Paving the Way
May 20, 2025
Monroe County Hall of Justice, Rochester
U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca, the first Asian American to serve on New York’s Western District’s federal bench, was presented with the Seventh Judicial District’s inaugural Trailblazer Award at a Rochester AANHPI Heritage celebration in May. In receiving this prestigious honor, Judge Vacca emphasized that to attain trailblazer status, one must go beyond being the “first” to achieve a milestone to creating pathways for others, challenging the status quo, and fostering an environment where future generations can thrive.
A native of Busan, South Korea who came to the U.S. as an infant, Judge Vacca also became the only person of Asian descent to serve on New York’s Seventh Judicial District’s County Court bench upon her election in 2020. She was later designated an Acting State Supreme Court Justice, sitting in Monroe County until her 2024 appointment to the federal bench.
Former Appellate Division, First Department Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng delivered the event’s keynote address remotely. A pioneer in New York’s judiciary, he shared some of his own career trajectory in pointing to Asian Americans’ steadily increasing representation in New York’s legal profession and on the New York bench since his 1983 appointment to New York City Criminal Court.
The Rochester celebration, organized by the Seventh Judicial District’s Embracing Our Community and Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month Committees, showcased the diverse contributions and achievements of the AANHPI communities, highlighting this year’s theme, “A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience.”
Brighton Town Justice Vikram S. Vikhu, an AANHPI Heritage Committee co-chair, welcomed attendees to the event, noting that a significant part of the American experience is to explore our differences and similarities—and to share our stories.
Adding to the event were traditional dance and martial arts performances, along with a sampling of culinary treats, leaving attendees richer for this inspiring, culturally immersive gathering.
Compelling Film and Discussion
May 19, 2025
Appellate Division, First Department, Manhattan
The story of a Chinese immigrant family-owned savings bank that became the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis was the focus of a recent program hosted by the Appellate Division, First Department.
The Manhattan event, held in recognition of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, featured a viewing of the compelling, Oscar-nominated documentary, “ABACUS: Small Enough to Jail,” detailing the Sung family’s five-year legal battle to defend their reputation and their bank’s legacy. Ultimately, the Abacus Federal Savings Bank was exonerated of all charges, now operating in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The aggressive prosecution of Abacus for mortgage fraud, compared to the more lenient treatment of the “big banks,” was criticized by the media.
Appellate Division, First Department Presiding Justice Dianne T. Renwick opened the program, with members of the Sung family joining Fordham University School of Law Professor Thomas Lee for a thought-provoking discussion following the viewing of the film.
Senior U.S. Court of Appeals-Second Circuit Judge Denny Chin was also among the speakers at the well-attended program, coordinated by Professor Lee and Kathy Hirata Chin, chair of Fordham Law School’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law Advisory Council. The Center, along with the Historical Society of the New York Courts, sponsored the program.
The Manhattan event was one of numerous AAPI Heritage Month programs hosted by courts in New York City and around the State in May.
Salute to Advancement
May 15, 2025
Bronx Hall of Justice, Grand Concourse
During a packed AANHPI Heritage Month celebration at the Bronx County Hall of Justice, guest speaker Hon. Biju Koshy, Staten Island’s Supervising Judge of Criminal Courts, proudly noted that nine Asian American judges presently sit on the Bronx County bench in the County’s Housing Court, Family Court, and Supreme Court-Criminal Term.
The lively event, “A Salute to the Advancement of Asians in Leadership Roles,” featured remarks from several other members of the New York Judiciary in the Bronx and beyond, including Bronx County Family Court Judge Karen M.C. Cortes, who opened the program, New York City Family Court Administrative Judge Anne-Marie Jolly, New York City Civil Court Administrative Judge Shahabuddeen Ally, and retired Appellate Division, First Department (Manhattan and the Bronx) Associate Justice Jeffrey Oing.
Major Henry Chen, who is assigned to the Bronx County Family Court, presented an Asian Jade Society flag at the festive program. Major Chen serves as President of the New York State Courts’ Asian Jade Society, which works to promote workplace diversity and foster public understanding of the wide range of AAPI cultures, languages, and traditions.
Among other program highlights, Queens County Supreme Court-Civil Term Network Systems Technician Helen Zhu graced the celebration with a traditional Chinese dance performance combining storytelling and classical Asian movement and music.
The vibrant event was coordinated by the Equal Justice in the Courts Committees for Bronx County’s Family, Civil, Criminal, Supreme-Civil, and Supreme-Criminal Courts, inviting attendees to reflect on the richness of Asian heritage and the importance of cultural expression within society.
Reliving History
April 28, 2025
New York County Supreme Court, Lower Manhattan
An AAPI Heritage event exploring the history of Asian Americans’ fight for equity brought together judges, non-judicial personnel, law students, and others for an evening of enlightenment, reflection and community, underscoring our responsibility, both individually and collectively, in shaping a more inclusive future.
The program featured a distinguished panel of scholars and advocates, who examined past anti-Asian laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882-1943)—which restricted Chinese “laborers” from entering the U.S. and prohibited those already in the U.S. from becoming citizens—and discussed the legal and other challenges still faced today by AAPI communities.
