Contact: Jon Sullivan
Manager, Media Services & Public Affairs
jsullivan@nysba.org
518/487-5532

April 3, 2008

FORDHAM LAW STUDENT STUDENT JI ZHANG TO RECEIVE COMMERCIAL AND FEDERAL LITIGATION SECTION MINORITY FELLOWSHIP

Fordham Law School student, Ji Zhang, has been chosen as the 2008 recipient of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Minority Fellowship administered by The New York Bar Foundation. The $5,000 award is available to first-year law students attending a law school in the State of New Yorkwho demonstrate an interest in commercial and federal litigation.

The winner of the Fellowship award will work this summer in the Chambers of the Honorable Herman Cahn, New York Supreme Court, New York County, Commercial Division.

John R. Horan, president of The New York Bar Foundation said, “We are pleased to award, for a second year in a row, the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Minority Fellowship to a Fordham Law Schoolstudent. Mr. Zhang is an eminently qualified candidate for this Fellowship and his academic record and work experience demonstrate his commitment to scholarly excellence. The likelihood of him having a successful career in law and litigation is very promising.”

A resident of Forest Hills, Queens, Mr. Zhang is amagna cum laude graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University (Delaware, OH) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting. While at Ohio Wesleyan, Mr. Zhang was the recipient of the Trustee Scholarship for four consecutive years and the Charter One Bank Scholarship in 2004. He placed second in competition for the Mathematics Florence Leas Prize. He also spearheaded a student housing clinic where students offered housing related legal advice and mediated between students and landlords.  Additionally, he was a member of the Ironman USA Triathlon team. Mr. Zhang is a native Mandarin Chinese speaker and anticipates receiving his CPA certification from the Ohio Board of Accountancy in May 2008.

Mr. Zhang will be recognized by the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section and The Foundation during an awards ceremony at the Section’s Smooth Moves II program on April 7^th at Lincoln Center , New YorkCity. Before the awards ceremony at 4:00 p.m., the Section is sponsoring a free MCLE program entitled “Pathways to the Bench,” which will include as panelists judges from the federal and state benches.

In addition to the Fellowship award, at the awards ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m., the Section will bestow the 2008 Honorable George Bundy Smith Pioneer Award on Cesar A. Perales, president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.  The awards ceremony will be followed by a cocktail and networking reception, which also is free although advance registration is recommended. 

Section Chair, Carrie H. Cohen said, “The Commercial and Federal Litigation Section established this Fellowship with The New York Bar Foundation to help create a network and forge relationships that will foster greater diversity among commercial and federal litigators throughout the State of New York.  It is our pleasure to confer this year’s Fellowship on Mr. Zhang and we are confident he will have a wonderful experience working for the Honorable Herman Cahn.” 

Founded in 1988, the more than 2,600 member Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of NYSBA strives to improve the quality of representation of commercial clients in litigation matters, provides a forum for the improvement of law and procedure in the areas of commercial and federal litigation, and enhances the administration of justice.  The Section is committed to serving the professional development goals of attorneys of color and to fostering diversity in the profession.  For more information about the Section, contact Sue Fitzpatrick, NYSBA, One Elk Street , Albany NY 12207, or go to www.nysba.org/comfed.

According to Horan, during 2007, The Foundation distributed almost $500,000 through 48 grants to fund programs that facilitate the delivery of legal services to those in need, promote improvements in the justice system and law and related supportive services, enhance professional competence and ethics, and increase public understanding of the law and legal system. The work of The Foundation is made possible through the contributions of lawyers, law firms, corporations and others.

For more information about The New York Bar Foundation, contact Rosanne M. Van Heertum, director of development, The New York Bar Foundation, One Elk Street , Albany NY 12207or go to www.tnybf.org to make an online donation.

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