Milbank is horrified at the significant increase in anti-Asian rhetoric, harassment and violence since the start of the pandemic. We lend our voices and support to those who have spoken out and taken action against racially motivated hatred and actions and express our support to our Asian and Asian American colleagues and friends. Meetings within the Milbank community over the past two weeks have underscored how alarming and impactful these events, including the recent murders in Atlanta, have been. No one should have to live in fear because of race or identity. Milbank stands together as a firm and condemns racism against any group.
As a firm, Milbank continues to advocate for racial justice through our support of and pro bono work for numerous organizations, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and The Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center, among others, as well as for Asian American families and individuals on a number of social justice issues. Milbank is also a signatory to the Stand Against Hate campaign launched by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association to address the increase in anti-Asian violence and discrimination.
During this challenging time, we urge everyone to act as an ally and support those who may feel unsafe or dehumanized by this disturbing increase in racism and racially motivated attacks.
Our Chairman Scott Edelman has sent the following letter to Mayor de Blasio and similar letters to the mayors of Los Angeles and Washington, DC, urging that they prioritize the safety of Asians and Asian Americans and offering the firm’s support in the fight to end discrimination and intolerance.
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I am the Chairman of Milbank LLP, a global law firm headquartered in New York with offices worldwide, including throughout Asia.
I am writing to add my voice and offer support in addressing the recent rise in hate crimes directed at Asians and Asian Americans, including the horrific murders in Atlanta.
Over the last two weeks, I have listened to and heard our community, and in particular our Asian and Asian American colleagues. It is clear that the significant increase in anti-Asian rhetoric, harassment and violence since the beginning of the pandemic has stoked fear and left many members of our community feeling unsafe, unheard and traumatized. We at Milbank were heartbroken to hear that our Asian and Asian American colleagues were afraid to leave their homes. I was horrified to hear accounts of parents and grandparents who, despite being vaccinated, now find themselves continuing to be homebound as a result of the threat of anti-Asian violence.
As a Firm, we wanted to join with our Asian and Asian American colleagues to make sure that you understand the gravity of these issues, and to ask that you devote the resources necessary to allow our Asian and Asian American colleagues to feel safe in our communities.
We want to be an ally in your efforts to fight against discrimination and intolerance. If there is anything we can do to help, I am happy to discuss ideas and hope you will reach out to me.
Very truly yours,
Scott A. Edelman
Partner and Chairman
