Center on Asian Americans and the Law

Our Three Core Missions

Civic education
Educating students, lawyers, and the public about Asian American legal history

Scholarship and legal studies
Establishing a national hub and platform for interdisciplinary scholarship and research on issues raised by Asian American legal history

Outreach and public advocacy
Generating interest in and raising awareness of these same issues by reaching out to and collaborating with others to encourage dialogue and ultimately advance the cause of justice and the social good

Center on Asian Americans and the Law news

Fordham-Stein Prize Honors Trailblazing Career of Judge Denny Chin ’78

Fordham-Stein Prize Honors Trailblazing Career of Judge Denny Chin ’78

From humble beginnings in a tenement apartment in Hell’s Kitchen to a pioneering career on the federal bench, Judge Denny Chin ’78 was honored with the Fordham-Stein Prize for a …

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Screening of Broadway Hit “Yellow Face” Sparks Discussion on Asian American Representation

Screening of Broadway Hit “Yellow Face” Sparks Discussion on Asian American Representation

Fordham Law’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law put a spotlight on the historic representation of Asian Americans in the entertainment industry at an event featuring actor Francis Jue, …

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Fordham Law Kicks Off the Fall 2025 Semester, Welcoming 447 New Students

Fordham Law Kicks Off the Fall 2025 Semester, Welcoming 447 New Students

As Fordham Law kicked off its fall semester today, first-year and returning students came together in community-building and public service activities, new professors joined the faculty, and the campus community …

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Fordham’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month with Friendship (and Food)

Fordham’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month with Friendship (and Food)

Fordham Law’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) fosters a supportive community for Asian Americans at the Law School. Throughout the year, APALSA hosts events that promote mentorship and …

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Symposium Examines the Troubling History of Espionage Accusations Against Asian Americans 

Symposium Examines the Troubling History of Espionage Accusations Against Asian Americans 

The Center on Asian Americans and the Law’s Third Annual Fall Symposium shined a light on the under-explored history of accusations of espionage against Asian Americans, delving into historical cases …

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New York Law Journal: Judge Denny Chin Reviews Book Highlighting Work of Japanese-American Attorneys During World War II

New York Law Journal: Judge Denny Chin Reviews Book Highlighting Work of Japanese-American Attorneys During World War II

Hon. Judge Denny Chin, co-director of the Center on Asian Americans and the Law at Fordham Law School, reviewed a new book exploring the legal battles of the Japanese-American attorneys …

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Panel Explores the Implications of Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling for Asian Americans

Panel Explores the Implications of Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling for Asian Americans

Now that the Supreme Court has ended race-conscious admissions policies in higher education, what does that mean for Asian American communities? Fordham Law’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law …

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Center on Asian Americans and the Law Holds Second Annual Summer Scholarship Conference

Center on Asian Americans and the Law Holds Second Annual Summer Scholarship Conference

The Center on Asian Americans and the Law held its Second Annual Summer Scholarship Conference on July 13. The day-long event was co-sponsored by the Asian American Bar Association of …

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Four Tips from Legal Professionals on How To Approach Your Career 

Four Tips from Legal Professionals on How To Approach Your Career 

The Center on Asian Americans and the Law hosted a “Professionalism and Career Advice Panel Discussion” for Fordham Law students featuring three accomplished Asian American speakers, who spoke about their …

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Fordham Law Student Wins Matsui Writing Competition For Second Year in a Row

Fordham Law Student Wins Matsui Writing Competition For Second Year in a Row

Fordham Law student Ben Lew ’23 has been selected as the winner of this year’s Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition. Held by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational …

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Judge Denny Chin Portrayed by Actor BD Wong in Film “The Courtroom”

Judge Denny Chin Portrayed by Actor BD Wong in Film “The Courtroom”

Judge Denny Chin ’78 of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit was recently portrayed by actor BD Wong in the film The Courtroom.  The film, produced by Waterwell, is …

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Fordham Law Celebrates Launch of Center on Asian Americans and the Law

Fordham Law Celebrates Launch of Center on Asian Americans and the Law

The Center on Asian Americans and the Law, Fordham Law School’s newest academic center, celebrated its formal launch on November 9. Co-directed by Senior U.S. Circuit Court Judge Denny Chin …

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Center on Asian Americans and the Law Covered in Singtao USA

Center on Asian Americans and the Law Covered in Singtao USA

The launch of Fordham Law’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law was covered by Singtao USA. Additionally, articles profiling Judge Denny Chin ’78 and Professor Thomas Lee were published.

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Fordham Law School Launches Center For AAPI Legal Issues

Fordham Law School Launches Center For AAPI Legal Issues

The launch of Fordham Law School’s Center on Asian Americans and the Law—taking place November 9—was featured in a Law360 article. Fordham University School of Law is set to officially launch …

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Fordham Law Launches Center on Asian Americans and the Law

Fordham Law Launches Center on Asian Americans and the Law

U.S. Circuit Court Judge Denny Chin ’78, Lawrence W. Pierce Distinguished Jurist in Residence, and Thomas Lee, Leitner Family Professor of International Law, spoke with National Law Journal about the …

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Killing Affirmative Action Is the Easy Part

Killing Affirmative Action Is the Easy Part

Professor Thomas Lee was quoted in a Bloomberg Law column, which discussed the Supreme Court’s impending decision on affirmative action cases. Less sanguine about the prospect of maintaining affirmative action is …

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Chol Soo Lee Documentary Screening Sparks Conversations

Chol Soo Lee Documentary Screening Sparks Conversations

On September 29, Fordham Law students gathered for a screening of the documentary Free Chol Soo Lee and post-viewing discussion hosted by the Center on Asian Americans and the Law.  …

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Professor Thomas H. Lee Appointed to the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

Professor Thomas H. Lee Appointed to the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

On September 23, 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the appointment of Leitner Family Professor of International Law Thomas H. Lee to the newly established Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity …

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A Preview of Fall Events At Fordham Law

A Preview of Fall Events At Fordham Law

This fall semester, Fordham Law is excited to host a number of exciting and enriching events that will provide opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni to explore a fascinating array …

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“An Incredibly Rich Subject on Many Levels”: Judge Denny Chin ’78 and Professor Thomas Lee Lead Asian Americans and the Law Teaching Workshop

“An Incredibly Rich Subject on Many Levels”: Judge Denny Chin ’78 and Professor Thomas Lee Lead Asian Americans and the Law Teaching Workshop

U.S. Circuit Court Judge Denny Chin ’78, Lawrence W. Pierce Distinguished Jurist in Residence, and Thomas Lee, Leitner Family Professor of International Law, led a lively teaching workshop on July …

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