PRES. DUFFLY RECEIVES 'TRAILBLAZER' AWARD

The Northeast Region of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association recognized NAWJ President Fernande Duffy as 'Trailblazer'. NAWJ President Nan Duffly, a longtime member and supporter of the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, was proudly nominated by the AALAM for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Northeast Region's 2007 Trailblazer Award, and was awarded that honor at its National Convention in Las Vegas in the Fall. Judge Duffly has served as a role model and inspiration to many. Also pictured Hon. Erica Yew and Hon. Carrie Zepada on the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California and Hon. Tammy Ryu, on the Los Angeles Superior Court in California.

Hon. Fernande R.V. Duffly - Diversity Hero
At a banquet in Boston President Fernande Duffly accepted the Diversity Hero award presented by the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for "a commitment to advancing Asian-Americans as lawyers and judges." The Diversity Hero Award recognizes President Duffly's awareness of "the difficulties faced by minority litigants trying to navigate the channels of the judiciary." A seemingly chronic shortage of interpreters to assist non-English-speaking litigants in the court system is one challenge they must contend with. Cultural differences pose another, as Duffly explains: "I remember an Asian woman who wanted to give up any interest she had in property and children; she said that was her tradition. I asked for a volunteer lawyer to represent her. I couldn't do what she was asking until she had good representation by someone who spoke Chinese."