Initiative will coordinate and drive law firm pro bono resources on behalf of victims
In response to a growing trend of violence and hate crimes against Asians in the United States, a coalition of law firms and general counsel of Fortune 1000 companies have launched a pro bono initiative to provide legal services to victims of anti-Asian incidents.
The Alliance for Asian American Justice (AAJ) – which counts global firms such as Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) and Latham & Watkins as members – was formed to coordinate and drive law firm pro bono resources on behalf of victims to assist and support them in obtaining legal remedies.
“The alliance will allow the hundreds of prominent and accomplished lawyers of Asian descent in law firms and corporations (many of whom are former federal and state prosecutors) to leverage their expertise to advocate for and ensure justice on behalf of victims,” said Don Liu, founding advisory board member of AAJ. “Our non-Asian allies are likewise committed to joining us in this important work. We are eager to take action and look forward to many others joining in this fight.”
“We strongly condemn the rise in anti-Asian violence and hate crimes,” said Rich Trobman, chair and managing partner of Latham & Watkins. “As a law firm, one of the primary means by which we combat injustice, racism, and violence is through efforts to strengthen the rule of law and ensure access to legal remedies. We are therefore proud to join our colleagues in the legal and corporate communities to help found the alliance, and we look forward to bringing our skills to bear on seeking justice for those who have been impacted.”
“The increase in verbal and physical assaults on Asian Americans in our country over the past year is both alarming and disturbing,” said Brian Sun, a partner at NRF in Los Angeles. “The alliance is committed to helping these victims of discrimination and racism, as we believe that united together we can make meaningful change.”