Top


Boston Business Journal Features Sarah Kim as Emerging Leader
Posted: 3/18/2012

AALAM is pleased to announce that AALAM President, Sarah Kim, has been featured as an Emerging Leader in the March 2, 2012 issue of the Boston Business Journal. See the article, "Bingham Securities Attorney Makes Case for Civic Responsibilities," Boston Business Journal, March 2, 2012, p. 20 (subscription required).  Return to Top


AALAM Supports MBA and BBA Court Funding Efforts
Posted: 2/9/2012

AALAM commends and supports the efforts of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Boston Bar Association to raise awareness of the underfunding of the state courts, its consequences on the ability of the courts to serve the public, and the need to reach out to legislators to reiterate the importance of an adequately-funded court system. Visit the MBA website to learn more about its initiatives, including a series of videos now posted on YouTube. Likewise, visit the BBA website for recent press releases urging sufficient funding for the courts:

  Return to Top


Sarah Kim Named Among 2011 Lawyers of the Year
Posted: 1/9/2012

Congratulations to AALAM President Sarah Kim, who was recently named by the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as one of its 2011 Lawyers of the Year! In this January 3, 2012 article (subscription required), the MLW featured Sarah's work on behalf of the Woodward School for Girls to expose mismanagement of the trust created to support the school. After a 13-day trial, the court ruled in favor of the school, removed the trustee, and ordered it to pay about $3 million back to the trust.

By the way, we also learned from the article that Sarah's car is "a 1994 Toyota Corolla with over 200,000 miles on it" and that she likes "[a]ny movie by the Coen brothers." The Dude abides.  Return to Top


AALAM Honors the Memory of Gordon Hirabayashi
Posted: 1/9/2012

AALAM joins the civil rights and legal community in honoring the memory of Gordon Hirabayashi, who died on Monday, January 2, 2012, at the age of 93. During World War II, Gordon Hirabayashi, an American citizen of Japanese descent, defied a federal curfew directed at persons of Japanese ancestry and refused to register to be sent to an internment camp, resulting in his arrest and imprisonment. Hirabayashi challenged the constitutionality of the curfew and internment orders in a case that eventually came before the United States Supreme Court. Thus, as noted in this New York Times article, Hirabayashi and his fellow Japanese-Americans Fred Korematsu and Minoru Yasui, who brought similar lawsuits before the Supreme Court, "emerged as symbols of protest against unchecked governmental powers in a time of war." The Supreme Court upheld the curfew and internment orders, but approximately four decades later, the federal courts revisited and ultimately vacated Hirabayashi's conviction, as well as those of Korematsu and Yasui.  Return to Top


AALAM Membership Drive
Posted: 10/14/2011

The AALAM Membership Drive for the 2011-12 membership year is under way! Join us or renew your membership now to enjoy the benefits of membership. Membership is free for law students. For more details, visit our Benefits & Dues page.  Return to Top


William F. Lee Named to Boston Business Journal's Power 50
Posted: 10/14/2011

Please join us in congratulating William F. Lee, who was named by the Boston Business Journal (BBJ) to its first Power 50, a list of the region's most influential business people in 2011. Bill Lee, a longtime supporter and member of AALAM, is a co-managing partner of WilmerHale and a member of the firm's management committee. The members of the 2011 Power 50 will be recognized in a special supplement in the BBJ on October 28, 2011.  Return to Top


Sarah Kim Named Among MLW 2011 Top Women of Law
Posted: 8/23/2011

Congratulations to our own Sarah Kim, who has been named by the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as one of its 2011 Top Women of Law! The award recognizes legal educators, trailblazers and role models who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in social justice, advocacy and business. In addition to serving as AALAM President, Sarah is an attorney at Bingham McCutchen, where she focuses on securities enforcement, securities litigation and broker-dealer defense, and serves as a Director of the Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project Inc. Sarah will be honored at the MLW Top Women of Law Event on September 23, 2011.  Return to Top


Colin Owyang Elected to BBA Council
Posted: 8/23/2011

Congratulations to AALAM member Colin Owyang on his election to a three-year term as a member of the Council of the Boston Bar Association. Colin is a Senior Vice President and US General Counsel at National Grid. Colin joins Renee Inomata and Ingrid Chiemi Schroffner as AALAM members on the BBA Council. For more information, see the BBA Election ResultsReturn to Top


Follow up to the AALAM Summer Luncheon
Posted: 8/23/2011

Thank you to everyone who attended the AALAM Summer Luncheon on July 12, 2011! Thank you as well to our hosts, Paul Lee, Marian Tse and Jennifer Fang at Goodwin Procter. Below is a list of each organization highlighted at the Summer Luncheon, together with website/contact information for anyone who would like more information:

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AALAM Elections
Posted: 5/1/2011

Thanks to everyone who voted at this year's AALAM Elections and congratulations to the returning and incoming Executive Officers and Members of the Board of Directors for the 2011-12 term. For biographies of the officers and members of the Board, click hereReturn to Top


