NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION HONORS SECOND CIRCUIT JUDGE DENNY CHIN FOR DIVERSITY EFFORTS

ALBANY, NY (01/24/2017)(readMedia)-- Judge Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit was honored with the 2017 Diversity Trailblazer Award on January 23 at the State Bar's Annual Meeting in New York City. The award was presented by the State Bar's Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

"Throughout Judge Chin's career, he has blazed trails and served as a true proponent of diversity and inclusion," said the Committee Chair Sandra Irby Buchanan (New York City). "Judge Chin promotes diversity and inclusion by actively educating the public, inspiring the profession and mentoring our youth."

Chin was appointed a U.S. circuit judge for the Second Circuit in 2010. Chin was the first Asian American appellate judge appointed to the Second Circuit. Previously, Chin served as a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of New York from 1994 to 2010.

Chin mentored a student named Celina Caban in 2013 as part of the American Bar Association's Ms. JD Fellowship. He helped her pursue her idea to start a judicial internship program for high school students in the inner city. The program-the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program-is now in its fourth year and also includes law students.

For the past 10 years, Chin has organized historic trial reenactments that have been presented at local bar association events, as well as at law schools and national conferences. Chin has also played a key role in increasing diversity by starting a minority internship program called the Minority Mentorship Program at Fordham Law.

"The quality of justice will improve if we can help improve diversity in the profession and on the bench," said Chin.

The 72,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

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