Welcome to the Haller Kwan LLP Employment Law Blog. As our firm grows, we will make this space a rich resource for learning more about employee rights. Check back for video blogs, current events implicating employment laws, and other engaging content. We're sharpening our pencils!
Kwan is Featured Speaker at Stinson Diversity Scholars Reception
Haller Kwan LLP Managing Partner Ben Kwan speaking at the April 24 Stinson Leonard Street Diversity Scholars Reception. Kwan is an alumnus of the program.
MINNEAPOLIS — Haller Kwan LLP Managing Partner Ben Kwan was the featured speaker at the Diversity Scholars Reception at the Minneapolis office of the national law firm of Stinson Leonard Street.
Kwan is a former Stinson Diversity Scholar and recipient of a law school scholarship provided by the Stinson firm. The firm for years have devoted a large amount of money towards scholarships fir diverse law students at each of the Twin Cities law schools.
The law firm asked Kwan to speak at the April 24, 2017, event as an alumnus and local bar leader. Kwan is serving as the President of the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association for 2016-2017.
Kwan told the audience that the firm's commitment to diversity and inclusion through deeds and dollars was instrumental in his career, allowing flexibility because he was not burdened by as many law school debts.
Kwan Participates in Panel for FBA Young Lawyers Division on Success in First Years of Practice
MINNEAPOLIS — Haller Kwan LLP Managing Partner Benjamin Kwan participated in the Federal Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (FBA YLD) inaugural “Emerging Professionals Conference” on April 6. The event served as the kick-off to the FBA YLD’s Minnesota mentorship pilot program.
Benjamin Kwan was part of a panel discussion focused on how to create success in the first years of practice, including strategies for time management, and whether work-life balance actually exists. The panel also included FBA President Elect Kip Bolin, FBA Younger Lawyers Division Chair Glen McMurray, Sybil Dunlop, and Lauren D’Cruz.
Kwan Co-Authors the Employment Law Chapter in Minnesota CLE Deskbook
MINNEAPOLIS — Haller Kwan LLP founding partner Ben Kwan recently co-authored the latest edition of the Employment Law Primer, a comprehensive guide to employment law included in the Minnesota Continuing Legal Education desk book, Representing the Ongoing Business.
Kwan co-authored the Employment Law Primer with employment defense lawyer Colton Long of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago, an employment bar colleague and occasional worthy adversary on litigation matters. Kwan and Long updated and augmented the Primer to include more information on pitfalls for employers. Kwan brought the plaintiffs' lawyer's perspective to the work, which is intended to instruct everyday business attorneys on advising their clients on employment law matters.
"Our work as plaintiffs' employment attorneys will never be done so long as there are still human beings reporting to work everyday," Kwan said. "If we can contribute to our body of local legal scholarship in a way that prevents problems from ever happening, we're contributing to the greater good."
Kwan and Long will host a one-hour live webcast for attorneys on the topic of employment law through Minnesota CLE on Tuesday, February 14, 2017.
Ben Kwan is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Haller Kwan LLP. He advocates on behalf of employees and those thrust into a whistleblower role. He believes in the role of lawyer as counselor and remains steadfast in improving the lives of his clients. Ben writes and speaks on employment law issues as well as issues critical to the practice of law like diversity and inclusion.
Kwan Takes Helm of Minnesota's Asian American Bar Associaton
MINNEAPOLIS — Haller Kwan LLP Managing Partner and founder Ben Kwan took the helm of the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association today, the start of the affinity bar's calendar year. As President of the association, Kwan leads a community of more than 200 Asian Pacific American lawyers, judges, and law students in the state of Minnesota.
Kwan leads MNAPABA's Executive Board of eight other board members in advocacy work and programming through September of 2017.
Speaking at MNAPABA's annual gala in September, Kwan committed his presidency to encouraging service among MNAPABA's members—service to one another, the legal profession, and most importantly, to the community, especially those in need.
At the gala, MNAPABA honored the association's founding members and noted that the group had come a long way since its early meetings at Chinese restaurants like the old Village Wok in Dinkytown.
Kwan explained that, but for the service and mentorship of many in the room packed full of 300 attendees, the son of a cook at the Village Wok (Kwan's dad cooked at the Village Wok in the 1970s) could not be standing up at the podium about to assume the presidency of the state's Asian American bar association.
Before this year, Kwan served on the MNAPABA board as Secretary, Vice President of Communications, and most recently, President-Elect.
Ben Kwan is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Haller Kwan LLP. He advocates on behalf of employees and those thrust into a whistleblower role. He believes in the role of lawyer as counselor and remains steadfast in improving the lives of his clients. Ben writes and speaks on employment law issues as well as issues critical to the practice of law like diversity and inclusion.