2011 AALAM Annual Banquet
Posted: 5/1/2011

AALAM celebrated its 27th Anniversary with its Annual Banquet on April 19, 2011, at China Pearl Restaurant in Boston. The evening's keynote speaker was Lisa A. Wong, the first minority mayor of Fitchburg and the first Asian-American woman to be elected mayor in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. AALAM also presented its Founders Award to William F. Lee, Co-Managing Partner of WilmerHale LLP, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in his legal practice. Among them, Attorney Lee is internationally recognized as a leader in intellectual property, is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is the first Asian-American managing partner of an AmLaw 100 law firm. Finally, AALAM announced the winner of its $2,500 Scholarship Award, H. Will Mak, a second-year student at Boston College Law School (see below). This year's scholarship award was generously sponsored by Mercedes-Benz USA. Thanks to everyone who attended and for your continuing support of AALAM! For more details, see the Banquet Program. And check out the event photos in the AALAM Photo GalleryReturn to Top


BC Law Student Wins AALAM Scholarship
Posted: 5/1/2011

At the AALAM Annual Banquet on April 19, 2011, AALAM announced H. Will Mak as the winner of its $2,500 2011 Scholarship. Will is a second-year law student at Boston College Law School and holds a B.A. from Harvard. While at Harvard, Will served as Executive Director of the Harvard Small Claims Advisory Service (SCAS), which provides legal assistance to over 1,200 Massachusetts citizens every year in small claims law and procedure. Seeing a need among non-English speaking clients, Will founded a satellite office in Boston Chinatown at the Chinese Progressive Association to help Chinese immigrants represent themselves in court. After college, Will served as a Fulbright Scholar to China. In that capacity, he conducted a research project on Chinese mediation as an alternative to U.S. litigation. After working at a real estate investment firm for two years, Will went to Boston College Law School, where he served as a 1L representative for the BC Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. He serves on the board of directors for the Harvard Asian-American Alumni Alliance, and helped organize a four-day inaugural Summit for Asian-American leaders in Cambridge in October 2010. He will be a summer associate at McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, a regional New England law firm with offices in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In his spare time, Will enjoys playing tennis.

Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz USA for sponsoring this year's scholarship. Thanks to the Scholarship Selection Committee, comprised of Joel Buenaventura, Stephen Chow, Sarah Kim, Vincent Lau, Michelle Rhee and Austin Wang.  Return to Top


AALAM Congratulates Justice Fernande R.V. Duffly
Posted: 2/2/2011

AALAM is pleased to announce that Justice Fernande R.V. Duffly was confirmed to the Supreme Judicial Court by the Massachusetts Governor's Council on January 26, 2011. Justice Duffly is the first Asian American appointed to the SJC. Please join AALAM in congratulating Justice Duffly on this historic appointment.  Return to Top


Friends of The Asian Outreach Unit Campaign
Posted: 11/16/2010

For nearly 40 years, the Asian Outreach Unit (AOU) at Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) has provided bilingual, culturally sensitive legal representation to assist low-income Asian immigrants secure the basic necessities of life - food, shelter, employment and safety. Last year, AOU advocates assisted over 900 low-income Asian clients. AOU advocates also work with the Asian immigrant community to empower and develop the community's ability to successfully address issues that affect their neighborhoods. The most recent example of this is the passage of a bilingual ballots bill requiring Chinese/English or Vietnamese/English ballots for those that need them. AOU attorneys also mentor APA undergraduate and law students interested in public interest law, who will become the next generation of legal advocates to serve this community.

Sadly, most of AOU's work is now threatened due to an unanticipated loss of $3.7 million in GBLS's public funding. This has forced GBLS to cut its staff by 20 advocate positions and it will need to make additional cuts if more money is not raised. AOU has already lost one attorney, and is at risk of losing two other advocates. You can help stop this from happening.

In response, an ad hoc group of Asian Americans recently formed the Friends of AOU to raise $100,000 in each of the next two years to preserve the AOU advocate positions. On Saturday, December 11, 2010, AALAM hosted a Holiday Open House to benefit the AOU. Cyndi Mark, Managing Attorney of the AOU, and her team presented some truly inspiring stories of their work. About 50 friends and members of AALAM enjoyed the evening of delicious Asian food and lively company. Thank you to our gracious hostess Marian Tse for opening her home to the AALAM community!

Although we made a good start, AOU still needs your help. Every two dollars you contribute will leverage an additional dollar from a challenge grant from the Harry Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund. The Dow Fund has already contributed $25,000 towards the $100,000 first year goal and will provide an additional $25,000 if the Friend of the AOU raise $50,000. Click here if you would like to contribute or for additional information, please contact Cyndi Mark, Managing Attorney of AOU, at cmark@gbls.orgReturn to Top


Monthly Happy Hour
Posted: 9/13/2010

AALAM has started holding monthly happy hour events. Come meet your fellow members in a casual and fun atmosphere. Past Monthly Happy Hours have been held on Thursday nights, 6-8 pm, at Stoddard's Fine Food and Wine in Boston. Watch our Calendar of Events page for details on future Monthly Happy Hours.  Return to Top



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