Asian Pacific Resource Network
The Asian Pacific Resource Network promotes awareness with respect to issues facing Asian Pacific Americans. Members of the group seek to enhance the firm's efforts to recruit and retain Asian Pacific American lawyers and staff, promote a diverse and inclusive environment at Dewey & LeBoeuf and encourage networking for professional, business and social development. Additionally, members provide the firm with guidance on issues of common interest to Asian Pacific Americans. They help facilitate a dialogue about such issues that will in turn help promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive working environment.
Recruitment and Retention
"One of the best things about the APRN is that it provides a forum for attorneys to connect not only with other attorneys but also with law students who share a similar background. This provides great mentoring and educational opportunities for these students and ultimately benefits the firm by improving its recruiting and retention of new associates."
Urvashi Sen
Associate, Litigation
New York Office
The Asian Pacific Resource Network plays an active role in student and lateral recruiting at the firm. The Resource Network understands that having our attorneys actively engaged in this process will ultimately result in an increased presence of fellow Asian Pacific American lawyers in the firm. To that end, the Resource Network participates in the interviewing process, and travels to law schools to meet with the Asian Pacific American Law Student Associations regarding the summer associate program. During the summer, the Resource Network hosts events geared toward Asian Pacific American summer associates to allow them the opportunity to ask questions about the Resource Network and life as an Asian Pacific American attorney at the firm. The Resource Network also sponsors and participates in events with the Asia Law Society, Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, and South Asian Law Students Association at various law schools around the United States.
The Network also works to address issues of interest to Asian Pacific American lawyers to increase retention among our associates. For example, the Resource Network solicited feedback of its members with regards to such issues as associate morale. The Resource Network then digested this information and presented it in a larger setting, together with the other Resource Networks at the firm, in order to bring to light issues of importance to diverse associates at the firm.
Community Involvement
The firm recognizes that as citizen-lawyers, our commitment to the practice does not stop in the court room or conference room. It extends to the broader community, and the Asian Pacific Resource Network is dedicated to encouraging its members to reach out to that community and offer their help and support. To that end, our attorneys have been actively involved in community organizations and activities. For example, the Resource Network hosted and actively participated in the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s Interview Workshop, as part of their Essential Job Search Skills Series. The Resource Network also provided a venue for AABANY to host a meeting of student leaders of the various Asian Pacific American Law Student Associations in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut tri-state area.
The Asian Pacific Resource Network also devotes time and resources to the following groups, among others:
- The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF);
- Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC); and
- Sakhi for South Asian Women.
Social Events
Because there’s more to working at Dewey & LeBoeuf than practicing law, the Asian Pacific Resource Network also plans social events, such as cocktail hours, for our staff and attorneys to get to know each other. These events allow members to unwind after a long day and meet fellow Asian Pacific American lawyers and staff, making a 1,100 attorney law firm feel but a fraction of that size.
Because there’s more to working at Dewey & LeBoeuf than practicing law, the Asian Pacific Resource Network also plans social events, such as cocktail hours, for our staff and attorneys to get to know each other. These events allow members to unwind after a long day and meet fellow Asian Pacific American lawyers and staff, making a 1,100 attorney law firm feel but a fraction of that size.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
"The APRN came together through the combined efforts of partners, associates, staff and other members of the Dewey & LeBoeuf community, and it represents a natural extension of Dewey & LeBoeuf's focus on core diversity initiatives. The firm believes that diversity is fundamental to our business, and I believe the APRN will help further develop this culture internally at every level."
Chang-Do Gong
Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions
New York Office
The Asian Pacific Resource Network is instrumental in coordinating the events and initiatives throughout the firm in all of its offices in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. Whether it’s changing the cafeteria menu to spotlight different Asian cuisines or educating staff and attorneys on major historical moments in Asian Pacific American history, the firm and the Resource Network are constantly trying to come up with creative ways to bring into the limelight the diverse history and culture of Asian Pacific Americans.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2011
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Click the image to view information from this years APA event. |
Contact Us
Feel free to contact Dev Sen, Network Partner Liaison, if you would like further information.