Additionally, a display of historical photographs and cartoons, curated by OCA Management Analyst Angelica So and attorney Kathy Hirata Chin, brought to life for attendees the way in which anti-Asian bias developed and festered.
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Edwina G. Richardson, Appellate Division, First Department Associate Justice Troy K. Webber, and Supervising Judge of New York County Civil Court L. Austin D’ Souza opened the program, which included a celebration of AAPI traditions. The talk was followed by a lively reception, with attendees enjoying delicious fare and engaging with the presenters.
“Reliving History: Immigration, Exclusion, and the Cyclical Fight for Civil Rights” was sponsored by the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, the Asian American Judges Association of New York, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the South Asian Bar Association of New York, and the Historical Society of the New York Courts, among others.
Judge D’ Souza, Orange County Court Judge Hyun Chin Kim, and Queens County Supreme Court Acting Justice Frances Y. Wang coordinated the program, with support from a working group of judges and court staff committed to advancing dialogue and understanding across the court system.
Integrity and Dedication
May 14, 2025
Appellate Division, Second Department, Brooklyn
The Appellate Division, Second Department, led by Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle, initiated the Hon. Randall T. Eng Award Program to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans in the courts and beyond, with the annual awards presented in May in recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The award’s trailblazing namesake, a native of China, was the first Asian American appointed to the New York City Criminal Court bench in 1983. Later in his career, he was named Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department—becoming the first Asian American Presiding Justice on New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, which is made up of four Departments, each serving different regions of the State. Now Of Counsel to Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C., Justice Eng was among the distinguished presenters and honorees at this year’s awards program, held at the Second Department’s Brooklyn courthouse.
Acknowledged for their hard work, integrity, and exemplary public service, this year’s Hon. Randall T. Eng Award recipients include New York Court of Claims and Acting State Supreme Court Justice Anar R. Patel, Unified Court System Lt. Mido Mary Wu, and State Senator Stephen T. Chan (District 17).
Justice Patel was appointed to the Court of Claims in June 2022, designated an Acting State Supreme Court Justice and assigned to the Westchester County Supreme Court’s civil bench in New York’s Ninth Judicial District. In her former role as an attorney, she specialized in commercial litigation and since last year has been sitting in New York County Supreme Court’s premier Commercial Division in Manhattan, an international leader in the development of business courts.
Lt. Wu, who was born in China and grew up in Queens, New York, began her court career as a Junior Court Analyst in Brooklyn Treatment Court. A Court Officer since 2014, she was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant and is a founding member of the New York State Courts’ Asian Jade Society.
Senator Chan, originally from Hong Kong and representing Brooklyn’s District 17, is the first former police officer of Asian descent to be elected to the New York State Senate.
Presiding Justice LaSalle and Second Department Associate Justice Lillian Wan welcomed attendees to the awards ceremony, with Second Department Associate Justices Wan and Phillip Hom presenting the awards. Benjamin C. Hsing, President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, provided closing remarks.
The mid-May event was co-sponsored by several bar associations, including the AABANY, in addition to other organizations.
Celebrating Origins and Achievements
May 8, 2025
New York County Supreme Court-Criminal Term, Lower Manhattan
New York County Acting Supreme Court Justice Christopher Chin moderated an insightful talk in early May featuring retired Appellate Division, First Department Associate Justices Jeffrey K. Oing and Anil C. Singh. The “Asian Americans in Robes” fireside chat was hosted by the New York County Supreme Court’s Criminal and Civil Terms’ respective Equal Justice Committees and held at the Criminal Term’s 100 Centre Street Courthouse.
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts Adam Silvera, New York County Supreme Court-Criminal Term Administrative Judge Ellen Biben, and New York County Supreme Court-Civil Term Administrative Judge Suzanne J. Adams introduced the distinguished panelists, who reflected on their origins and paths to the judiciary.
Justices Oing and Chin are both of Chinese descent, with Justice Chin hailing from Myanmar (formerly Burma). Justice Singh, who immigrated to the U.S. from Gazipur, India, became the first Asian American to serve on New York’s Commission on Judicial Conduct upon his 2023 appointment by Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson.
The engaging discussion was one of many AAPI Heritage Month courthouse events held in May to celebrate the many traditions and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Parity Brings Success
May 6, 2025
HK Hall, Manhattan
Appellate Division, Second Department Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle and New York City Civil Court Administrative Judge and Acting Supreme Court Justice Shahabuddeen Ally were among the honorees at the Asian American Judges Association of New York’s annual gala in mid-Manhattan in early May.
Founded in 2013, the AAJANY works to foster inclusivity on the UCS bench and workforce, addressing issues affecting AAPI judges, court professionals and court users, conducting community outreach, and offering educational resources, in addition to other efforts.
Over 150 judges, attorneys, and government officials gathered to celebrate the AANHPI Heritage Month and pay tribute to the awardees. Justice LaSalle, who received the AAJANY’s Judicial Excellence Award, underscored the link between the success of an institution or other entity and its capacity for equal opportunity. Judge Ally, a past president of the AAJANY, was honored with the group’s Trailblazer Award, expressing his gratitude to the UCS leadership for its steadfast commitment to diversity.
Presenters and special guests included Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas, First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts Adam Silvera, and Richmond County Criminal Court Supervising Judge and AAJANY President Biju Koshy, among others.
